in august of 2024, we introduced [cafeteria] to next-gen spenders
states 40
cities 353
tables 3857
[cafeteria] teens have produced more than 1,200 hours of insights
enough to binge Outer Banks, Stranger Things, Gossip Girl, and still scroll 70,000 tiktoks
teens are talking about 840+ fashion and apparel brands – from big-name retailers to cult-favorite labels and fresh drops redefining culture
fashion & apparel
Top Mentions
Nike is the most talked about brand on [cafeteria], with 3,055 mentions across genders.
Teens are ready to spend an average of $153.79 on their next pair.
Dream collab? Adam Sandler x Nike – Billie Eilish and Tate McCrae are also in demand.
Brandy Melville reigns supreme for females aged 14-19.
"Crowded" is the word most teens use to describe the in-store vibe – a sign of its undeniable demand.
The biggest change teens want to make is "better sizing, please!"
Target is the undisputed champ of big-box retail, racking up 678 mentions across genders, favored by 19% of females and 18% of males.
Why they love it...
- "Target makes me buy stuff I don’t need but want."
- "It has everything from makeup to clothes to hair care. Expensive products to affordability."
Aritzia is on the rise, with 11% of females naming it their top pick.
The top 3 words used to describe the brand: "quality", "stylish", and "store vibe".
The biggest change teens want in-store is "mirrors in the changing rooms".
Edikted is the #1 brand females want to try – with 10% listing it as their top choice – followed by Alo, Skims, and Garage.
Essentials and Carhartt are the top brands males are most excited to try.
New Balance steps up with the 19-26 age group.
Adidas shines as the #2 most talked-about brand on [cafeteria], with 1,382 mentions.
Adidas is the next shoe females want to own.
The Samba hype has propelled Gazelle and Campus into sneaker culture.
[cafeteria] pre-trend
(noun)
brands we hear about before they're everywhere
[cafeteria] pre-trends
→ retail
- HeyDude
- Gymshark
- Dairy Boy
- Princess Polly
- Puma
teens are streaming video 2+ hours every saturday morning
tech & entertainment
Top Mentions
Taylor Swift, Drake, Zach Bryan, Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, and Noah Kahan are playlist royalty.
Espresso brewed its way to the top as the song of the summer. ☕️
Top Streaming Services →
- Spotify is top (68%)
- Apple Music (28%)
- SoundCloud (5%)
Teens hit an average of 2.46 concerts in 2024. 🎟️
Zach Bryan and Travis Scott are the most attended by [cafeteria] teens, with Drake, Taylor Swift, and SZA following.
Teens are willing to spend big for their top artists, averaging $304 per ticket.
Saturday mornings are prime time, with teens clocking 2 hours and 6 minutes of viewing.
Top 3 shows they’re hyping NOW: Outer Banks, Gossip Girl, and Cobra Kai.
If they could only have ONE streaming service, it's Netflix, picked 3:1 over Hulu.
Apple dominates headphones, owning the top 5 products across all AirPod models and Beats with 82% of responses.
Throwback Alert 🚨: Apple's wired headphones still have their fans, with 4.6% of teens keeping it timeless.
For females: Olympians grab gold, with Simone Biles, Suni Lee, and Ilona Maher leading. Jude Bellingham also earns a top spot.
For males: GOATs GO BIG – LeBron, Messi, and Michael Jordan are the top picks.
Ball is Life 🏀: males are 5x more likely to name basketball players over all others.
Pinterest is a hidden gem (5.3%) for inspo across clothing, beauty, and life organization.
Teens are saying:
- "Pinterest is for INSPIRATION"
- "It helps me plan my room, events, and style"
- "It’s made me creative, and I never see bad content—just positivity"
move over, Venmo – teens are choosing Starbucks as a payback currency
food & beverage
Top Mentions
Snack MVP: Chips (38.2%) – Cheez-Its, Goldfish, and Takis lead the snack pack.
