Menu anxiety can lead to Gen Z avoiding restaurants or sticking to safe choices.
Gen Z, recognized for their digital expertise and adventurous nature, finds themselves grappling with more than just selecting the latest trendy dish for a perfect Instagram-worthy meal. An unexpected discovery from a recent study conducted by British restaurant chain Prezzo unveils a remarkable trend: 86% of Gen Z encounters "menu anxiety," a sensation of stress and unease when confronted with a restaurant menu.
According to Fortune Magazine, the restaurant chain Prezzo asked more than 2,000 people about how at ease they felt while eating out. The group that reported the most 'menu anxiety' was Gen Z, with 34% of 18- to 24-year-olds admitting they ask other people at the table to speak to waiters on their behalf because they are too nervous to talk. That's a significantly higher figure than the average level of anxiety felt by customers, with the overall average of those who feel awkward speaking to waiting staff standing at 21%.
"While most people look forward to dining out during the holiday season, we know-as our research shows-it can be stressful for some," Dean Challenger, CEO of Prezzo, told The New York Post in a statement.
The news portal further said the frequent occurrence of this very specific fear appeared to be triggered by the increasingly exorbitant cost of a meal out, along with the respondent worrying about not being able to find something they like on the menu or, after the fact, regretting what they ordered.
Some even took it to the extreme, with almost 40% of Gen Z customers saying they simply wouldn't go out for dinner if they couldn't check the menu first.
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