CHICAGO, August 19, 2026 — Food-away-from-home operators and manufacturers have a new demographic to contend with.
Gen Alpha, the youngest consumer group, is getting old enough to not only express food preferences to their caregivers but to have some spending money of their own and a growing agency to use it.
It depends on what source you consult, but Gen Alpha is most widely accepted to be the group born between 2010 and 2024, making the oldest about 16 and the youngest just toddlers. Recent studies say the generation has $101 billion in spending power, or about $67 per child each week.
And brands are starting to pay attention.
Chipotle Mexican Grill on Wednesday launched a partnership with a Gen Alpha social media influencer. Salish Matter (who was actually born in 2009, just outside the Gen Alpha window) is a social media star among teens and tweens. The No. 2 highest-engaged creator on TikTok, she has more than 37 million YouTube subscribers and her own skincare line.
Matter, already a Chipotle fan, is the youngest influencer to have a digital menu item at Chipotle, the fast casual said, noting that her Salish Matter Order (Kid’s Cheese Quesadilla with white rice, black beans, guacamole, kid’s chips and chocolate milk) is the first time it has highlighted a kid’s menu item in this way.
"Authenticity matters when connecting with Gen Alpha, and Salish's genuine connection to Chipotle made this collaboration a natural fit," said Stephanie Perdue, senior vice president of Brand Marketing at Chipotle. "This generation is increasingly discovering brands through the creators they love, and Salish gives families a fun way to experience Chipotle together through someone their kids already know and are excited about."
In 2025, food brands started paying attention to Gen Alpha in a big way, capitalizing on the viral “6-7” meme that would be named Dictionary.com’s Word of the Year that October.
Restaurant chains including Chick-fil-A, Pizza Hut and Wendy’s all rolled out 6-7 deals last year.
We’ve also seen beverage chains (already a hit with Gen Alpha) like Dutch Bros and Tropical Smoothie Café adding limited-time offers and promotions capitalizing on TikTok trends.
Food manufacturers, particularly candy and drink makers, are also appealing to the young consumers.
Prebiotic soda brand Poppi built a custom mini-game on the popular Fortnite platform last year, boosted by promotional efforts from a top Twitch streamer. The marketing efforts supported Poppi’s new Alpine Blast flavor, its first caffeinated offering.
Competing better-for-you soda brand Olipop, meanwhile, joined forces with cartoon franchise SpongeBob for its Pineapple Paradise prebiotic soda. It was marketed via an experience on the Roblox gaming platform.
Gen Alpha consumers (and their families) seek out food-away-from-home options that offer speed, variety and kid-friendly choices, according to Datassential’s Generaltion Alpha Food Trends report, released early this year.
The report notes this is the first generation born entirely in the 21st century, so they are digital natives who also boast “surprising culinary curiosity.”
“For restaurants, CPG brands, and anyone interested in the future of food, the message is clear: Gen Alpha food preferences are sophisticated, influenced by multiple factors, and worth understanding now,” the research firm said. “These children aren’t passive consumers — they’re active participants in family food decisions, brand selection, and restaurant choices today.”
Heather Lalley is the director of communications for IFMA The Food Away from Home Association. A lifelong journalist, Lalley has previously worked with industry publications including Restaurant Business, CSP Daily News, Supermarket News and Foodservice Director.