The headline in the London Evening Standard read “Gen Z are eating at 6 pm – and it’s because they’re losers.” Of course it went viral. The cohort has gained a bad reputation for sparking budget-conscious, early-to-bed and downright sobering dining culture.
In Canada, there’s some truth to it. According to new data from OpenTable, 53 percent of Gen Z surveyed said they’d rather snag an earlier booking. But the broader picture suggests it isn’t just the young ‘uns. Across Canada, reservation data show that bookings between 4 and 6 pm have surged.
“Our busier pushes are around 6:30 now, but it once was 8:30,” says Alessandro Pietropaolo of Toronto’s Bar Isabel. He notes that this trend is not specific to Gen Z. “Restaurant dining can be prohibitive for an average Canadian paycheque. We’ve tried to move with the times and design our offerings accordingly.”
Rising living costs play a role. Many are skipping the second glass of wine or calling it a night earlier for purely economic reasons. But there’s a cultural undertone, too. Eating earlier and drinking less fits into the wellness-oriented, work-conscious rhythm – and now the back-to-office mandates – of the current Canadian lifestyle.
– Lindsey King
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