q1 ’25 → next-gen spenders in motion... let's go
[cafeteria] teens have produced more than 300k insights at over 15,000 tables
that's over 5,500 hours of insights – enough time to learn three new languages (Duolingo would be proud)
ok, here's how teens are choosing to spend $100 on clothes
$100
Top Mentions
when spending $100 on clothing, the top brands are...
- Nike 35%
- Adidas 14%
- Hollister 13%
- Brandy Melville 10%
- Lululemon 9%
- H&M 7%
- Shein 6%
- PacSun 6%
when spending $100 on clothing, female's top brands are...
- Brandy Melville 19%
- Nike 17%
- Hollister 16%
- Lululemon 14%
- Shein 10%
- H&M 9%
- PacSun 8%
- Urban Outfitters 7%
when spending $100 on clothing, male's top brands are...
- Nike 46%
- Adidas 21%
- Under Armour 8%
- Jordan 7%
- Hollister 6%
- H&M 5%
- Uniqlo 4%
- Carhartt 3%
[cafeteria] pre-trend
(noun)
brands we hear about before they're everywhere
[cafeteria] pre-trends
- Peppermayo
- Depop
- Vomero 5’s
- Wild Fable
- Pro Club
the new ride-or-die?
Uber and a fully charged phone
tech & entertainment
Top Mentions
If they had to choose, they're choosing phones over cars.
58% would rather scroll than steer, making it work via Uber, public transit, and walking.
Girls lead the shift at 64%; Boys are 50/50.
"100% a phone. You can call an Uber. You can walk places. A phone connects you to a lot of people. Yes, a car can too, but ... you can get a rideshare app and have a car right there from your phone." – 21, Female, Memphis
what's your daily screentime?
For most [cafeteria] users, it’s a lot.
93% self-reported over 5+ hours a day – that’s 1.5 days per week.
12% said it’s more like 11+ hours daily.
7% went a step further, calling their usage “excessive.”
Flip phones? Hard pass. 😒
73% said “no thanks” to the form factor.
Still – there’s a small but growing crew open to a digital wellness reset.
The App Core 4: what 4 apps are pinned on the home screen?
Practicality rules the dock. Messages, Phone, and Safari are the go-to trio – pinned by 81%, 64%, and 52% respectively. Function over flair.
Once the essentials are locked, personality kicks in. Instagram leads the next tier of pins at 18%, followed closely by Snap, Spotify, FaceTime, and TikTok.
Battery roulette. What battery level stresses you out?
20% is the tipping point, with 65% saying they feel anxious below that threshold.
Still, 14% are battery daredevils, riding it out at 3% or less.
8% live on the edge at just 10% battery. It’s bonus time:
“I don’t worry because I still have like 30 more minutes.” – 18, Female, New York
less scrolling, less stress – teens know to cut back
health & wellness
Top Mentions
What do you want to spend less time on?
→ 24% say "worrying".
They're shifting their mindset:
“I need to spend less time worrying about what hasn’t happened yet and focus more on the present moment.” – 19, Male, California
“I need to stop worrying about friendships that aren’t 50/50.” – 17, Female, New York
What brings you calm?
Self-care starts with sleep (26%), music (14%), and a movie marathon (11%).
While TikTok and YouTube are also frequent go-to’s, stress tends to cue the nostalgic movies and tv classics.
Top comfort rewatches?
- 🧑🚀 Star Wars
- 🧙 Harry Potter
- 🐼 Kung Fu Panda
Teens take their mental well-being seriously with routines and self awareness. They put their phones away when feeling stressed out.
“I organize everything in my closet, do all my homework, and try to meditate and get my life back together. There’s no better thing than that.” – 15, Female, New Jersey
“I listen to music a lot. I turn my phone off, put on really good headphones, and just zone out.” – 15, Male, California
Biggest teen goal: reducing phone time. 54% want to cut their screen time.
Younger teens (14-15) are leading the digital detox → 63% want to cut back vs. 53% of 16-18.
TikTok is seen as the biggest “time-waster,” more than 2x Instagram.
“Reels is kicking my butt when it comes to productivity.” – 18, Female, Florida
The next gen consumer isn’t just spending – they’re saving with intention.
Top goals? 15% are stashing for a car, 7% for college, and 6% for clothes.
The outliers? iPads, Dyson Airwraps, and that matching Lululemon set.
"Vintage-tech" is having a moment – teens are just as likely to save for an old-school digital camera as they are for the newest model AirPods.
When teens hit a goal, they treat themselves to:
Food. 8% of girls go for something sweet and 6% of boys opt for a "cheat day".
A special purchase. Teen wishlists right now include: Jordans, Cartier bracelets, Polo sweaters, Essentials, Stüssy x Beats headphones, White Fox fits, Louis Vuitton x Murakami pieces, Adidas Sambas, Skims, and Alo Yoga sets.
flares making a comeback? not quite yet – most still prefer baggy jeans
fashion & apparel
Top Mentions
Regional denim style signals:
- The Northeast shows increased love for flares.
- The Midwest and South lean heavily baggy.
- Ripped jeans are more popular in the South and West.
- Midwest and Northeast prefer a clean, classic look.
Jeans Forecast: 2025 Fit Edition
Baggy is the front-runner, but other fits are starting to climb up the ranks.
- Baggy/Wide: 73%
- Straight: 20%
- Cargo: 17%
- Flare: 16%
- Bootcut: 10%
- Skinny: 10%
Younger teens (14-16) are focused on clean cuts.
They're leaning into minimalism when it comes to denim, with 32% preferring plain jeans.
