Gen Z is turning Britain into a nation of early-bird diners as 5pm the new 8pm even at Michelin-starred restaurants
While an early dinner time used to be reserved for families with young children and grandparents, many young people are favouring the early bird menu and getting home for 8pm.
The ever increasing cost-of-living crisis and flexible work patterns have contributed to a growing trend for 5pm table bookings, according to The Guardian.
Covent Garden's Spring, a modern European restaurant, is now offering a £30 scratch menu in a bid to tackle food waste, which is served between 5.30pm and 6.15pm.
The Michelin star Bulrush in Bristol offers a mini version of its signature tasting menu three days a week at 5.30pm. Instead of £90 for nine courses diners pay £65 for six.
The modern Portland restaurant in London, which has held a Michelin star since 2015, offers four courses for £55 between 5.30pm and 6.30pm.
Its standard post-6.30pm tasting menu will set you back a steep £110 while a three course meal from its à la carte costs £89.
Daniel Morgenthau, co-founder of the Woodhead restaurant group, which operates five restaurants including Portland told The Guardian they originally planned to run the early menu for a month in January to celebrate its 10-year anniversary.
Daniel Morgenthau (L) said Portland's set menu was so popular they made it a fixture. He is pictured with Stuart Andrew at the Condé Nast Traveller's UK's Top New Restaurant Awards last year
Thanks to its popularity, six months on it has become a firm fixture.
The cost of living is one of the factors driving demand.
Morgenthau describes the Portland menu, which changes monthly, as 'striking a really nice balance between providing the full Portland experience and a lower price point'.
George Livesey, chef and founder of Bulrush, said that prior to 2020 his 8pm tables were taken for casual dining by a much younger crowd.
Now 90 per cent were booked for special occasions. Part of the reason he introduced his earlier and cheaper menu was to attract the younger demographic back.
'This gives people a chance to experience a decent Michelin-sized tasting menu at a not outrageous price point,' he said.
The trend is also having a knock-on effect on pre-dinner drinking.
The Firmdale group, which includes London's the Covent Garden hotel, has introduced a Martini hour from 5pm to 6pm.
WHAT IS GEN Z?
Generation Z (Gen Z) refers to the demographic born between the mid-to-late 1990s and the early 2010s.
They are the generation following Millennials and are often referred to as digital natives due to their upbringing in a world dominated by the internet and technology.
Gen Z is defined as those born between 1997 and 2012.
In 2025, individuals who are considered part of Generation Z will be between the ages of 13 and 28.
Hybrid working is another driving factor and since January, OpenTable, an online reservation site, has reported a 6 per cent rise in bookings for tables between 4pm and 6pm in Britain.
Morgenthau describes the 5.30pm slot as 'busier than ever' across his group. The TWaT trend (Tuesday to Thursday in-office work) has also resulted in the traditional end-of-week dinner moving to Thursday.
'We get a lot of couples that come into central London to work,' Morgenthau said.
'They want to meet up before heading home but don't want to be out too late.'
This week, Livesey had a customer who flagged on their 5.30pm booking that they needed to leave by 8pm to catch a train home.
Morgenthau said: 'What creates a good atmosphere in a restaurant isn't the time. The lovely hum comes from having a full room.'
But earlier meal times is not the only Gen Z trend surprising older generations.
MailOnline reported that Gen Z Brits are turning their backs on British sandwich classics like ham and mustard and cheese and onion in favour of 'fancy' fillings like avocado, olives and continental cheese.
Snacks like mochi ice cream and Dubai chocolate have become more popular for younger generations in recent years - but now it seems even their drinks are changing.
More young people are ditching the traditional English breakfast tea with drinks such as bubble tea and matcha.
The Taiwanese bubble tea has garnered 4.5 billion views on TikTok and there are more than 400 cafés in the UK - and You Magazine recently reported that reported Gen Z's matcha obsession is causing a crippling global shortage.
Pop icon Dua Lipa reportedly has more pics on Instagram with her iced matcha than with her boyfriend and Blank Street's £3.90 matcha is so popular that TikTokers have traveled from Newcastle to its 35 London stores.
One of its bestsellers is the white chocolate matcha latte with oat milk, chocolate syrup, vanilla extract and matcha.
So whether it's eating at 5pm or drinking matcha, it seems Gen Z is changing the way the country's dining habits.
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