Could Gen Z CHANGE Disney World restaurants forever?

We already talked about one Generation Z dining trend that seems to be impacting the theme parks — they don’t drink as much alcohol as other generations and are more inclined to order a non-alcoholic drink over a cocktail. But there’s another way that this group might have a major impact on Disney World: they love fast food!

Gen Z — which the U.S. Census designates as those born between 1997 and 2013 — dine differently than other generations. According to an article from Business Insider, they eat fast food “like no other generation.”

Gen Z LOVES Fast Food

Although this group is still known to dine out at sit-down restaurants (according to Business Insider, some are “not afraid to splash out to make a meal an occasion”), they’re trending towards takeout and fast food rather than long, fancy meals.

The CMO of El Pollo Loco, Andy Rebhun, said, “Speed and convenience are paramount to Gen Z. They want things now, meaning whatever easiest order mode they can get their food as quickly as possible, that’s usually what they’re doing.” They’re also more likely to use apps and delivery services, as this generation tends to be technology-savvy.

It’s important to note that even the oldest members of Gen Z are still just in their 20s right now, so it’s possible that dining out at fast food restaurants might decline as they get older. But a significant portion of this group is old enough to have disposable income, and they’re choosing to spend more of it at drive-thrus and other quick service options than at sit-down meals.

Business Insider also noted that “young diners don’t tend to eat at regular times.” Instead, Gen Z likes to snack!  

Rebhun said, “I would say with Gen Z we don’t really see a pattern per se. It’s usually: ‘When it’s most convenient for me.’ They will eat whenever they can fit it into their schedule.” That means more quick meals and fewer drawn-out dinners.

The Data Backs Up the Trend

A study done by IBISWorld shows how this trend is already impacting fast food spending and industry profits. The following graph shows the market size of the quick service restaurant sector in the U.S. (in billions of dollars) from 2012 to 2022:

Updated data show that the market size of fast food restaurants in the U.S. in 2023 increased yet again to $366.9 billion. Between 2018 and 2023, the market size growth of fast food restaurants in the U.S. increased by an average of 2.5% per year.

IBISWorld reported that “the market size of the Fast Food Restaurants industry in the US increased faster than the economy overall.” In addition, “The market size of the Fast Food Restaurants industry in the US increased faster than the Accommodation and Food Services sector overall,” showing that interest in fast food is outpacing that of other restaurants.

How Is This Changing Disney World?

So how could we see this trend show up in Disney World? We may see more new quick service restaurants being announced than table service restaurants. Recently the Energy Bytes snack stand opened up near TRON Lightcycle / Run in Magic Kingdom, and Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs is coming to Disney World’s BoardWalk Inn!

And there are two other new quick service restaurants at the BoardWalk: BoardWalk Deli and Carousel Coffee.

Some upcoming table service restaurants will offer quick service alternatives as well. The Cake Bake Shop is a sit-down restaurant, but it will have a quick-service takeaway counter so that you can still get the treats without sitting down for a long meal.

Summer House on the Lake in Disney Springs is going to have The Cookie Jar inside, which is “a dessert-focused market” that serves “freshly baked cookies and house-made pastries.”

However, that doesn’t mean that Disney is abandoning sit-down restaurants. A couple of new table service restaurants opened recently, including Roundup Rodeo BBQ and Rosa Mexicano.

In the future, will we see more quick service than table service? Only time may tell, but the trends seem to point to that.

Don’t forget that you can use Mobile Order at most quick service restaurants in Disney World to get your food even faster!

Check out a list of new restaurants announced for Disney World here!

If you’ll be visiting Disney World soon and want to know all the best places to eat, be sure to check out our DFB Guide to Dining in Disney World. It’s full of hundreds of photos, tips, and restaurant reviews!

We’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney World news, so stay tuned to DFB!

We know where to get the BEST fast food in Disney World — click here!

Do you prefer fast food or sit-down meals? Let us know in the comments!