Millennial Burger Joints, Seed Oil Hate, and The Curse of Restaurants Going Viral on TikTok | Ok, Boomer #3
A column dishing out three quick takes on Gen Z, from Gen Z, about their impact on culture, food, hospitality, and more.
Gen Z is Killing Millennial Burger Joints
Gen Z is killing the millennial burger joint…at least on TikTok anyway. You know the type: exposed ceilings, industrial decor, “sharables” and “handhelds” take the place of appetizers and sandwiches, and declawed curse words like b*tchin’ and kick-a$$ denote a signature sauce. Burgers come on a brioche or pretzel bun, craft beers are displayed on an oversized chalk board, and EVERYTHING is served on a butcher block or with parchment paper.
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Ironically, most of Gen Z was coming of age when these restaurants were growing in popularity, making them less of a departure from past restaurant concepts and more of the norm. Millennial burger joints are a prime example of the perfection fatigue that Gen Z is experiencing (as covered in our 2025 Trends Report). When every restaurant has the same aesthetic and makes the same tired quips on their menus—or always seems to be started by two bearded brothers ‘with a big dream’—it takes away the novelty and authenticity of the brand story.
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The take-down of these concepts typically feature photos and videos from these establishments paired with derogatory captions, all set to the song “We Will Never Die” by Kyle Gordon, which went viral for having a stereotypical “millennial sound” — like that of Imagine Dragons or AJR. After the song’s viral success mocking generic pop-timistic millennial music, the artist hopped on the trend by reviewing a millennial burger joint while dressed like a 2012 hipster.
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Burger joints aren’t the only restaurant concepts under fire from Gen Z. Everything from coffee shops to bathrooms are too. There’s even been a subsequent trend of Gen Z-ers sharing the discovery that their favorite restaurant is, in fact, a millennial-core spot.
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For their part, restaurants are getting in on the fun by making their own videos embracing being a millennial burger joint.
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Millennials themselves are also clapping back (as they would love to put it), making fun of Gen Z’s love of delivery apps by claiming Gen Z restaurants are a “DoorDash ghost kitchen with mid food.”
Seed Oils Are Out—And Gen Z Knows It 🧈🥑🫒
Gen Z is reading ingredient labels like it’s the Da Vinci Code just to avoid seed oils. Aside from certain viral food trends like pickle and fruit roll-up Takis, and Cane’s mukbangs, Gen Z is a generation that generally prioritizes the quality and type of food they consume daily. That’s why discussions around health and wellness gain so much traction on social media. Apps like Seed Oil Scout, which helps users locate restaurants and grocery stores that avoid seed oils in favor of healthier cooking fats, and Yuka, which analyzes food and cosmetic labels to assess their health impact and suggest better alternatives, have surged in popularity.
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