Fast food has a Gen Z problem

Along with Baby Boomers, Gen Z diners were also less likely than Millennials or members of Gen X to say that they were likely to purchase fast food — a metric Morning Consult calls “net purchasing consideration.”

After years of raising prices, many fast-food chains started offering discounts this year, including revamped value menus and limited-time meal deals, as sales slipped.

The highest-profile example so far has been McDonald’s $5 meal deal. The chain initially planned to offer the meal for a month starting in late June but has since said that almost all of its restaurants will keep it on the menu through August. Burger King and Wendy’s have also debuted their own value meals this year.

But the limited-time deals have done little to shift diners’ perceptions of fast food’s value for money, Morning Consult also found.

There are other ways for fast-food chains to keep younger customers coming back, Roeschke said.

According to Roeschke, Morning Consult’s past research suggests that shaking up menus with new items (think Chipotle’s TikTok-inspired quesadilla with fajita veggies) could draw in more Gen Z diners.

Loyalty programs that give frequent orderers exclusive access can also appeal to Gen Z visitors, Roeschke said.

“They really value things like early access to new menu items and insider knowledge,” she said, adding that many younger consumers want “to be the first to know something” and “the first to share something with their friends.”

McDonald’s did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Do you work at McDonald’s or another fast-food restaurant chain and have a story idea to share? Reach out to this reporter at abitter@businessinsider.com