Millennials and Gen Z in the US Enjoy "Early Dinner" at 5 p.m.

Restaurant Dinner Reservations Surge

Image to aid understanding of the article. Pixabay

The "early dinner" culture of eating dinner at 5 p.m. is spreading in the United States, particularly among Millennials & Gen Z.

According to a survey conducted on September 8 (local time) by Yahoo News and polling firm YouGov, out of 1,690 American adults, 34% said they eat dinner at 6 p.m., 23% at 7 p.m., and 21% at 5 p.m. Only 14% reported eating after 8 p.m.

Data from the restaurant reservation app OpenTable shows that compared to last year, reservations for 5 p.m. increased by 11%, 6 p.m. by 8%, and 7 p.m. by 6%. In contrast, reservations for 8 p.m. only rose by 4%. Analysis by the review app Yelp also found that 60% of restaurant reservations this year were concentrated between 4 p.m. and 6:59 p.m., a 51% increase compared to 2018. During the same period, the proportion of reservations for the 8 p.m. hour decreased from 14% to 10%.

There are also clear generational differences. Market research firm PureSpectrum found that 53% of Generation Z and 51% of Millennials expressed interest in making early dinner reservations, higher than the 37% seen among Generation X.

Experts attribute this trend to a combination of growing health consciousness and changing lifestyle patterns. They point to concerns that late dinners can lead to weight gain and excessive calorie intake, as well as the spread of remote and hybrid work, which allows people to move their dinner time earlier, as key factors.

Nutritionist Valerie Agyeman explained, "An early dinner ensures enough time for digestion before bedtime, which helps stabilize blood sugar and improve sleep quality."