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Gen Z has always been less chaotic than social media would have you believe, and the cohort’s penchant for 6pm dinner proves it.
In a lot of ways, Gen Zers are unapologetically square.
They’re having less sex than millennials, they’re gymming or running more often, and they’re moderating drink and drugs more consciously.
They’re also sat at the dining table ready to munch and glug as early as 6pm.
For a generation perpetually slagged off for short attention spans and commitment issues, the rigid dinner routine feels like a bit of a dichotomy – but it’s one of the few things the unserious meme generation is very militant about.
The motivation extends beyond catching golden hour lighting for the gram, too. Gen Z are leading the recent surge in wellness, as hustle culture is increasingly swapped for calming rituals and self-care, and early supper is deemed as important as a good night’s sleep.
In the UK, 6:12pm has become the average restaurant dining time, driven primarily by Gen Z, who’re half as likely to opt for pubbing or clubbing as a social endeavour, and overwhelmingly in favour of missing a night out (74%) to be fresh for work the next day.
Purely in a health sense, early evening dining aligns with gut health advice and circadian rhythms, and lycra-wearing influencers promote the absolute sh*t out of it. But beyond it being routine and restorative, there are practical benefits to catching the earlybird menu, too.
Eating out earlier tends to thin out crowds and eliminate waiting times, and there’s far greater potential for happy hour deals before the peak hours of 8pm to 10pm. Coming of age amid extreme financial instability, Gen Z is extremely frugal on almost everything bar holidays, so any bonus savings are a big incentive.
Since the pandemic – yes, we mentioned it again (yawn) – Gen Z behaviour hasn’t necessarily changed, but the cohort’s idiosyncrasies have come under introspection.
They may be socialising less than their elders, but by making 6pm dinner part of the evening’s soft structure, they’re devoting around an hour each day to build or nurture genuine connections. It provides a sense of control in a constantly shifting world, while also freeing up extra time for pilates or Netflix.
At the other end of the scale, you’ve got the modern era of hyper optimisation; the necking of a bitter espresso over a creamy late, downing Huels instead of cooking because Steve Bartlet does it, or supplementing supermarket trips with boxes from Hello Fresh or Getir.
This obsession with efficiency doesn’t marry up well with Gen Z’s perpetual mental health management, nor their growing preference for ritual over rush. Millennials may be clinging to the cult of productivity, but Gen Z is leaning into presence.
6pm dinner is part of this of this subtle rebellion. It’s about more than just having the washing up done before Love Island.
See also:
- Gen Z are turning to cosy games for self-care
- Why are dating apps struggling to connect with Gen Z?
- Why are Gen Z embracing the Y2K nostalgia wave
