Gen Z doesn’t want to eat if it means putting down their phones: study

If you can’t put your phone down, stay out of the kitchen.

A nationwide survey from Home Run Inn Pizza asked 1,000 Gen Zers and 1,000 millennials about their attachment to cell phones while cooking or eating — with unsavory results.

The poll revealed that 66% of Gen Z, aged 18 to 26, and 58% of millennials, aged 27 to 42, admit to staring at their phones while cooking.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, that can lead to culinary catastrophe: cellphone distraction contributed to burned dishes for 77% of Gen Z and 83% of millennials, according to the poll.

Keeping their eyes glued to their phone has 55% of Gen Z and 62% of millennials adding the wrong ingredients to their cuisine, too — and a whopping 75% of both groups have been so distracted that they’re injuring themselves with cuts, burns and more.

Kitchen klutzes also are redefining the term “butterfingers,” as 42% of Gen Z and 51% of millennials reported spilling ingredients on their devices while cooking.

While the phone can be a disturbance in the kitchen, it also helps both generations execute their meals; 71% of Gen Z and 67% of millennials use the devices to watch cooking videos.

However, both parties prefer a different social media platform to assist in their cooking process; 56% of Gen ersZ use TikTok compared to 29% of millennials opting for YouTube.

As for those who want to avoid the messy kitchen experience and the potential for mishaps, 70% of Gen Z and 65% of millennials have ordered a restaurant dish based on visual aesthetics.

Food content creators can’t help but capture photos of a scrumptious dish before grabbing a bite. However, a never-ending photoshoot can result in a chilly ending: 23% of Gen Z and 20% of millennials said they have been left with a cold meal by the time they’re done capturing content for social media.

Once the time comes to actually dig into their meals, 81% of Gen Z and 60% of millennials admit to scrolling on their phones while eating.

And the scrolling doesn’t end even if they are dining with someone, either: 25% of Gen Z and 23% of millennials confessed that they had ignored a dining partner to check their phones while chowing down.

On the other hand, more than half of both generations have been “phubbed” — a trending term that appropriately mashes “phone” and “snub” — while eating with someone.

The phone-addicted generations have lost their table manners, incorporating cell phones in nearly every part of their dining experience. According to the results from 2,000 participants, brushing up on table cellphone etiquette could be very beneficial.

The Food Network suggests that people looking to break the bad habit at the dinner table should turn off their ringer, keep cellphones off the table and resist the urge to post and check notifications actively.