Gen Z Is Not Killing Restaurants and Bars

3 Min Read By MRM Staff

Busting the myth that “Gen Z is killing bars and restaurants,” new data suggests they actually have a significantly higher incidence of going out to eat and drink across all on-premise segments when compared to other demographics. “Gen Z is driving important metrics that signal a return to growth for the restaurant industry, which is good news for us all,” said Brandy Rand, Vice President, Hospitality Group at Questex, which released the new proprietary report through a partnership with Datassential ahead of the 2026 Bar & Restaurant Expo. “The oldest Gen Z reaches 27 this year and the data shows that far from being the generation that kills bars and restaurants, it could be the one that saves it.”

The Misunderstood Generation Saving the Restaurant IndustryRand said the widespread "doom-mongering" regarding Gen Z's habits is wrong, characterizing them as a "misunderstood generation."

“We hear statements like ‘they don’t like to socialize in real life,’ ‘they…