Generation Z Lags Behind Millennials in Digital Restaurant Ordering

Mobile Ordering

Members of Generation Z may have grown up with technology, but new PYMNTS data finds it’s actually the previous generation that’s spearheading the restaurant industry’s digital shift.

By the Numbers

Research from PYMNTS’ study “Super Apps for the Super Connected,” created in collaboration with PayPal and derived from a survey of more than 9,900 consumers across the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Germany, found that 70% of millennials in these four countries ordered restaurant meals online, well above the 61% of Gen Zers that said the same.

The Data in Action

Perhaps noting this disparity, aggregators have been looking to drive adoption with Gen Z, targeting college and university students with special offers. For instance, in August, DoorDash announced the launch of DashPass for Students, a lower-cost version of its membership program.

Read more: DoorDash Woos Gen Z

“Access to convenient, fast and affordable ways to get everything you need is key for busy students on the go,” DoorDash Chief Marketing Officer Kofi Amoo-Gottfried said in a statement. “With the launch of DashPass for Students, we’re excited to change the game for students with a plan that’s designed specifically for them and provides access to everything from late night study snacks and grocery items to school supplies and dorm essentials.”

Meanwhile, Grubhub has been going after the student demographic with initiatives such as its on-campus robotic delivery partnership with autonomous delivery services provider Starship Technologies. This service is already available at the University of Kentucky, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), Wayne State University, Southern Methodist University and Fairfield University, and it will be introduced at a number of other college campuses later in the year.

See more: Grubhub Expands College Robot Delivery to 170K More Students