Gen Z and coffee in the US: more speed, more evenings, more visual identity

There is a generation changing how coffee is chosen and experienced, especially in the United States and particularly in the specialty segment. It is not doing so through declarations or manifestos, but through very practical habits: where coffee is ordered, how long people are willing to wait, which hours of the day matter most, and how much visual impact the product should have. Gen Z, the first generation to grow up entirely in the digital age, is sending brands a set of clear signals, even if they are not always consistent.

The most visible one is the growing importance of the drive-thru. This is not just about Starbucks, the US coffee giant: operators such as Dutch Bros, a US beverage and coffee chain, 7 Brew and Scooter’s Coffee have built models in which speed, customisation and an upbeat service style are part of the experience as much as the drink itself. In the US, drive-thru coffee has become a major part of out-of-home consumption and has reached record levels. Within that landscape, Dutch Bros exceeded $1.6 billion in revenue in 2025, growing by about 28% year over year.

Behind that growth is also a subtler shift in how younger consumers frame everyday spending. Some industry observers describe it as a series of small treats: a flavoured drink, a customised coffee, something that makes an ordinary moment feel a little more special. It is a form of consumption that is both functional and emotional, and drive-thru brands are well placed to serve it with offerings that are easy to order, easy to customise and easy to share on social media.

Coffee is moving into the evening

The pressure from Gen Z is not only about where coffee is bought, but also when. In some North American markets, interest is growing in coffee shops with longer opening hours, able to work as social spaces in the evening as well as in the morning. Here, another cultural shift comes into view: some young adults are drinking less alcohol than previous generations and are looking for places to meet that do not revolve around bars.

In that context, late-opening coffee shops can find a place, especially when coffee also becomes a setting for socialising, studying or low-key entertainment. The idea may echo cultures where coffee shops have long served as evening gathering places, but it should not be overplayed: outside those settings, it remains a local bet shaped by staffing costs, footfall and neighbourhood identity. In other words, it works in some cases, not everywhere.

The demand is there, though. And for many operators, that is enough to rethink menus, hours and evening offerings with more care. It does not always translate into immediate profitability, but it does suggest that coffee is no longer only a morning ritual.

Packaging becomes more expressive, not just prettier

A third area of change concerns the product itself. For years, a large part of specialty coffee leaned on a restrained visual language: kraft paper, muted colours, clean typography. It was an aesthetic that matched ideas of traceability, purity and craftsmanship, but it was also highly uniform. Today, however, a growing share of consumers seems more open to packaging that is more recognisable, more immediate and easier to spot at a glance.

This does not mean minimalism is over. Rather, the market is making more room for expressive design, especially among independent roasters trying to speak to a younger audience that is not yet locked in. Richer illustrations, bolder colour palettes and more assertive typefaces are not just about standing out; they are also a way of communicating identity quickly. Packaging works best when it feels consistent with the product and the brand position, not when it simply chases a graphic trend.

Overall, the picture that emerges is less a wholesale revolution than a series of market adjustments. Between out-of-home coffee, evening hours and more distinctive packs, specialty coffee is looking for new ways to stay relevant to an audience that wants speed, experience and personality in the same gesture. Among 18- to 24-year-olds, specialty coffee already leads traditional coffee in the US, and that importance may grow as their purchasing power increases.

In the end, coffee does not change only when the product changes. It changes when the expectations of the people drinking it change. And today, at least in the US market, those expectations are increasingly being set by younger consumers.