Health on the rise: Over 25% of teens are snacking healthy with fruit, yogurt, peanut butter, and hummus.
Fruit (13.3%) keeps up, smiling back at Goldfish in popularity. 🍉🍎🍇🍌
How do you pay your friends back?
Get them next time (30.7%), Venmo (23.9%), and old school cash (22.8%).
Many teens view Starbucks as currency, offering a coffee run as the ultimate IOU.
Over 10% of males choose their local grocery spot as their favorite store. 🛒
Why they love them...
- Trader Joe's: "It’s nicely laid out and the workers are very friendly."
- Whole Foods: "Their vast amount of organic options."
- Publix: "I love the chicken tender sub."
Chipotle gets the W as the top food spot on [cafeteria]. 🌯
Teens are spending an average of $14.91 per trip and willing to spend an extra $2.01 for guacamole.
Add to the menu? Teens are talking about desserts, nachos, and a permanent al pastor chicken option.
What do you want to try next?
Fashion, footwear, and... cookies? Crumbl joins the likes of New Balance, Louis Vuitton, and Skims as a must-try brand.
Oh, and their latest cookie drop? 720 calories of pure indulgence.
Where are they dining out?
Burgers Dominate 🍔: after McDonald’s, In-N-Out comes in hot, with Wendy’s serving up major competition.
Teens are also talking about: Olive Garden, Cheesecake Factory, Raising Cane's, Chili's, and Red Lobster round out their go-to list.
female teens spend an average of 7m 17s every morning on their skincare routine
health & beauty
Top Mentions
How are teens dropping $100?
Sephora is the beauty hub, mentioned 5x more than Ulta, Target, and CVS.
Their makeup hauls feature favorites like Rare Beauty, Charlotte Tilbury, Summer Fridays, Benefit, e.l.f., Patrick Ta, and Rhode.
What brand are teens excited to try?
Rhode leads the list, celebrated for its everyday beauty vibe and clean packaging aesthetic.
Outliers they are talking about: Tower 28, Makeup by Mario, Patrick Ta, and Hourglass.
Rare Beauty has mastered the art of packaging – teens are hooked on the flawless finish before it’s even unboxed.
Other packaging all-stars? Charlotte Tilbury, Rhode, Summer Fridays, and Drunk Elephant.
Teens call these designs "sleek," "minimalist," "cute," "classy," and "elegant."
Glossier YOU is the #1 scent-sational winner, with Sol de Janeiro 68 claiming the runner-up spot in top fragrances.
Artist-inspired perfumes are trending too, with hits like Ariana Grande’s Cloud, Sabrina Carpenter’s Cherry Baby, and Billie Eilish’s Vanilla.
What product is always with you?
Lip products 92% of the time, with Summer Fridays serving as the ultimate essential.
Rare Beauty also ranks high, loved for its affordability and skin tone inclusivity.
7 minutes and 17 seconds – that’s the average time teens spend perfecting their morning skincare routine.
Favorites? CeraVe, Glow Recipe, and The Ordinary take the top spots.
For skin and makeup inspo, TikTok rules, while dermatologists come in last place.
[cafeteria] pre-trends
→ beauty
- Merit
- Tarte
- Saie
- Ouai
- Fenty
[cafeteria] chatter
(noun)
real responses from teens via voice and text
“Ah, I love the Starbucks grilled cheese. It's literally the best thing on the menu and then I'll get it with like a cake pop obviously.”
“Block Blast, which is extremely addicting, but it’s super fun and problem-solving.”
“That joint be hittin', you know what I'm saying, and taste sweet. I like the sugar, the milk, when you mix it together, bam, the milk be tasting sweet as hell, bro, it's bussin'.”
If you had to choose, which celebrity would you trust to be your stylist?
“sabrina carpenter. her hair slaps.”
What are you gifting yourself?
“a good day with family and friends.”
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