Gen Z eats more Chipotle than other generations

A quarter of Gen Z eats organic food

A 2025 YouGov poll found that 25% of Gen Z US adults eat organic food, while 10% say they follow a whole-foods diet, meaning they seek out foods that are minimally processed.

Why TikTok loves fast-casual restaurant Chili's

The company noticed TikTokers posting enthusiastically about its food and began partnering with creators on the platform. The videos include mukbangs, a South Korean trend in which users eat a massive amount of food, and #cheesepulls, where Chili's mozzarella sticks are stretched to their limits.

American Express is targeting Gen Z, who are generally less risk-averse than older generations

Unlike Millennials, who grew up during the Great Recession in 2008, Gen Z has a higher risk appetite and has grown up with more gamified spending platforms, like online gambling and prediction markets. Analysts say Gen Z's risk appetite makes them prime targets for credit card companies like American Express that can sell younger customers on large benefits in exchange for annual fees.

Read why Gen Z is saving more for retirement than older generations

Despite more and more Americans taking money from their retirement funds to cover expenses, many members of Gen Z are investing more in their retirement. Part of the reason for increased savings amongst this generation could be better-designed retirement plans.

Despite record-high housing costs, Gen Z homeownership is surging

Many Gen Z homeowners have compromised on location and tightened their expenses to make buying a home possible. In 2025, 4% of homebuyers were Gen Z, up from 3% the year before.

Gen Z prefers hybrid work over being fully remote

Contrary to popular belief, the younger generation is more likely than their older peers to want employees in the office more often. Millennials seem to have the strongest personal attachment to remote work among the generations, with 41% of remote-capable millennials saying they would be "extremely likely" to look for another job if remote options were partly or entirely eliminated at their workplace.

Roughly 62% of US adults under 30 say they use TikTok

A Pew Research Center publication reports that most members of Gen Z use the app. That's significantly more than other age groups: 39% for those ages 30 to 49, 24% for those 50 to 64, and 10% for those 65 and older.

Chipotle was initially started to fund another restaurant

Founder Steve Ells was a chef at Stars, a tony restaurant in San Francisco. His original plan for Chipotle—which first opened in 1993 in Denver, Colorado—was to make enough money to open a separate, higher-end restaurant.

See preferred supplements across different countries in 2025, by generation

Millennials and Gen Z typically took more supplements than other age groups across vitamins, proteins, minerals, and herbal supplements, according to 2025 data from a Global Consumer Insights Survey conducted in 55 countries. Roughly two-thirds of Gen Z respondents stated they'd taken vitamins in the past 12 months. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

Gen Z is drinking less alcohol than older generations.

Nearly 42% of Gen Z workers have shared their salary with a coworker, compared to just 19% of Baby Boomers.

Before Chipotle, San Francisco was the epicenter of American burrito obsession

More than just something to eat, burritos were akin to a Bay Area religion in the early 1990s, inspiring performance art, comedy shows, music, philosophizing, and more.

Gen Z's love for perfume is boosting sales

Teen boys are the biggest driver in perfume sales as of the summer of 2025. They have increased their spending on fragrances 26% year-over-year as the trend blossoms on TikTok via #PerfumeTok. Additionally, users of weight loss drugs GLP-1 agonists are adding to sales, as they seek olfactory over culinary sensations.

Gen Z is increasingly interested in running marathons

The race has become a popular event for young people. Over 12,000 20-somethings signed up for the New York Marathon in 2024. That's a significant increase from 2023 (9.987) and 2022 (8,039).

In a survey of US Gen Z workers, 53% were freelancing for at least 40 hours per week

Overall, Gen Z has a pretty different attitude about work from previous generations, partly because of the economic hardship they’ve witnessed being born into the Great Recession and coming of age during the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are more than a dozen burrito types in the US

Different regions have different aspects, including Mission-style in San Francisco (and nationwide via Chipotle), the chile Colorado burrito, New Mexico’s breakfast burrito, and fusions like the Korean burrito.

