"What Was I Thinking..." Gen Z Regrets Habitual Delivery Orders After Seeing the Bill, Falls Into "Delivery Guilt"

The “delivery guilt” that sets in after placing an order
39% of U.S. Gen Z order delivery every week...the highest rate of any generation

As food delivery becomes part of daily life for young people in the United States, some are experiencing guilt after placing an order. The term "delivery guilt" has even emerged to describe people regretting the cost of food and delivery fees or blaming themselves for being lazy.

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On Oct. 15 local time, the British daily The Guardian reported on food delivery consumption among young people in the United States and the guilt they feel after placing orders.

According to a survey conducted by marketing firms FinanceBuzz and Bank of America, 30% of Americans use food delivery services at least once a week. Gen Z, defined as those born from the late 1990s to the early 2010s, had the highest rate of any generation, with 39% saying they order food delivery at least once a week.

In addition, 45% of Gen Z respondents said they had felt embarrassed about how much they spent on food delivery. The survey also found that 27% had hidden delivery orders from roommates or family members or understated how much they had actually spent.

Caroline Boldry, 24, who lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, said she had used food delivery apps almost daily since college. "If there's something I want to eat, I order it without hesitation, but nine times out of 10, I feel pathetic afterward," she said. She estimated that she spends about $75 (approximately 100,000 won) a week on food delivery.

Debates over spending on food delivery have also played out on social media. Influencer Audrey Peters revealed that she spent $136.50 (approximately 190,000 won) in one day ordering pizza, chicken salad, meatballs and other food. Followers criticized her after learning that she had paid $19.44 (approximately 27,000 won), including a 20% tip, for a Starbucks pumpkin spice latte. Peters later explained that she had shared her spending details to attract people's attention.

Some young people in the United States view food delivery as a kind of "small luxury." Joy Lu, an assistant professor of marketing at Carnegie Mellon University, said, "Food delivery is a way to reward yourself without spending a lot of money," but warned that "the convenience of delivery apps can lead to overspending."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.