Gen Z'ers Suffer from 'Menu Anxiety' When Dining Out: A Generation Afraid to Order
Add going out for dinner to the lengthening list of things that Gen Z simply can't do like the rest of Americans.
In a new, almost absurd study conducted by British restaurant chain Prezzo, they found that a majority of young people reported suffering from "menu anxiety" while eating in public. This phenomenon has raised concerns about the increasing fear and hesitancy among Gen Z'ers when it comes to ordering their own meals.
Researchers from Prezzo surveyed over 2,000 individuals to understand how relaxed they felt while dining out and to gauge the overall enjoyment of the experience.
According to the numbers -- about 86% of Gen Z adults (aged 18 to 24) admitted to experiencing "menu anxiety" in restaurants, compared to 67% of all respondents.
The study revealed that some young adults, approximately 34%, feel so anxious that they rely on others at the table to communicate with waiters on their behalf.
Dean Challenger, CEO of Prezzo, expressed his concern about these findings, stating in a press release statement, "[While] most people look forward to dining out during the [holiday] season, we know—as our research shows—it can be stressful for some."
It appears that the exorbitant cost of dining out, coupled with worries about finding something they like on the menu or regretting their order, triggers this specific fear among Gen Z'ers.
In fact, almost 40% of Gen Z customers admitted that they simply wouldn't go out for dinner if they couldn't check the menu beforehand. This reliance on pre-screening menus highlights the generation's aversion to spontaneity and their need for control and reassurance.
A similar study conducted in the United States found that three in 10 Americans experience "menu anxiety," with Gen Z'ers expressing higher levels of nervousness compared to older generations.
The survey of 2,000 adults revealed that 41% of Gen Z and millennials (aged 18–43) reported anxiety while ordering, whereas only 15% of Gen X and baby boomers (aged 44–77) felt the same.
These findings align with the continuous reports of alarming rates of general anxiety among Gen Z. The anxieties that have plagued this generation now extend to typically inconsequential and enjoyable activities such as dining out and taking vacations.
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Gabriel Rubin, a Professor of Justice Studies at Montclair State University, recently released a study highlighting Gen Z's fear of the world compared to previous generations. Rubin explained that many Gen Z'ers struggle to socialize in real-world conditions, attributing their anxiety to a lack of in-person social skills due to factors like the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Because so many Gen Z'ers are anxious and because so many have trouble in non-digital social spaces, even activities as simple as ordering food sometimes become things to be avoided," Rubin told The New York Post in a recent article.