Gen Zers have made their way onto college campuses across the country and brought new dining demands and eating behaviors with them. Many students are opting for food options that accommodate their lifestyle and support their health goals. Explore how the new generation of college students is influencing today’s campuses in this resource.

1. GEN Z
DINING
TRENDS
2019

2. GENERATION Z is the newest group of college-aged
consumers transforming the dining landscape. With $143
billion in U.S. spending power, members of Gen Z have
earned themselves a reputation of being the dominant
consumers of the modern world. This SlideShare reveals
what you need to know about this unpredictable generation
to keep them participating in your dining program.
Gen Z Quick Stats1
• Born between 1995 and 2006
• 46% nonwhite
• Make up 26% of the U.S. population
• By 2020, will represent 40% of U.S. population
• $143 billion in U.S. spending power

3. Gen Z is Diverse3
Gen Z is more racially and
culturally diverse than previous
generations. 46% of ages 18–21
identify as nonwhite and 22%
identify as Hispanic.
Gen Z Tech Style
“Neo-Digital Natives”4
The first truly digital generation,
they expect tech-friendly service
in all dining venues, especially
through online ordering and
mobile payments.
Gen Z Dining Style
“Functional Eaters”2
They eat meals and snacks on
the go, expect speed and
accuracy, and care deeply about
convenience and the next new
food trend.
Gen Z Spending Style3
They are not big spenders but
are dedicated to healthy organic
food and make frequent trips to
the grocery store. They spend an
average of $269 on groceries
each month.

4. NEW FOOD TRENDS SHAPING GEN Z
Gen Z—The Healthier Generation
Gen Zers demand fresh and healthy food. This impacts
everything from where they choose to go for higher
education to where they choose to eat once they’re
on campus.
of Gen Zers’ grocery
baskets are composed
of organic products3
1/3
GEN Z QUICK STATS1
• 1 in 5 campuses call out healthy
items to help students find the
healthiest choices
• Vegan and vegetarian remain
the most common health
claims in campus dining
• Gen Zers say “clean eating”
improves their quality of life
• A growing number of higher
education campuses offer
gluten-free dining halls
and areas

5. Gen Z’s Healthy Eating Behaviors5
All-Natural Generation
embrace fresher, healthier food choices
and fewer unhealthy foods
Snacks Steal the Plate
eat smaller main meals and more snacks
In-Home Breakfast on the Rise
crave substantial breakfast foods
Make Room for Favorites
love lunch kits, fruit leather, toaster
pastries, and frozen meals

6. Leading Changes in Health Claims
on Campus2
+44% Do not want low-fat
+5% Gluten-free
+4% Vegan
What Students Consider When Evaluating
the Healthiness of a Meal6
33% Nutritional content
23% Quality of food
Leading Health Food Claims on Campuses2
73% Vegan
71% Vegetarian
35% Gluten-free
20% Healthy
15% Fat-free
11% Organic
11% Low-fat
The Healthy Food Mindset

7. Healthy Menu Ideas to Boost Gen Z Dining on Campus
• Offer vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options
• Open an all-day smoothie bar
• Provide healthy lunch kits
• Source snack options such as nuts, yogurt and fruit
Students were asked
if they would be more
likely, less likely, or
equally as likely to eat
on campus if a broader
selection of healthy
options were available.
Here’s what they said:6
57%
More
likely
36%
Same
7%
Less
likely

8. Many students would participate in additional initiatives to
encourage healthier eating if they were offered on campus.6
20% Extremely likely
15% Likely
21% Extremely likely
15% Likely
19% Extremely likely
17% Likely
26% Extremely likely
19% Likely
Create a dedicated dining location on
campus for healthy meals
Offer healthy cooking classes
Provide stations with menu options that
are all under a specified calorie limit
Provide mobile apps to make and track dining
choices based upon personal nutrition goals

9. Gen Zers and Mindful Dining
Gen Zers want to know what’s in their food and beverages
to make the most informed decisions about health,
environmental and ethical issues. To appeal to today’s
students, campuses need to understand Gen Z’s “mindful”
approach to dining.
Only 40%
of Gen Zers think there
are healthy options
available in school
vending machines7
Mindfulness Dining Ideas
to Boost Gen Z Participation
on Campus
• Provide brick-and-mortar, hands-on
food experiences
• Perfect the digital food ordering
experience
• Give them ways to engage with food
services online
• Emphasize better-for-you snacks and
beverages, including organic, natural,
GMO-free or zero-calorie
• Provide trendy, healthy options, such
as plant-based meat alternatives and
Asian-and Indian-inspired meals

