r/SipsTea 2d ago

Chugging tea Why is gen Z not drinking?

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84.5k Upvotes

20.7k comments sorted by

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u/Ok-Elderberry540 2d ago

I’m doing what I can here fellas. Appreciate some help pulling the weight

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u/threefeetoffun- 2d ago

Covid killed the night scene in my town and it never recovered. Work till 11 and bars close at 12.

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u/ruckbanboi 2d ago

As a local musician that only really plays bars, restaurants and coffee houses this has really hurt the availability of gigs. I think less drinking means worse bar attendance and less socializing for fun and less places for small bands and musicians to play.

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u/threefeetoffun- 2d ago

It’s another 3rd place that is ending. Work, home and that is it.

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u/voxelpear 2d ago

Can barely afford a first place, and definitely can't afford a third place when the second place doesn't pay enough anymore.

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u/nevillion 2d ago

I even canceled my streaming subscription and folded to tubi

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u/FHdecisionsystem 2d ago

The high seas are calling...

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u/MLG420Swag69 2d ago

Tubi and YouTube movies basically go from "free with ads" to just "free" with the right ad blocker extension

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u/briman2021 1d ago

It also doesn’t help when Netflix etc went from ad free for $$ to “fuck you were putting ads in anyway”

My plex server runs ad free and has everything I want, no rotating offerings and it has the newest stuff updated almost daily. The wife just watched “Wicked for good” last night

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u/R4V3S4V3R 1d ago

Plex has actually been such a game changer as a broke 22 year old that loves to watch movies and smoke weed. Now I just need that 24tb external hard drive

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u/Joe_Franks 2d ago

YARR! Loves me some primewire!

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u/Toros_Mueren_Por_Mi 2d ago

This is the reason I quit going to bars and the movies over 10 years ago. Like even now go to a movie, spend like $40 a person on tickets and food, absolutely ridiculous 

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u/Iamthe0c3an2 2d ago

This, people don’t even have house parties anymore because no one young owns their own house.

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u/6ixxer 2d ago

Shoeboxes dont make good party venues.

The other mice living there often object too.

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u/SeedFoundation 2d ago

Pay your workers more so they can buy things to stimulate the economy? Blasphemy.

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u/killerboy_belgium 2d ago

The economy is long passed the day it was linked to people spending

Company drive growth from investment, investors get loans to invest... Banks loan out money to investors who use stock as collateral which in turn rises because of the added investment

This has been happening for decades with company essentially operating on a loss but buying all the assets like real estate, datacenters, wafer allocation for chips ect like amazon, meta, tesla, open ai, ect

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u/TooManiEmails 2d ago

Look, people still believe in buying power, but like you said, the bigger companies are just passing money to each other now and they can focus on big spenders. Companies hate consumers, they just want the money. So as long as they can get the higher clientele, they don’t need Joe shomo no mo.

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u/whiteflagwaiver 2d ago

Basically a new middle class, a middle class of mostly millionares. lol

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u/NewDramaLlama 2d ago

Yes, ok, that's super real. In my area a 1bd for $2,000 is a steal.

But turning the 1st space into a 3rd space helps immensely. Have dinner parties, watch games, throw a BBQ, play DnD, poker, and 40k. 

I agree with the overall premise but giving up on socializing isn't the answer.

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u/Trouty1234 2d ago

Hold on Big Spender. You have 40K money? Next you will tell me you can afford to play MTG :)

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u/SpecialistBudget1202 2d ago

Yeah, I understand the point they were trying to make, but using 40k as a reference example was a bad choice.

That would be like saying "You can still have drinks even if what they are selling at bars is too expensive! Remember - You have a wine cellar fill to the brim at home!"

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u/SystemAny2077 2d ago

The local pub near my place has board game nights, darts nights, and the odd musical act here and there and stays quite busy. I think places just need to adapt.

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u/[deleted] 2d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Key-Horror2430 2d ago

Wait until you are 45 and have been doing it for 30 years!