Cancer rates are on the rise among GenXers and Millennials

Cancer rates are rising among Gen X and Millennials, with more cancer diagnoses being made in their 30s and 40s than previous generations. Factors such as prenatal exposures, environmental toxins, and lifestyle choices may contribute to this trend. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center's experts discuss these issues, exploring how these insights could reshape cancer risk understanding.

Amazon is the most-loved brand among baby boomers

Macy's ranked at number five for the oldest generation alive today, whereas Gen Xers have Apple in their number one slot. This data visualization outlines the most-loved brands among baby boomers.

Gen X has the most student debt per borrower

Gen X is the generation that came of age in the 1980s and 1990s. A podcast episode explains how this came to be.

Young voters are ditching political parties

While the silent generation and baby boomers have become less likely to identify as political independents as they have aged, generation X and millennials are maintaining high levels of independent identification.

Millennial tastes in amusement parks have made coasters more family-friendly

As parks raced to make the biggest, longest, tallest roller coasters, costs skyrocketed, and the return on investment became more challenging to achieve. Consumer tastes have also changed, with Millennials in the US preferring more mid-tier rides for family inclusion.

In this live interview with phone-free childhood advocate Jonathan Haidt, host Ava Smithing—of Gen-Z—presses Haidt on why there isn't more of a research consensus on the mental health implications of social media for children, among other contentious topics.

Find out what salary makes each generation 'upper class' today

For instance, as of 2026, Gen Zers are considered upper class in lower-cost-of-living areas when they start making around $110K per year. In areas with a higher cost of living, they're considered upper class once they make $130K to $150K or more per year.

The average 401(k) balance for Gen Zers was $13K as of Q3 2024

For millennials, the average 401(k) plan balance was more than $66K at the time. It's worth noting that retirement savings goals are often much higher than what many people actually have saved.

Some Gen Z men are obsessed with ‘American Psycho’

If you’ve ever spent any time on finance-themed meme pages, you’re likely already aware that today’s young men have a fascination with the serial killer main character of the movie "American Psycho." Find out what it is about the satirical representation of the late-1980s Wall Street investment banker-type that resonates with Gen Z men.

Unique ingredients and preparations differentiate burrito styles

Examples include California burritos, which wrap french fries in with the other ingredients, and chimichangas, an Arizona specialty in which the burrito is deep-fried prior to serving.

Buy now, pay later loans from 'BNPL' companies—which allow online shoppers to buy something immediately and pay for it in installments—are becoming more popular, with nearly half of millennials and Gen Zers using them.

Student loan debt isn’t evenly distributed across age groups

Millennials and Gen X borrowers account for more than 70% of outstanding federal student debt ($1.1T). The discrepancy is driven by several factors, including a drop in college enrollment by younger Americans and older cohorts having more years to pay off balances.

Pizza's popularity has waned in the 2020s

The food remains popular, but it has lagged behind the growth of other fast food spots like coffee shops and Mexican restaurants. It ranked sixth in US food sales from restaurant chains in 2024; it was in the second slot throughout the 1990s. (Some readers may experience a paywall.)

TikTok is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms of all time

Centered around user-generated short videos, the platform was created by the Chinese technology company ByteDance Ltd. With over 1.8 billion users, the app has become a global force.

In 2025, Gen Z-led protests swept across Indonesia, Madagascar, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Peru, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste.

Health food broke into the mainstream by the 1980s

A 1984 New York Times story noted that Americans were eating less red meat than a decade prior, and that, in general, the country was “talking, thinking and worrying about what they eat to a degree unique in the nation's history.” The feature then details foods that were then considered bizarre: whole-grain muffins, hummus, and a variety of vegetarian dishes. (Some readers may experience a paywall.)

Many startups in a variety of industries try to reframe themselves as 'tech companies'

Tech is still the dominant industry for startups—in part due to its low barriers to entry, high growth potential, investor preferences, and the proliferation of tech into a wide variety of industries. Sweetgreen, the fast-casual salad chain, for instance, has often referred to itself as a tech company.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew on its future

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew dives into how the trendsetting video app and cultural phenomenon works, from what distinguishes its algorithm and drives viral videos, to the challenges of content moderation and digital addiction in this wide-ranging conversation with the head of TED, Chris Anderson.