10. 5 Dining Trends Impacting Gen Z7
Enjoy culinary
adventures
71%
like trying
new dishes
and flavors at
restaurants
76%
like to hang out
with their friends
at a restaurant
66%
like restaurants
that offer
shareable food
Want the feeling
of community
Are heavily
influenced
by food media
56%
like to watch
the Food
Network
52%
like to watch
“Tasty” and other
cooking videos on
Facebook and
Instagram
Rely on word
of mouth
86%
like to eat at
restaurants they
have heard good
things about
78%
like to try
restaurants their
friends have
recommended
Want food
their way
91%
like restaurants
where they
get their order
quickly
87%
like restaurants
where they can
customize their
meal

11. Gen Zers Want Allergy-Free Options
Many Gen Zers have grown up omitting a wide range of
foods. Students with allergies want to feel safe when they
dine and expect every food service venue to meet their
allergy-free requirements.
Cooking allergy-free isn’t as hard as you think
of food allergies come
from just 8 foods:
90%
Milk
Eggs
Peanuts
Tree Nuts
Soy
Wheat
Fish
Shellfish

12. How Many People Have Food Allergies?8
Food allergies among children
increased approximately 50%
between 1997 and 2011
30% of children with food
allergies are allergic to more
than one food
6 million:
Children under 18
with food allergies
→ that’s 1 in every 13
kids with at least one
food allergy
15 million:
Americans with
food allergies
→ that’s 5% of the
population
3 million:
Americans with
celiac disease
→ that’s 1% of the
total population

13. How Serious Are Food Allergy Reactions?8
Every 3 minutes, a food allergy reaction
sends someone to the emergency room
Each year in the U.S., 200,000 people require
emergency medical care for allergic reactions to food
Childhood hospitalizations for food allergy tripled
between the late 1990s and the mid-2000s
40% of children with food allergies have experienced
a severe allergic reaction, such as anaphylaxis
Caring for children with food allergies costs
U.S. families nearly $25 billion annually
Ideas to Promote
Allergy-Free Dining
on Your Campus
• Offer several food choices
that are free from the
eight most common
allergens—wheat, dairy,
peanuts, tree nuts, egg,
soy, fish and shellfish
• Create allergy-free dining
rooms or areas
• Promote your allergy-free
options on social media to
inform students and
encourage them to eat
on campus

14. “Plant-Forward” Is the New “Low-Fat”
Gen Zers are more likely to eat less meat for health and
ethical reasons than other age groups. They expect to find
more plant-forward options wherever they dine. It’s time for
campuses to focus on “plant power.”
60%
want to reduce
meat consumption9

15. Plant-Forward Diet Appeal by Generations9
63%
Gen X
69%
Millennial
52%
Boomer
65%
Gen Z

16. How often would you choose plant-based
and plant-forward foods in college?9
31% Sometimes
30% Most times
23% Every time
Would you try plant-based foods
completely new to you?9
42% Would today
39% Would potentially
in the future
20% Would not
Plant-Forward Stats9
62%
want to
eat more
fruit and
veggies
35%
see the
plant-forward
lifestyle
as a way to
save money
63%
cite weight
management
as the top
reason for going
plant-forward

17. IDEAS FOR FOCUSING ON
PLANT POWER ON YOUR CAMPUS
• Create more plant-forward dishes and options that
support students’ health goals
• Offer unfamiliar options, but emphasize known
and loved dishes
• Provide plant options for the full range of students—
from vegans to carnivores
• Use icons to identify the plant-forward options
• Emphasize the health benefits of eating more
plant-based food
• Provide students with healthy meats and
protein-rich options

18. The Farm-to-Fork Generation
For Gen Zers, ingredients and meats that are fresh, local,
natural, organic, plant-based, and grass-fed are the overlap
between personal health and environmental sustainability.
All of these qualities come together in one hot trend: farm-
to-fork dining.
Food venues perceived as less healthy, less fresh, and
more processed are also perceived as less sustainable
and of lower quality.10

