Pizzerias can attract young adults with social media, customization and innovative pies
People of all ages love pizza, and every generation has certain expectations about dining out. Gen Z consumers – those born between 1997 and 2012 – are driven by social media when making purchasing decisions and feel confident about developing new menu items.
They also look for small indulgences, and “little treat culture” is a Gen Z trend gaining attention from marketers. According to a survey by NinetyEight, a Los Angeles-based Gen Z marketing agency, and its in-house research group, The Koi Pond, 89% of Gen Zers buy themselves a little treat after a stressful day, and 75% buy one after achieving a small goal. Also, 74% cap little treats at $10 or less.
“Little treats only work when they feel emotionally fulfilling,” says Mariel Fuentes, digital marketing manager for NinetyEight. “The motivation behind the purchase isn’t hunger and instead the desire for a small dopamine boost or ‘win.’”
What doesn’t work with this generation is over-branding or over-explaining. “Gen Z can spot forced Gen Z marketing instantly,” Fuentes says. “If it feels try-hard or overly corporate, it breaks the emotional payoff of the little treat.”
Budgets Are Not a Thing
Though many Gen Z adults aren’t yet in their prime earning years, the group seems unconstrained by finances. “They are good spenders,” says Awadalla Awadalla, owner and operator of SF Hole In The Wall Pizza, which has two locations in California. Years ago, he says, his pizzerias offered $5 off plus free two-liter sodas to boost delivery sales. “Now, people are literally spending more money on delivery than on the food itself. They don’t care. They value convenience.”
Gen Z diners also value customization, and they like to create their own dishes. SF Hole In The Wall Pizza offers an array of pizza toppings as well as a Make Your Own Pasta Bowl section of the menu. The strangest combination, Awadalla says, was pineapple and anchovies for pizza and pasta. “It never made sense,” he says. “They ordered it multiple times, so it was not just to try it out.”
Other menu items have fun names that appeal to Gen Z customers. For example, Hill Bomb Pasta refers to riding a skateboard down a hill, a common activity in hilly San Francisco. The name catches the eye of that age group, Awadalla says, making it a popular menu item.
Awadalla tries to engage with customers to see what they like and don’t like, and he asks employees and even his daughter what Gen Z wants. One habit that perplexes him is when Gen Z customers order slices for takeout, then sit at a table to eat. “Other customers come in for table service, and they see kids sitting at a table with boxes and it looks weird,” he says. “I think they don’t care about people’s opinions. They pretty much do whatever they want.”
Screen Time
Social media plays a role in how Gen Z finds and enjoys restaurants. According to a survey from Eater and Vox Media, 77% of Gen Z respondents report learning about new restaurants through social media. Also, 72% of Gen Z members surveyed say they trust social media reviews and recommendations. They especially appreciate the visual element, with 60% saying “what I ordered” videos make them want to try a new restaurant.
Pizzeria operators also can generate their own social media content. “You’ve got to be confident in your product in the first place,” says Tony Scardino, owner of Professor Pizza in Chicago. “Have something about your business that separates yourself from the pack and that you are most passionate about.”
For Professor Pizza, the focus is on the various styles the pizzeria offers, such as Cracker, Detroit, Grandma, New York and Sicilian. “People see that and think, ‘Wow, they are offering all these different styles,’” Scardino says. “That creates a lot of organic content-creation opportunities for those styles of pizza.”
Scardino says demonstrating a passion for making pizza is more effective than chasing trends and posting videos about whatever is trending. “By the time I’m scrolling and the algorithm sees the trend, it’s too late to participate,” he says. “If I’m seeing it, already a bunch of folks are participating in that trend.” He does plan to add more videos to Professor Pizza’s Instagram – especially now that he is opening a second location.
Food and Aesthetic
With three locations in Tallahassee, Florida, Gaines Street Pies’ social media focuses on food and employees, such as posts about staff passing out gift cards to area workers. “Social media is critical to getting new Gen Z customers in the door and then building loyalty over time to keep them coming back,” says co-founder Jeremy Matlow. “Social media helps us connect with our customers on a more personal level, showcase our great staff and our work in the community and build a relationship that makes us their go-to pizzeria.”
The décor – featuring artwork showing pizza-themed superheroes – also appeals to these young consumers. “We’re not your grandfather’s typical old-school pizza shop,” Matlow says. He adds that the menu does not rely on the specialty pies available everywhere else. “One day you might try our Figure Four – a fig, capicola and goat cheese pizza – and the next you could get a culinary trend with a pie topped with Mike’s Hot Honey.”
On social media and in real life, the pizza is the main attraction. Square Pizza Co. in San Diego serves various styles including Detroit, which is a big hit among Gen Z. “I think their curiosity stems from the shape of the pizza and their intrigue with the rise in popularity of Detroit-style pizza over the last few years,” says Frederico Santos, who owns and operates the pizzeria with Bruno Lippi.
Ranch dressing also is a trendy favorite. “We do serve ranch at our restaurant and even have a couple of pies on the menu that feature ranch as a finishing touch,” Santos says. “Can’t get more Gen Z than that.”
NORA CALEY is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.