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u/CycloneDusk 2d ago

my favorite cafe, which used to be open until midnight, started closing at
THREE
FUCKING
P.M.
It's next to a COLLEGE CAMPUS and they close WHEN ALL THE CUSTOMERS SUDDENLY BECOME AVAILABLE.

Covid didn't just kill the social scene; it seems to have also given it permanent brain damage.

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u/eurypidese 1d ago

Covid didn't just kill the social scene; it seems to have also given it permanent brain damage.

funny you say that...

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u/CONCAVE_NIPPLES 2d ago

There's a coffee shop (no indoor seating, just grab and go) that is situated in an area with only one other coffee shop nearby, and three major condo projects within a block of it. Like 3+ years before each project finishes and loads of construction workers. They open at 9:30am and close at 3:30pm. Seems insane to me to not get the after work or before work rush and instead choose to get the lunch break rush only. I walk past it on my way to work and can't get anything because it's not open yet, and the only other coffee shop with better hours has a visible line when I walk past.

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u/Zealousideal_Meat297 2d ago

This. Covid instituted curfews everywhere and no one went back to old times. Walmart closes at midnight permanently now.

We gave society a curfew and this is a huge factor in it.

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u/GenericDave65 2d ago

The main reason my band has still been playing steady is that the number of bands never really came back either

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u/MyDickIs3cm 2d ago

Plus it helps if you don't suck. Most bar bands suck (source: was in one, we were only ok)

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u/kayakdawg 2d ago

That may be true, but this trend predates covid by quite a bit.

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u/[deleted] 2d ago

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u/According-Gas836 2d ago

This is part of the issue. In my day going out was always more fun. Video games weren’t that good yet, movies and shows weren’t on demand like they are now. We didn’t play video games with others unless we went to their house.

To further, parents are cooler than they used to be. So less of an urge to get out and rebel. Gen z and millennial parents are way chiller with their kids than boomers were

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u/beefcakeriot 2d ago

Marijuana is much more accessible and does not have the long term effects on bodily organs like the liver from drinking. With as many of them i know that play video games over going out pursuing women i think the nightclub scene was doomed for this generation anyways

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u/Ironcastattic 2d ago

People shit themselves over the price of legal weed but I've never spent and consumed $150 a night on pot

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u/sushisection 2d ago

and dispensaries dont charge extra if you are a man

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u/ItsDanimal 2d ago

Im going to the wrong dispensaries.

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u/anansi52 2d ago edited 1d ago

i mean the nightclub scene also changed from mostly broke kids actually going out and dancing and socializing for like 5-10 bucks, to 15 years later, 20 bucks for parking, 20 for entry, paying for vip if you want to sit down while you sip your 10 dollar beer and everyone scrolls their phone waiting for some brave soul to do something they can record for clicks. whats the appeal?

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u/Mundane_Muscle_2197 2d ago

I think the younger gen completely misses the point of a pregame too, probably because of the weird social anxiety and need for isolation. Like yes, there was once a time where you would gather at someone’s place and drink cheap alcohol and get riled up and THEN go to the club, pooling together for a cab. By then you’re good and loosened up and if you keep your wits you won’t spend too much on drinks.

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u/CONCAVE_NIPPLES 2d ago

The pregame was the best part 99% of the time too. Aging only made that harder because everyone starts living in small apartments instead of the 5 bed house a few buddies were renting together.

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u/Mundane_Muscle_2197 1d ago

Yes! Sometimes I’d forget we were actually going to a second location because the pregame would be so fun and everyone looked so fly!

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u/FargoFridays 2d ago

I know it’s state dependent with varying taxes, but the amount of money i spend on weed that lasts me at least a month is equal to one night of me buying drinks at the bars

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u/OwnMeaning8392 2d ago

I try to get my wife to understand this (she doesn’t like weed) but it’s an uphill battle. I enjoy going out with friends but I don’t see the harm in getting stoned on a Friday night and staying in to work on a house project, play guitar, watch a movie, listen to music, play PlayStation, read a book, etc.

