Gen Z college students rank their fast food favorites

Art by Nico Heins

Burgers, pizza, salads, sandwiches—which is the No. 1 fast food choice of today’s college students?

To find out, Yelp partnered with BrokeScholar to analyze data for fast food chains within a two-mile radius of 144 of the country’s public universities.

And the winner is … Blaze Pizza.

Ranked as the most popular brand, students singled out Blaze for its responsibly sourced ingredients, eco-friendly packaging and numerous customization options, including gluten-free and plant-based.

But burgers and sandwiches weren’t left in the dust. Coming in at No. 2 was Five Guys, and at No. 3, Jersey Mike’s.

College students have always been fast food fans, but with inflation cutting deeper into their spending power these days, they may be turning more often to these cheaper eats.

While Chick-fil-A (No. 4), McDonald’s (No. 5) and Taco Bell (No. 7) also landed in the Top 10, local eateries earned the most stars.

Operators may want to note that this group of Gen Z consumers is often drawn to concepts that support local initiatives or offer a range of healthier and more sustainable choices. Students at Arizona State, for example, awarded the most stars to 5th Street Burger and Fries, which started as a delivery-only restaurant during the pandemic. It serves up a wide assortment of unique sauces with its burgers, like maple aioli.

UC Riverside diners gave high marks to Veg & Go. This plant-based concept menus pea protein burgers, vegan wings and kombucha.

But more mainstream sandwiches dominated the fast-food lineup, with 46 of the most popular chains focusing on that menu category. Along with Jersey Mike’s, students noted a preference for Jimmy Johns, Firehouse Subs, Potbelly and Pita Pit.

It goes without saying that geography also played a part in popularity. At University of Wyoming, Papa John’s tops the list, and University of Maryland students are Pizza Hut fans. Raising Cane’s is a regional favorite, as is In-N-Out Burger.

More detailed survey findings are posted on the BrokeScholar website.

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