Gen Z simply dines differently than older generations. That theme echoed throughout a list of dining trends guiding Chartwell’s Higher Education’s culinary direction for the coming fall semester, which ranged from “fibermaxxing” to replacing the three-meal-a-day norm with more frequent, smaller meals.
For Chartwells, the North Carolina-based dining services provider with more than 320 college and university partners across the United States, last year’s forecast featured viral social media trends and strong international flavors. This fall, however, the company’s approach to serving students will highlight texture-rich dishes, functional meals and taking full advantage of shifting beverage preferences.
“Gen Z is moving faster than ever, and our job as culinary innovators is to ensure that our menus evolve at that same rapid pace so we can meet students where they’re at,” Joe Labombarda, Chartwells Higher Education’s senior vice president of food experience and culinary innovation, said in a press release. “We’re crafting dishes that balance bold culinary creativity with what students want, exploring forward-thinking menu options like gut-friendly dining and unique specialty teas that prove nutrition and flavor go hand-in-hand.”
College and university campuses often represent ideal locations for brands wanting toexpand their nontraditional portfolios and tap into a relatively captive audience of students and staff. A 2022 study published in Nutrition, found 91.6 percent of participating university community members purchased food on campus, particularly for lunch (67.4 percent of foods and 37.4 percent of drinks).
Grazing
Gen Z, often defined as those aged 18 to 28, has developed a habit of “flexible snacking” throughout the day rather than eating consistent, larger meals.
Chartwells looks to satisfy that frequent-small-meal behavior trend this fall by leaning into culinary concepts like chili-crisp dumplings and birria tacos, relatively small-portion items that function as full meals.
According to a 2026 consumer dining trends report from consulting firm McKinsey & Company, Gen Z prioritized meals at sit-down restaurants more than other age groups, which could indicate a shift toward treating dining out as a social outlet rather than fuel. Relative to older guests, younger, higher-income consumers have proven willing to continue spending on meals across channels.
The McKinsey & Company report found older generations as much more intent on cutting spending on meals away from home, including online orders through delivery apps.
Hydration enhancers
With beverages often filling the snack-time ordering gap for many Gen Z consumers, younger demographics predictably seek more than simply hydration with their drink choices.
According to Chartwells Higher Ed’s 2026 Campus Dining Index, the top three beverages students wanted more of on campus this year were smoothies (45 percent), bubble tea (26 percent), energy drinks (24 percent), electrolyte drinks (22 percent) and specialty teas (22 percent).
Gen Z’s beverage choices reflect broader expectations for beverages to either be filling or offer alternative functional benefits, such as caffeine, electrolytes and performance-focused ingredients. Other dining priorities included global flavors and protein-dense servings.
According to 2026 market research from Innova, more than half (56 percent) of Gen Z consumers reported actively seeking out new flavors when shopping for food and drinks. In particular, the generation showcases an attraction to Asian and Korean dishes that offer new culinary experiences and rich cultural stories.
Botanical beverages
Going hand in hand with the functional beverage trend, Gen Z has developed a taste for botanical-focused drinks and global teas. This fall, Chartwells expects campus dining to shine a light on earthy, internationally inspired flavor profiles like butterfly pea, jasmine, matcha and chai.
According to 2026 figures from Datassential, Gen Z’s preference for tea can be attributed, at least in part, to a shift away from alcoholic beverages as part of a broader sober-curious movement. The demographic cohort shows the highest engagement with tea during social occasions and resists traditional approaches to alcohol as an experience enhancer.
Chartwells’ 2026 CDI identified high-protein preferences as the top dining priority among college students at 28 percent, a 36 percent increase year-over-year from 2025. Consumption preferences tied to athletic performance proved the second most common dining priority.
Fibermaxxing
Rooted in viral social media trends, Chartwells expects students to gravitate toward fiber-rich meals that support digestion and maximize fiber intake this fall as part of a nutrition-focused behavioral movement dubbed “fibermaxxing”.
Chartwells found high demand for gut-friendly (12 percent) and high-fiber diets (11 percent) among students, prompting chefs to turn to fiber-rich grains and prebiotic, functional ingredients when making menu adjustments.
“By listening closely to the students we serve every day, we make sure that our menu offerings are aligned with current preferences,” Sarah Bodner, Chartwells Higher Education’s vice president of creative and innovation, said in a release. “The data from our latest CDI confirms that today’s students want options that support their wellness priorities and adventurous tastes. By exploring elements like functional beverages and texture-rich sensory dishes, we are creating engaging dining environments that feel more like culinary destinations”
Sensory eating and new textures
Lastly, Gen Z is predicted to continue craving texturally standout experiences, with mouthfeel as an important draw to dishes.
Chartwells reported that fall menu development is drawing inspiration from contrasting textures, such as crispy, vegetable-forward ingredients and smooth elements like savory tomato reductions.
Once again, Gen Z’s preferences largely overlap with international flavors. Global dining habit trend analysis from Informa found that 57 percent of Gen Z prefer street-food-inspired flavors in packaged products, and 54 percent are interested in foreign cuisine.