19. Farm-to-Fork Trends10
When dining out, consumers associate healthier food with being
more sustainable because it tends to be more “natural,” fresh, and
less processed
These cues such as “fresh” and “less processed” also communicate
higher-quality food
Consumers trust farmers significantly more than food manufacturers
and the government when it comes to food safety practices
Many brands are earning consumer trust by demonstrating that they
use safe, fair, and environmentally friendly practices. Emerging
certification programs being adopted by cleaner brands address
ingredient integrity, transparency and animal welfare

20. Gen Z Embraces More Global Flavors
Gen Z is the most diverse generation in U.S. history. Young
diners’ sophisticated palates translate into a demand for
authentic and bold ingredients in many of their favorite meals.
of Gen Zers express interest
in seeing more international
street foods on menus5
42%

21. Top Cuisine Choices11
74%
Mexican
22%
Spanish 19%
Indian
26%
French 76%
Chinese
32%
Japanese
24%
Thai
32%
Greek
16%
Mediterranean
71%
Italian

22. Changes in Entrée and Appetizer Trends
(2016 to 2017)12
+45% Biryani
+20% Quinoa/couscous salad
+16% Chicken dumpling soup
+13% Tater tots
+8% Cereal/granola
+7% Fried green beans
+7% Chicken kabob
Ideas to Expand Food Flavors on Your Campus
• Add more international food selections, including Asian, Mexican and Italian
• Solicit food requests from students, fulfill their preferences and promote the
new flavors
• Bring diversity to everything from the campus dining rooms, to convenience stores,
to vending machines

23. Probiotic mentions
increase from 2016
to 201712
40%
Gen Zers Crave
Gut-Friendly
Ingredients
Now that allergen-free
foods are mainstream,
food establishments are
exploring the next wellness
space: gut-friendly foods.
Ideas to Promote
Gut-Healthy
Ingredients on
Your Campus
• Add gut-forward
products like yogurt,
kefir, kombucha and
kimchi—all said to
boost digestion—
into menus
18-34-year-olds Believe
These Food Claims to Be
Most Healthful13
75%
59%
57%
49%
High in
antioxidants
Aid digestion
Contain probiotics
Relieve stress

24. Gen Z Demands Sustainable Stewardship
Gen Z consumers care about the planet and are using their
digital devices to spread social and environmental messages
far and wide. This reality is impacting all aspects of our
society—from product and service offerings to investments
being made by academic institutions.
3 in 4 Millennials and Gen Zers
are willing to pay extra for
sustainable product offerings14

25. Gen Z Cares About the Planet15
Gen Z’s Top
Environmental Passions15
Climate change
Alternative energy
Fair land use
Ideas to Promote
Sustainability on Your Campus
• Purchase sustainable ingredients
from local and organic sources
• Give students reusable take-out
containers
• Use reusable or compostable
cups, plates and utensils
• Communicate sustainability
programs with students on menus
and social media
94%
Believe companies should help
address social and environmental
issues (versus 87% of Millennials)
89%
Would rather buy from a
company that supports social
and environmental issues over
one that does not
81%
Believe they can have an impact
on social or environmental issues
by using social media

26. Holding Leaders Accountable16
80% of Gen Z believes current leaders around
the world have not done enough to protect
the environment
80% believe governments need to invest more
into renewable energy sources
600 colleges and universities are now members
of the Climate Leadership Network, working to
achieve carbon-neutral goals going forward
Students enrolled in hundreds of academic
institutions in the United States have pushed
administrators into stepping away from fossil fuels

27. CAN YOUR
INSTITUTION GIVE
STUDENTS THE
ULTIMATE DINING
EXPERIENCE?
FIND OUT HERE.

28. www.aramark.com
Sources
1. U.S. Census
2. Technomic: College and University Trend Report
3. Acosta: The Why? Behind the Buy Report
4. Andrew Freeman & Co.: Trend Study
5. NDP: A Generational Study on the Evolution of Eating Report
6. Aramark: 2016 DiningStyles Report
7. Y-Pulse: Understanding Tomorrow’s Tastemakers Today Report
8. Food Allergy Research & Education’s Facts and Statistics
9. Aramark: Plant Power Report
10. Hartman Group: Food Culture Forecast
11. Parade: Top 10 Ethnic Cuisines Americans Crave Most
12. Technomic: Menu Monitor Study
13. Technomic: Healthy Eating Consumer Trend Report
14. Nielsen: The Sustainability Imperative Report
15. Cone: 2017 Gen Z CSR Study: How to Speak Gen Z
16. Masdar: Gen Z Global Sustainability Survey