How Can Fast Food Evolve to Win Over Millennials and Gen Z?

Fast food has long been synonymous with convenience and affordability, but younger generations are redefining what “fast food” means. While older consumers might think of burgers and fries, Millennials and Gen Z are looking for freshness, transparency, sustainability, and experience.

Gen Z, in particular, is more health-conscious, digitally savvy, and values-driven than any generation before them. They care about:

• What’s in their food (clean ingredients, plant-based options, allergen transparency)

• How it’s made (ethical sourcing, sustainable packaging)

• How it makes them feel (energized, guilt-free, part of a community)

• And how it fits into their lifestyle (quick mobile ordering, loyalty rewards, social media)

Meanwhile, fast food chains are competing not only with each other, but with fast-casual options, delivery-only “ghost kitchens,” and new digital food experiences.

In this challenge, we want to know: what could the next generation of fast food look like? Imagine you’re helping a global fast food brand (like McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, Wendy’s, or Taco Bell) reinvent itself for the modern consumer. Your goal is to propose a new idea, experience, product, or service that would make Millennials and Gen Z excited to visit, and proud to share it.

You can think about:

• Menu innovation: New ingredients, formats, or cuisines that feel fresh and relevant

• Digital engagement: App features, loyalty perks, gamification, or AR/VR tie-ins

• Sustainability: Packaging changes, sourcing transparency, or waste-reduction ideas

• Experience design: How can the restaurant space itself evolve to be more fun, social, or connected?

• Cultural relevance: How can fast food better reflect Gen Z’s values or pop culture?

Let’s get creative!