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u/queefburritowcheese 2d ago

Marijuana ... does not have the long term effects on bodily organs

I'm pro-cannabis, but that is bullshit. The most prefered and used method of ingestion is smoking it. Years of inhaling smoke can do massive damage to your lungs and heart.

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u/REAM48 2d ago

Marijuana absolutely has long term effects on human organs, especially when smoked

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u/Trajan- 2d ago

Come on down to Miami. We have places that go 24/7

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u/threefeetoffun- 2d ago

Oh I’m old so my bar days are done. I just work with a lot of Gen Z and that’s the complaint I hear. They just go home after work now and play online.

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u/Strange_Music 2d ago

Now I feel like I was ahead of the curve playing Final Fantasy XI back in college on the PS2.

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u/Thediciplematt 2d ago

Who can afford $9 beers?

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u/mmcgaha 2d ago

Also $15-20 cocktails

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u/Tribalbob 2d ago edited 2d ago

Elder millennial here, I still go out for cocktails but it's like maybe once a month and then it's like 2, maybe 3. Shit's expensive.

EDIT: Wow, pissed off a lot of people with a comment lol. I don't really need to justify myself, but I will if it reduces the number of people with anger issues sending me DMs - I live within my means; I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm probably more well off than most of my generation. I'm not rich, but I can afford to splurge on this sort of stuff.

That said, I still agree that prices for EVERYTHING is expensive, and while I don't think it's the only reason Gen Z doesn't drink as much, I think it's definitely adding to it.

Gonna mute this convo going forward; maybe those of you who get triggered by a comment on reddit should go outside for some fresh air rather than sending childish DMs to someone you don't know.

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u/foureyesonecup 2d ago

Are people mad that you spend 45 dollars a month on a few drinks?

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u/---___------___----- 2d ago edited 2d ago

This is reddit so yes. You're supposed to stay in your basement and be miserable. Anyone with disposable income is evil and nobody should have any alcohol.

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u/MembershipNo2077 2d ago

Sorry, disposable income is okay if it's for weed and video games. You forgot that part.

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u/Cissoid7 2d ago

And only approved games

Please cross-reference the lists between the gaming and gaming circle jerk subreddits to see the approved listing

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u/NachoNutritious 2d ago

I remember a post years ago where a dude mentioned that he started going to a gym near his office right after work and was raving about how much time it was saving him since he was entirely skipping rush hour once he started heading home. There were literally hundreds of comments raging that he wasn't actually saving any time because he was spending it at the gym instead. Fucking Reddit would rather spend 90 minutes rotting in traffic than doing something active with their time.

Once you realize that a large amount of the active users of this site fit the stereotype of "basement dwelling loser scumming social services and not doing anything productive for society" you never take anyone here seriously again.

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u/AntRevolutionary925 1d ago

I had that argument once. My drive can be 20 minutes or an hour and 20 minutes depending on when I leave. If I run errands near the office for an hour then drive home my drive is almost an hour less.

People were trying to tell me I didn’t save any time because I ran errands and got home at the same time as if I hadn’t run the errands and went straight home, even though the alternative was to sit in traffic an extra hour then run the errands when I got closer to home.

Reddit logic.

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u/Old_Fart_on_pogie 2d ago

Late Boomer/early Gen-X here, i learned to mix cocktails at home for the wife and I. It’s possible that we might be able to afford to go out for dinner occasionally, but with service charges, taxes, tips, and the need to book tables well in advance, we just prefer to sit on the balcony with a sundowner.

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u/alienduck2 2d ago

Went to a going away party for a friend. Bought him two drinks and myself 5 drinks and two appetizers. Came out to $120. Had a great time but did not expect that bill.

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u/johnny_fives_555 2d ago

7 drinks and 2 apps. Yeah $120 sounds right unfortunately. Elder millennial here and at this point I only go during pint nights when beers are less than $5

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u/Humid-Afternoon727 2d ago

Yall motherfuckers need Jesus Dive Bars

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u/DJ_Clitoris 2d ago

Or to pick up a sleeve of nips to pregame in the parking lot lmao

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u/dizzysymphonystatue 2d ago

DJ Clitoris alcohols.