They gravitate toward darker washes – like black and deep navy.
And when they do want details, they’re more likely to choose distressing (18%).
Older teens are looking for Y2K inspired denim.
17-19 year olds are leaning into bolder, throwback details – 21% prefer jeans with embroidery.
Emerging patterns include 🐆 cheetah prints and grommets.
Denim details matter. For maximalists, "flair" comes from the back pocket – bows, bold stitching, rhinestones, and Y2K-inspired embellishments.
“I like the look of distressed and bedazzled back pockets.” – 16, Female, Los Angeles
Minimalists opt for timeless – clean, dark, elevated.
“I prefer dark wash jeans ... quality Japanese denim ... something stylish and timeless.” – 18, Female, San Diego
The rise report.
When it comes to denim rises, low rise is leading.
- Low rise: 52%
- Mid rise: 41%
- High rise: 28%
The breakdown varies by age: younger teens (14-16) are leaning hard into low rise (60%) and older teens (17-19) are more likely to prefer high rise (27%).
Top denim brands.
- Levi’s: 40%
- American Eagle: 17%
- Pacsun: 10%
Beyond the top three, strong shoutouts went to Abercrombie, Hollister, True Religion, Garage, Edikted, Lucky Brand, and Motel Rocks.
And the outlier? The Adidas zip pant – a TikTok-fueled standout.
McDonald's is the core memory, Chick-fil-A's waffle fries are the main character
food & beverage
Top Mentions
How often are [cafeteria] users grabbing a bite from McDonald’s?
- 25% hit McDonald’s about once a month.
- 35% go at least bi-weekly, showing a strong base of fanatics.
The menu leaders.
Best unexpected duo? The McFlurry + fries (especially among females).
No surprise, 🍟 fries rule as the #1 menu item with 39% of users naming them. 🐔 McNuggets take second spot with 27% of users.
Sprite dominates drinks at 23%.
What's your earliest memory of McDonald's?
It's all about family – stories of parents and grandparents from as early as age 5.
"Definitely going to play places with my grandparents and eating my nuggets and playing with friends that I literally just met." – 17, Female, Dallas
"When I was 8, coming back from school, my mom got me McDonald's after my report card." – 25, Female, Los Angeles
What does a reimagined Happy Meal look like to you?
20-somethings are craving more than just nuggets – they’re chasing nostalgia. The demand for throwback Happy Meal toys is fueled by early memories and family rituals.
"Call it like a nostalgia meal ... and they still include like like little toys but they do like reruns of toys from like five to ten years ago ... I'd be super into that" – 19, Non-Binary, New Jersey
Chick-fil-A gets an A+ in fries.
57% of [cafeteria] users choose Chick-fil-A fries over McDonald’s.
Fans call out the Chick-fil-A waffle shape, better taste, higher quality, and standout sauces.
McDonald’s loyalists stay true to the salt, classic shape, and signature crisp.
trust means more than number of followers
de-influenced
Top Mentions
Influencer skepticism grows.
16% of boys aged 14-16 say they don’t trust influencers – more than double the rate of those aged 17-19.
Still, the biggest names make the cut → MrBeast, Jake Paul, Kai Cenat, and LeBron James are seen as trustworthy sources for product recs.
“Definitely hard to trust all influencers now, but I’ve got to stick with the OGs like MrBeast.” – 18, Male, New Jersey
Alix Earle era confirmed.
Alix Earle tops the list of influencers girls are paying attention to in 2025.
Addison Rae, Hailey Bieber, Sydney Serena, Halley Kate, Dermangelo, Katie Fang, and Sadie McKenna round out the top tier.
The best way discover new music? Your friends.
30% say they find new tracks through friends, compared to just 10% from Spotify, 9% from social platforms, and 6% from TikTok.
“Discovering new music from my friends, siblings, cousins, and just people that I hang out with.” – 18, Female, Atlanta
Trust issues on TikTok.
Teens are turning beyond TikTok for product recommendations – only 2% say they trust it.
Instead, they’re looking to:
- Instagram: 39%
- Pinterest: 32%
- YouTube: 20%
Pinterest → pre-shop ritual.
47% of girls turn to Pinterest for product recommendations.
For them, it’s a mood board, shopping list, and space for self-expression.
“Like, I have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to makeup looks I want to do.” – 19, Female, Illinois
“PINTEREST – it has my whole heart.” – 16, Non-Binary, New York
Boys are more likely to turn to YouTube for product recs.
22% for boys, compared to 15% of girls.
“I don’t take many recommendations from influencers. I use ratings and YouTube reviews where I search for a specific product and use the top rated video.” – 19, Male, Virginia
[cafeteria] chatter
(noun)
real responses from teens via voice and text
“I have to go with popcorn, but not microwave... stovetop popcorn like you just put oil, your kernels and you just cook it – comes out perfect every time.”
“I love Target ... walking the aisles and finding little surprises – seasonal decor or a great deal. Makes errands feel less like a chore, more like a mini adventure.”
“When I'm out to dinner, I always have my Summer Fridays lip balm or a Clinique lipstick with a lip liner. The Clinique pink honey lip sheer is perfect.”
what’s a goal you’re working towards?
“Getting enough money to buy a Porsche 944 as my first car.”
“I love low-rise bell-bottom jeans. They are so cute to me, and I just feel like they fit me. They're just the best. And like, um, cargo jeans. They cute too.”
“Chappell Roan. If she promotes something, I'll buy it because she's really discerning and I respect that. The more things a celebrity is tied to, the less I'd believe any of it.”
be brilliant.tm
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