Table of Contents How Apps Are Changing Food Choices Allowing Young People to Access Restaurant Food at the push of a Button Food delivery apps including DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub give students, young professionals, and busy people alike the convenience of having food delivered. This convenience yet makes it easier to spend without paying much attention to the aggregate expense.
With Gen Z consumers, it’s not necessarily the cost of a meal itself that can be the issue. Delivery fees, service charges, gratuities, and elevated menu prices can all result in a bill that exceeds what the consumer would have paid to dine in a restaurant or cook at home. What starts out as an easy fix can turn into an awkward financial lesson.
The Guardian recently documented the stories of young consumers who are torn over their delivery consumption. Some love the ability to order whatever they like and then later ask themselves if it was worth it. Others are ashamed when they see the final amount on their bank statement or talk about it with friends and family.
“For a generation in the early stages of their career, with high living costs and dozens of competing priorities, the emotional side to delivery spend is a critical factor. “They want to do these things like save for their rent, their education and their next holiday or break, as well as luxury items they might want in their lives.
But, social media has made this even trickier. Online, there are often messages about how ordering food often is wasteful or irresponsible, leading people to make judgements about how often other people do it. If someone is ordering takeaway multiple times a week because they’re too exhausted, busy, or for whatever reason, they may feel they are lacking self-control.
The FinanceBuzz findings illustrate how these feelings can extend beyond private regret. Nearly half of Gen Z respondents reported embarrassment about delivery spending, and more than one in four said they had concealed or downplayed an order.
This does not mean that, even if they feel guilty about money spent, a person is in serious financial trouble.
Food delivery businesses battle on price by providing discounts and memberships and special offers, and yet the bill at checkout can still take customers by surprise. A dinner that seemed reasonably priced on a restaurant menu can cost much more after extras are added.
Lifestyle trends are also impacting on the ways people eat out. A study by Boston Consulting Group found that 37 per cent of Gen Z diners said they had reduced their restaurant expenditure in the previous six months. The young were also more likely to save by opting for cheaper menu items, taking advantage of discounts or reducing delivery orders.
A financial advisor might suggest they consider monitoring their spending instead of depriving themselves of all their favorite things. For younger audiences, that might involve creating a monthly delivery allowance, checking the total cost of the entire checkout with different providers or saving a few days for the app order.
Preparing a few basic meals ahead of time can take the onus off ordering at the last minute. Having quick-to-prepare ingredients stocked in your home is an alternative to a lengthy dish or strict schedule.