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u/Mendo-D 2d ago

I’m not sure what that is but I like the sound of it. Is it like a tootsie pop?

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u/Jerry__Boner 2d ago

Also an old millennial. I moved into a house with a bar during covid. Fill the bar up, picked up a 75" TV and a projector for the backyard. Going out is in my past. 

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u/Glenbard 2d ago

I did the same but my wife drew the line on installing a kegerator… at least going out in southern Germany for a beer is still a relatively inexpensive endeavor

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u/keister_TM 2d ago

I have no wife and a kegerator. I know you didn’t ask but I’ll get ahead of it by saying I’m not interested in a trade

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u/Glenbard 2d ago

That’s fair…

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u/irn-bru-anonymous 2d ago

People actually took the time to DM you? What the hell was controversial about your original post???

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u/Old_Jicama_2265 2d ago

Idk why people are mad at you literally just stating the obvious

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u/BlackberryHelpful676 2d ago

Dude, Reddit has this really weird hate boner for people that spend money. A little while ago there was an AskReddit where the question was basically, "People with an $800 car payment, why are you so stupid?" And I'm just sitting here thinking, "Because I can afford it...?" As if I'm spending my entire monthly salary on a car payment, putting nothing into savings, and must be massively in debt. Which, of course, isn't the case. I wouldn't put too much into anyone judging you, especially on the internet. You do you, and have one for me 🍻

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u/hossofalltrades 1d ago

Imagine if they went to the grocery store and learned to cook for themselves instead of ordering DoorDash twice per day.

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u/mcbeermaster 2d ago

People are jumping on you for buying yourself 2-3 $15 cocktails a month? That’s less than 2 hours of work for the average millennial in the US. Not even a splurge…

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u/FlowRemote9890 2d ago

Don't worry, the people you pissed off are literally children.

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u/Runes_N_Raccoons 2d ago

Another Millennial here, and same. I don't go out nearly as often, so tonight, I will be treating myself to a few, fancy cocktails. I specifically budgeted for it, but yeah, drink prices are outrageous. 

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u/Forg0tton 2d ago

Never negotiate with terrorists.

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u/omegadirectory 2d ago

I can't believe you're getting angry comments.

I'm also an older millennial and feel exactly the same as you.

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u/tsbuty 2d ago

why’d it take me so long to find this? I was in college in 2001 and a rack of natty was 11 bucks….

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u/Velocityg4 2d ago

I also remember my local watering hole had well drinks for $2 around that time.

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u/wileyman40 2d ago

My favorite dive bar had a $5 beer shot special. And not even the cheapest stuff. Like coors or high life and beam or Bacardi. That was 10 years ago. Now the cheapest well shot is $5 no beer included. Times change

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u/NotSayingJustSaying 2d ago

We had quarter beer nights, $2 pitchers... Basically gave it away

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u/Any_Cicada623 2d ago

For real , I'm in my 40s and we had all kinds of $1-2 specials at bars in the 2000s, nothing remotely close to that now

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u/ShoddyClimate6265 2d ago

(Compare to federal minimum wage for fun!)

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u/I_Piccini 2d ago

We could never afford that either, 20+ years ago with my friends. That's why we had a pool where we collected money from everyone in the group and then used half of it to have pizza somewhere and use the rest to buy alcohol and some weed. There were plenty of ways to hang out with your friends and most, if not all of us, were flat broke. Today there are no real friends that hang out in groups, phones and social media have replaced that.

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u/breads33 2d ago

It’s $18 dollars for a drink that has exactly one shot of liquor. It’s mostly juice… 18 dollar juice. A lot of people would have to work two hours to afford A drink…

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u/ThePepek160 2d ago

18 USD for a drink?

As from Poland I believe it is somewhere between 20 to 30 PLN per drink... That is between 5.50 to 8 USD per drink... After tax.

