Gen Z Favors Written Reviews Over AI by 35 Points as 87% Weigh Restaurant Prices
Updated
Updated · Yelp Blog · Jul 30
Gen Z Favors Written Reviews Over AI by 35 Points as 87% Weigh Restaurant Prices
3 articles · Updated · Yelp Blog · Jul 30
Summary
Yelp’s new survey of 18-29-year-olds found Gen Z leans on detailed human reviews and price checks before spending, with 97% researching restaurants and 92% researching home services.
Written reviews beat influencer recommendations by wide margins—78% to 59% for dining and 81% to 61% for service pros—while 77% trust platforms with review text over ratings-only services.
AI drew notably less confidence: only 43% said AI-generated restaurant summaries are accurate, and 48% said the same for service professionals.
Food remains a top spending priority, with 78% buying takeout or delivery and 72% dining out in the past month; 45% said they are spending more on each than a year ago.
Price is central to those choices, influencing 87% of restaurant decisions and 85% of service-pro decisions, underscoring how inflation and demand for authentic detail are shaping Gen Z purchasing.