Gen Z and the Future of Pizza Ordering - Survey Report

If you think pizza is just crust and toppings, think again. For Gen Z it’s an entire experience that starts on their phone and ends with a story (and maybe a TikTok). Gen Z make up almost 20% or 67 million of US population and are reshaping how pizza restaurants get discovered, ordered from and recommended.

To better understand how Gen Z in USA prefer to order, discover, compare and use loyalty programs at pizza restaurants, we surveyed 530 Gen Z adults (18-25 years old) and asked them about their pizza ordering preferences. Below are the key findings along with demographics and survey methodology discussed at the end.

Key Findings

1. 69.8% of Gen Z order pizza at least once a week

Order pizza at least once/w 69.8%

Nearly 70% of Gen Z respondents (69.8%) say they order pizza at least once a week with 41.5% ordering multiple times per week and 28.3% ordering weekly. Another 28.3% report ordering pizza 1–3 times per month, and just 1.9% order less than once per month.

2. Pizza restaurant mobile app is the most popular way to order pizza among Gen Z

Among Gen Z respondents, restaurant mobile apps are the go-to for ordering pizza used by 79.2%, followed by restaurant websites at 60.4%. Phone orders remain surprisingly common (47.2%), while third-party delivery apps like UberEats/DoorDash/Grubhub are used by 41.5%. A quarter still walk in to order (26.4%), social-media ordering shows up for about one in five (20.8%), and chatbots are nearly unused (1.9%).

3. $20 - $29 is median spend on pizza among Gen Z

$ 0 - $29

Most Gen Z buyers typically spend in the mid-price band with 43.4% usually spending $20–$29 per order. About 24.5% spend $10–$19, 13.2% fall in the $30–$39 range, and 18.9% are willing to spend $40 or more. The majority of orders sit mid-range, but there’s a meaningful slice willing to pay up for larger or premium pies.

4. 73.6% place their pizza orders on mobile

Place order on mobile device 73.6%

Mobile rules: 73.6% of Gen Z place pizza orders on a mobile device, about 24.5% use a desktop or laptop, and tablets are almost negligible (1.9%).

5. Most Gen Z expect pizza delivery to take 20-45 mins

Most Gen Z customers expect pizza within a reasonable window and the bulk want it in 20–45 minutes (about 35.8% say 20–30 minutes and 41.5% say 30–45 minutes). Far fewer are okay waiting 45–60 minutes (~3.8%), while ~18.9% will tolerate 60+ minutes. Virtually none expect it in under 20 minutes.

6. 75.5% say price is important

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Price is a major factor for Gen Z when choosing where to order pizza with three-quarters rating price as Important or Very Important (about 41.5% Important; 34% Very Important). Only a small share feel neutral (9.4%) or somewhat important (15.1%), and virtually none say price is unimportant. In short: competitive pricing and clear value offers matter especially if you want repeat orders from younger customers.

7. 79.3% want real time order tracking

Want real time order tracking 79.3%

Real-time tracking matters a lot to Gen Z pizza buyers with nearly 80% saying they want to see their order tracking in real time when placing an order. Only a small share are neutral (5.7%) or see it as somewhat important (13.2%), with almost no one dismissing it outright.

8. 64.2% prefer hand to hand delivery

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When it comes to delivery style, most Gen Z pizza buyers still prefer the personal touch, 64.2% favor hand-to-hand delivery. About 18.9% opt for contactless drop-offs, while 17% don’t have a strong preference either way.

9. Free Delivery & Combo Deals are the most popular special offers among Gen Z

The special offers that resonate most with Gen Z are all about value and convenience. Free delivery leads the pack at 73.6%, followed by combo deals (62.3%) and buy-one-get-one offers (49.1%). Standard discounts (34%) hold some appeal, while loyalty points rank lowest (9.4%), showing that immediate savings beat long-term rewards for this group.

10. 20% is median tip Gen Z give on pizza delivery

Tip 20%

The largest share of Gen Z tippers leave 20% (30.2%). Next most common are 15% and 25% (both 20.8%), followed by 10% (15.1%). The least common is 18% (13.2%). Bottom line: most hover around 15–20%, with a notable chunk going 25%.

11. 83% are members of a loyalty program

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Loyalty programs have strong traction with Gen Z pizza fans, 83% say they’re members of at least one, while only 17% aren’t enrolled anywhere. This shows younger consumers are highly receptive to rewards and incentives when it comes to their favorite pizza spots.

12. Free Pizza or Discount Points For Loyalty Rewards

When it comes to loyalty rewards, Gen Z is most motivated by points they can redeem for discounts (32.1%), closely followed by free pizza (30.2%) and exclusive menu items (28.3%). Free sides (5.7%) and early promotion access (3.8%) are far less compelling, showing that tangible, high-value rewards drive the most engagement.

13. 76% prefer eco-friendly packaging

Prefer eco-friendly packaging 76.1%

Eco-friendly packaging matters to Gen Z: a combined 76.1% say it’s Important (45.3%) or Very Important (30.2%) when ordering pizza. A smaller share are neutral (13.2%), and only a handful see it as not or only somewhat important (11.3%). This shows sustainability is more than a nice-to-have – it’s a real driver of brand perception.

14. 73% would place an order with AI

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When asked if they’d place a pizza order with AI, most Gen Z respondents said no (73.6%), while just over a quarter (26.4%) said they’d be open to it. This suggests curiosity exists, but trust and adoption still have a long way to go before AI ordering feels mainstream.

15. Social Media & Friends are most common ways Gen Z discover new pizza restaurants

Gen Z tends to discover new pizza spots through the channels they already use every day. Social media (66%) tops the list, followed closely by friends (60.4%) and delivery apps (56.6%). Traditional discovery methods rank much lower, only 24.5% say Google Maps and 20.8% cite ads. This highlights just how social and app-driven Gen Z’s food discovery really is.

Demographics

The demographic composition of Gen Z adults was set to 18-25 years old with gender selection opt in and state identification to ensure results did not have location bias.

Methodology

For the purpose of this survey, we surveyed 530 Gen Z adults across America to see how they order, discover, compare and use loyalty programs at pizza restaurants. The survey was carried out online on August 25-26, 2025 using Amazon Survey Services.

If you have any questions or issues with the data presented in this report, please contact us.