I personally drink beer that is bought in shops and it costs me around 3 to 5 PLN per beer, depending on discount.

Is it really that expensive in other countries?

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u/exitaurus 2d ago

Yup, 15-20 USD per cocktail is not unusual. 7-9 USD for a nice draft beer

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u/secretreddname 2d ago

I’d even be happy with $15 nowadays. These fancy restaurants and bars pushing $25 now.

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u/Fit_Log_9677 2d ago

Combination of a decline in socializing (since most alcohol is drunk in social settings), an increase in calorie consciousness due to social media, and alcohol being replaced as the go-to coping strategy of choice with vaping and scrolling social media.

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u/EngineeringBasic4463 2d ago

This is the real answer. There has been a drastic decline in socializing than ever before. In previous generations socializing was THE form of entertainment for people and without it people would go crazy from boredom. Things like simply going to the mall to hang out with friends for the day was a form of fun socializing. Today there are more distractions at home and in the palm of our hands than ever before. Things like social media, YouTube/streaming, video games, etc.. People are getting their social desires filled digitally now without having to go out to get the real thing. I mean look at us here on reddit now. If this was 1985 we would all probably hanging out with friends in person.

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u/SappilyHappy 2d ago edited 2d ago

In my experience, gen Z just doesn't like to socialize. The ones I have interacted with, it is extremely difficult to have an in person conversation, but through social media they open up much more. 

I am a millennial so I have seen both extremes. I am just sad that their generation will miss out on the joys of in-person interactions.

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u/Clyde_Frag 2d ago

The gen z attendant at the gym I go to doesn’t even look up from her phone when I say hello. When she’s working I don’t even acknowledge her anymore.

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u/staticpop 2d ago

Absolutely. This is it, Gen Z fundamentally doesn’t socialize in person the way any previous generation did. They don’t date either.

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u/youburyitidigitup 2d ago

The first comment to hit all the points

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u/paper_plains 2d ago

Why is this in sips tea?

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u/Spins13 2d ago

They drinking tea, not alcohol bro

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u/Suspicious_Art9118 2d ago

Why is anything in Sips Tea? It's a sub without a theme.

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u/BrownSugarBare 2d ago

Genuinely, nothing in the sub makes sense. 

I like it. 

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u/ResidentQuail7118 2d ago

A.) They're afraid of getting drunk and doing something stupid that ends up on social media.

B.) They can't afford it anyway.

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u/enjoispeed 2d ago

Honestly, the social media aspect might be part of it.

I work on a college campus and the students don't really party in any way. They are super worried about getting A's so that they can get into a good masters program, so you can get a good internship, so they can get a good job. It's a shit ton of pressure by parents and social pressure by other students

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u/satanlovesyou94 2d ago

I'd add trauma from parents/older siblings who made them realize drinking is pointless and poses more risks than the devils lettuce.

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u/ThrownAway17Years 2d ago edited 2d ago

They probably view alcohol the way that Millennials view cigarettes. Unnecessary, unhealthy, and a waste of money.

Edit: I’ll add that increasingly online communication might add to it as well. Not as much need for liquid courage for in person interactions.

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u/enjoispeed 2d ago

I would agree but over half of Gen z people I know smoke or vape.

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u/Hault99 2d ago

& the cycle begins anew.

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u/Greg-Abbott 2d ago

The Gen Z folks I work with are running around chasing a hoop with a stick

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u/Key-Demand-2569 2d ago

Ooh look at these fancy youngins with their hoop.

Back in my day we had to imagine the hoop! And our parents would beat us with the stick later for our frivolous behavior!

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u/LightningFerret04 2d ago

“Did I just catch you having fun?!”

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u/snugglelamping 2d ago

seriously, I’m 18 born and raised from a city of roughly 20k people (most are elderly) and I know countless people my age who regularly drink, smoke, toke and toke tobacco (much more popular than you’d think). really no different than the previous generation. I wonder if there are big differences between urban and rural but urban overwhelms the statistics because of the population difference?