LA's oldest Mexican restaurant pioneered the burrito in America

El Cholo Spanish Cafe opened in 1923. It was among the first to serve several now-common Mexican dishes, including burritos in the 1930s, guacamole in 1955, and nachos in 1959.

How Peloton got moms hooked

Peloton's at-home workout classes were a game-changer for parents, giving them a chance to squeeze a workout in without leaving the house. The community group feature on Peloton created a sense of community that made users incredibly loyal to the brand.

Meta has added video features to attract more young users to Facebook

Amid an aging userbase and competition from newer social networks like TikTok, Facebook has seen its perceived relevance and cool factor progressively decrease. The Local tab and dating features are among several efforts to counter this perception.

Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, author of 'The Anxious Generation,' contends that children are losing the ability to pay attention as they spend half their lives perusing social media content designed to hook them.

Why there's a snack recession

Inflation and economic uncertainty have driven many Americans to make cuts to their snack budgets, according to reports from major food manufacturers like General Mills, JM Smucker, and Campbell's. Major retailers have also observed lower-income consumers cutting back on nonessentials due to the macroeconomic environment.

Burrito styles vary across the US and Mexico

Mexican burritos are typically simple, containing 1-3 ingredients. (One exception is Sonora’s burro pecheron, which includes additions like avocado and pepperoni.) American burritos are typically larger and have a wider range of ingredients.

Blue zone cooking—a concept that journalist Dan Buettner developed from his reporting on centenarian populations—emphasizes cooking with simple, fresh ingredients and echoes themes of the well-known Mediterranean diet.

The unexpected return of the steakhouse

Although the 2010s and early 2020s saw fewer people eating red meat, the momentum has now swung in the opposite direction, with vegetarian spots closing and hip new restaurants slinging beef. Food writer Bettina Makalintal makes sense of the sudden shift by unpacking the steakhouse's resurgence.

Interest in the X Games is growing fast among younger teens

The 2025 X Games Salt Lake City delivered double-digit viewership growth—up 12% across ESPN platforms from 2024—with a 328% surge among 12- to 17-year-olds.

How TikTok ate the internet

TikTok is now deeply integrated into American culture, thanks to the app’s powerful algorithm and focus on entertainment which have influenced popular trends and social media content consumption in the US. This immersive piece highlights TikTok’s role in helping shape everything from music to fashion and even politics in the US—while its connection to China has also drawn scrutiny and raised national security concerns.

TikTok explained: how the app became a global phenomenon

Since 2018, the short-form, video-sharing app TikTok has gone from launching in the US to becoming a habit-forming cultural force that’s signed up more than half of the country's population as users.

Why diners and chefs are ditching the Michelin Guide

The Michelin Guide's influence appears to be waning, indicating a shift in the perception of fine dining in contemporary culture. Trends show that diners today prefer getting recommendations from more informal networks, especially after lackluster experiences at Michelin-rated restaurants. Some chefs claim the star ratings don’t significantly influence their business, and others reject the pressure of obtaining a Michelin star altogether. Read more about the shift in this article.

In 2013, consumers reportedly purchased more beer on Cinco de Mayo than on Super Bowl Sunday or St. Patrick's Day

Beginning in the early 1980s, breweries positioned Cinco de Mayo as a "Mexican St. Patrick's Day," sponsoring events and targeting Latino consumers. Anheuser-Busch and Miller created Hispanic marketing departments, while Coors spent over $60 million marketing to Latino consumers.

Each generation’s median income

Discover data about each generation’s income in the US. Generation X currently holds the title of highest earners, with notable wealth for those living in Maryland. Find out which groups tend to succeed and why, while seeing where you stand in comparison.

Girl Scout cookies are so successful because buying them feels like giving to charity.

The program generates $800M a year not because the cookies are exceptional, but because the salesforce makes refusal feel like a moral failure.

There are roughly 7,000 Korean restaurants in the US

A generation ago, the average American had never heard of kimchi or bulgogi, but these days, Korean cuisine is booming in the United States. And it’s no accident. This one-minute explainer video from Morning Brew reveals what role the government played in boosting the popularity of Korean food abroad, and what it all has to do with foreign debt and soap operas.