Generation Z is often the target of criticism, and now a new survey has been added to the mix, accusing them of being overwhelmed by restaurant visits. Yet menu anxiety is a widespread phenomenon that affects all generations. It all started with the British restaurant chain Prezzo. The creative marketing experts of the Italian chain surveyed 2,000 people on how comfortable they generally feel in restaurants. The surprising result: 67 percent of respondents are familiar with the phenomenon of menu anxiety. The proportion of those affected was particularly high among 18- to 24-year-olds who belong to Generation Z. But it affects other generations equally. Among Millennials (aged 18 to 43), 41 percent and 15 percent of Generation X/Baby Boomers (aged 44 to 77) are familiar with menu anxiety. 34 percent of young adults admit that they feel so stressed when ordering that they ask others at the table to do it for them. Some Generation Z customers even avoid eating out altogether unless they have thoroughly checked the menu in advance. The phenomenon manifests itself in malaise, nervousness and anxiety – that vague but familiar feeling of fear. In more severe cases, it is also accompanied by sweating or shortness of breath.
With Menu Anxiety, going to a restaurant becomes torture