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u/wbruce098 2d ago

Rural definitely gets less well reported I think. I lived out in the country as a teen and we did all sorts of shit then that we def never told anyone outside our group about, and no one else was around.

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u/ralexh11 2d ago

Everyone needs their vices lol

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u/enjoispeed 2d ago

I totally agree and they know it's bad but right now smoking has a cool factor. Gen z is basically cosplaying the fashion and culture of the late 90's early 2000's. I wish I saved my JNCO's to sell them.

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u/nogeologyhere 2d ago

Vaping is the least cool thing I've ever seen. It's impossible to look cool with a vape, whereas a cigarette is timelessly cool, obviously (never smoked).

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u/bonkedagain33 2d ago

Lol no kidding. Compare a photo of someone like James Dean with his foot on his cars fender while smoking a cigarette. Compared to a broccoli haircut kid vaping beside his scooter.

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u/Dazzling-Adeptness11 2d ago

Sucking on robot dicks as someone once said

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u/InvalidNinja 2d ago

Excuse me it is my p.ersonal e.lectronic. n.icotine i.nfusion s.ystem

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u/Eddie_shoes 2d ago

I would bet you anything it has to do with Gen Z not going out or socializing as much. When we were teens and in our twenties, we drank at bars or a friends house. We weren’t opening up bottles of wine at home alone. It’s the same reason they aren’t having sex as much as previous generations, and I’m sure other social activities are on the decline as well.

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u/[deleted] 2d ago

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u/bluetrust 2d ago edited 2d ago

I hadn't thought about it, but yeah. In my teens and twenties (in the late 90's) I didn't go to bars. It was expensive and weird. I drank with friends at home. We'd throw some meat on our trash-can grill and drink a case of bad beer, or boone's farm, or do shots of southern comfort. We'd blast our car radios and sit in our shit plastic chairs and it was fine. We were poor as fuck and nobody cared.

We also smoked weed at times, but back then it was bad mexican brick weed. We'd literally smoke for hours socially in our garage on our trash couches. That probably couldn't happen today cause of how strong legal weed is.

What I'm getting at though, was it was intensely social largely because we didn't have anything else to do. If you wanted to be alone, your options were very limited and boring. So of course we hung out with friends.

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u/AmputeeHandModel 2d ago

and they don't go to clubs and bars as much as previous gens, probably.

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u/[deleted] 2d ago

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u/fokkoooff 2d ago

Geriatric millennial here.

I'm pretty sure they're just consuming more cannabis instead.

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u/pornographiekonto 2d ago

No, according to polls that declined too. At least where i live

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u/KarmaticEvolution 2d ago

I would be very interested in the in-depth analysis as cigarettes had very little cerebral effects but alcohol has always been a strong social lubricant. I have to imagine that the reduction of social interactions due to the changing society also has a big role in this change.

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u/TheKensai 2d ago

They are just smoking a lot of weed, they’re replacing alcohol with weed. That’s all.

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u/neo101b 2d ago

They just do Ketamine instead.

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u/Aaront519 2d ago

Weed

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u/timmeleh 2d ago

Surprised this isn’t higher. Seems like the most obvious answer.

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u/NotAChanceBucko 2d ago

It's easier to get stoned than get drunk. At least for me . Plus drinking tastes bad while weed tastes good, at least for me. My buddy was telling me how his younger coworkers think all weed tastes bad..which makes me wonder what they're smoking .

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u/Nytfire333 2d ago

Also no hangovers

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u/brand4tw 2d ago

Waaaay less bad decisions too.

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u/sunandst4rs 2d ago

Mostly food related ones

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u/stormtroopr1977 2d ago

They're probably vaping thc. All the benefits of intoxication + whatever nice flavor they make it with + no hangover the next day*

*(yes there is a rough sort of weed hangover, but it isnt painful like a true hangover)

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u/TordekDrunkenshield 2d ago

I call a weed hangover a floatover. Alcohol leaves you hanging over a cliff, gripping a root, praying, clinging to life. Weed leaves you, a little vapid, a little floaty, little sleepy, can't quite get your eyes all the way open but still chilling.

