As bars across the country welcome patrons back to their stools, a noticeable shift in behavior emerges, particularly among Generation Z. This demographic, born between 1997 and 2012, is reshaping traditional bar etiquette and expectations, leading to a blend of confusion and amusement among bartenders. Yet the oldest members of Generation Z are just now turning 28. Their formative years of socializing were spent under pandemic restrictions, drastically impacting their experiences with nightlife.
Bartender Chloe Richards observes that Gen Z is “learning how to do this a bit later than the rest of us did.” Their approach to drinking often diverges sharply from older generations. Many of our younger patrons genuinely believe they deserve a free drink for every three drinks purchased. Richards proves that wrong. “That’s not a real thing or a hard rule: it’s a privilege,” she explains, emphasizing that such expectations can lead to misunderstandings and frustrations at the bar.
One peculiar trend among Gen Z is their hesitance to leave credit cards behind the bar, opting instead to settle up after each drink. This behavior reflects a broader hesitation towards traditional bar customs, such as “buybacks,” where customers might receive complimentary drinks after a series of purchases. Richards notes, “What’s most annoying to me is when people order their drinks one by one when they’re in a group, especially when they all have to think about it.” This method takes longer service wise and interrupts the rhythm of the bar.
Gen Z’s nightlife experience isn’t just marked by binge drinking. Many members of this younger generation value experiences and expertise beyond just guzzling booze. As Rachel Phelps, another bartender, points out, “They want to look cute and take pictures.” That focus on social media engagement I mentioned earlier results in higher dwell time at the bar. Some even use one drink as an excuse to pretend to socialize for hours. Even though they’re drinking less overall than generations before them, when they do have a night on the town, it can still go on for hours.
The differences in behavior go much further than what drink orders people choose. Bartenders are saying that Gen Z just doesn’t know how to participate in bar rituals that Millennials and above love and hold deeply. The boomer/pandemic generation, particularly those between their late 30s-early 40s, are more likely to rack up bigger tabs. They need much greater oversight by the professional staff. Dimitri Gellis remarks, “People in their late 30s to early 40s usually have higher tabs, but it comes at a cost.” In contrast, Phelps finds that the “50-plus” crowd can be particularly challenging. As former Assemblywoman Michaela Giunchigliani puts it, “The boomers are hands down the hardest, the most stressful, most taxing cohort. I say that with love.”
Bartenders are learning to play by the new rules. Others are exasperated by what they view as Gen Z’s roulette approach to ordering. Richards does not want to have young people just playing a guessing game. To him, the bigger issues are that it’s too often hard for younger patrons to navigate bar culture properly.
Bartenders know that making the most of these generational differences is so important to fostering a peaceful and enjoyable environment. As much as there are challenges to serving Gen Z, there are numerous opportunities to engage with them. From the bar side, a lot of bartenders welcome the youthful energy and fresh perspective that this generation is bringing back to nightlife.