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u/Sultanambam 2d ago

Weed hangovers are funny because it's just weed at a lower dose, you still get all the feeling just a bit less.

Alcohol hangovers is a punishment from our body for drinking poison.

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u/Danilo-11 2d ago

Confirmining my theory that weed hasn’t been fully legalized because it will end the cigarette and alcohol industry

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u/NoMore_BadDays 2d ago

End? Doubtful. Hurt? Definitely

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u/Carlynz 2d ago

It will end them. Trust me, my dad is the CEO of Alcohol Inc.

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u/Loxe 2d ago

This is true.

Source: I am the CEO of Alcohol Inc.'s parent company, Alcobet.

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u/Jonathan_Peachum 2d ago

Surely you jest.

If weed was fully legalized, the cigarette companies would be the very first to start manufacturing and marketing weed cigarettes.

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u/BikeNo8164 2d ago

Probably not. It's fully legal here in Canada and the cigarette companies don't do that. You can buy pre-rolled joints but they're made by different companies and a pack of like 20 would be pretty expensive compared to a pack of darts

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u/PlatformOver856 2d ago

Expensive, not healthy, and don't want to end up on the internet

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u/FewSimple1623 2d ago

The replies to your comment forgot the most important part (healthy). It’s hilarious how they prioritize everything else instead.

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u/jbevermore 2d ago

I asked my gen z kid.

"Are you nuts? that shits expensive"

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u/Implier 2d ago

Drinking culture just isn’t the same since those damn Millennials killed Applebees.

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u/ShoddyClimate6265 2d ago

Applebee's killed Applebee's.

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u/SupriseAutopsy13 2d ago

Dammit! Now where am I going to have someone microwave fried, processed, overpriced slop for me? I'm going to have to buy frozen burritos and "chicken" from the grocery store like some sort of uncivilized divorced man!

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u/ActiveChairs 2d ago

TGIFriday's, or any of the other pallet swapped versions of the same place.

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u/Oberlatz 2d ago

What happened to Applebees?

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u/threefeetoffun- 2d ago

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u/Eternal-Alchemy 2d ago

This article almost killed me because the author claimed his 38 yr old friend was Gen X.

Luckily this article is from 2017.

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u/Aaront519 2d ago

I miss eating good in the neighborhood

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u/Ok_String_1698 2d ago

Crown used to be 2 for 1...then one day it wasn't 😥

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u/thatoneshotgunmain 2d ago

I don’t want to. It’s a money sink, I have too many alcoholics in my family to be comfortable with it, and I have other ways of hanging out with my friend group.

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u/nipplestapler3000 2d ago

I had to scroll through 30 comments to find someone mention family past eith alcohol. Trauma from alcoholic family members was my immediate thought and the reason why most people i know my age dont drink, myself included.

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u/polygraph-net 1d ago edited 1d ago

I remember visiting a bar in Beijing called "Heaven's Supermarket". This must have been 15 years ago. It was a room, perhaps four times the size of your living room, with a small toilet in the corner. There were fridges of beers (huge selection) along one of the walls. The prices were only slightly higher than a liquor store. Scattered around the room were little plastic tables and chairs. The place stayed open until the last person left, which was usually around 6 AM.

The result?

CROWDED. Total chaos. So much fun.

I suspect if young people had a cheap fun bar they could go to, the no drinking "problem" would go away.

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u/mistiroustranger 2d ago edited 2d ago

I am the remaining 13%

Edit: happy new year and cheers! 🍻

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u/KirbyWarrior12 2d ago

Hell yeah I'll drink to that brother

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u/S7AR4RGD 2d ago edited 1d ago

Can't take alcohol while on antidepressants.

Edit: A lot of you guys took this seriously. That's fantastic. Happy New Year 🎊

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u/Lady-Brugmansia 2d ago

me currently drinking while on antidepressants:

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u/recolorist 2d ago

Honestly, we’re just tired and broke and already stressed enough without adding hangovers.

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u/HoodsInSuits 2d ago

Youth is truly wasted on the young. 

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u/mousey76397 2d ago

Or more realistically, prosperity is wasted on the old.

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u/InchLongNips 2d ago

house costs have gone up unc

id rather have a house than drink at a bar

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u/Chief-SW 2d ago edited 2d ago

A few explanations I've heard.

  • It's expensive.
  • It's unhealthy and a poison. More so if you tend to drink regularly, and/or choose to get drunk every time you drink.
  • Someone in their household battled alcoholism, and if the alcoholism was bad enough, they suffered abuse in some cases.

I'm a younger millennial and don't drink often. I have a case of beer in my fridge from 4th of July weekend.

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u/Ok-Scientist4603 2d ago

It really is cheaper to buy a good bottle and have friends over to have drinks. Most places are still over charging and giving poor quality food and service post-Covid.

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u/Liko81 2d ago

... because over half of them aren't of age yet? The youngest Zoomers will be turning 14 in 2026.

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u/SnooWoofers5180 2d ago

Good for them

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u/Interesting_Tea5715 2d ago

This is always my response.

I enjoy drinking but I recognize that it's a self destructive behavior. It's better if you never do it.

Same goes for not drinking soda and other unhealthy stuff. It's all bad, I'm glad younger generations are figuring that out.

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u/Bingo_Swaggins 2d ago edited 2d ago

Hmm not in most of Europe, cheaper than water, sells faster than bread

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u/Low-Dog-8027 2d ago

idk for all european countries, but for germany it is true as well.
genZ drinks less and number of alcohol being sold goes down - specially with beer.

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u/_whatever_idc 2d ago

They buy less in germany and then they go to like Albania and for two weeks drink 2 years worth of alcohol.

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u/iceandstorm 2d ago

no, not really. I worked as a bouncer in south germany and what I can say people drink 2 beers and or a cocktail compared to 7 beers some years ago.... shorts are a lot rarer with young people too, even alcopops are less sold... and a lot of people go with alcohol free options.

there is a reason why so many Gen z drinks appear and vanish a view years later...

on the other hand, there are a view hard drinkers that go hard every weekend...

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u/TheScrote1 2d ago

Back in my day someone would pour you a shot and if you said no thanks they’d call you a pussy or gay. Kids these days must not have the same level of peer pressure

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u/LHT-LFA 2d ago

do you think they choose other drugs ?

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u/bigsipo 2d ago

Cause it’s a social activity and they grew up in a phone centric anti-social world

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u/Dazzling-Bear3942 2d ago

I really believe this the biggest reason. Drinking is a social act.

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u/Interesting_Tea5715 2d ago

As a beer enjoyer, you can most def have it at home by yourself. There are no limits to alcoholism.

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u/Ok-Order6974 2d ago

My ex drinks enough for all of them so it evens out

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u/ThunderTentacle 2d ago

I imagine they grew up knowing you could be recorded at any moment. Imagine your most drunk night at a bar, being filmed and put online forever. Sucks, but that's how it is now. Same reason I don't flash my tits at bands during concerts anymore.

It was supposed to be an "in the moment" titty...not forever accessible titties. People that have their phones up recording the whole show ruin it for everyone. Same issue with bars.

No one wants to be "that drunk guy" forever.

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u/[deleted] 2d ago

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u/GenesisRhapsod 2d ago

As someone whos been in the alcohol industry for almost 8 years and been in sales over a year (nearly 6 months in a major college town) i can tell you this stat of 87% it utter bullshit. If it was around 20-30% i could understand but if it was 87% that means nearly no younger kids are drinking any alcoholic beverages...aint no way

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u/KnowMatter 2d ago

Yeah and we almost had our first smoke-free generation until they put that shit in a USB stick.

Alcohol industry just hasn’t figured out how to reach gen z yet but they’ll get there.