From cafes to fitness clubs: What is Gen Z's new favourite hotspot for socialising?

Cafés and bars are definitely at the bottom of Gen Z's list of places for socialising as gyms and fitness clubs take the driver's seat.

What does Gen Z want? That's a question even Gen Z themselves would find it hard to answer.

But one thing they are setting the record straight about is the places they prefer to socialise in and around. And cafés and bars are definitely at the bottom of their list.

This is why Gen Z have been tagged as the 'healthiest generation ever'.

As per Texas Health.org, a study has found Gen Z are more likely to prioritise eating healthy and getting regular exercise. They also prioritize their mental health and managing stress.

According to a report released by the American Psychiatric Association, Gen Z was more likely to have received treatment or gone to therapy (37%) compared to Millennials (35%), Gen X’ers (26%), Baby Boomers (22%), and the Silent Generation (15%).

So, the figures are, indeed, in line with the fact that Gen Z's new favourite places to connect and socialise are gyms, fitness clubs and events.

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And one of the reasons behind this shift can be because people are more digitally connected than ever but also lonelier and more anxious.

"Younger generations are feeling that the hardest. There's a real exhaustion with screens, and people are actively looking for real-life experiences. That's driving the resurgence in on-ground formats concerts, carnivals, and run clubs. These aren't just events, they're how Gen Z are choosing to socialize now," Mohua Das Gupta, Head of Marketing, Curefit Healthcare Pvt Ltd, said, noting that the lines between fitness, entertainment, and socialising are genuinely blurring.

The shift possibly could also have been driven by the Covid-induced lockdown.

"Post-pandemic, people viscerally felt the cost of purely digital socializing. GenZ grew up online but they also grew up lonely online. The mall and the café ask nothing of you. A fitness event asks you to show up, struggle, and push through and that shared effort creates a kind of trust that passive socializing never does," Sagar Gudekote, VP, Marketing & Content Strategy, Zerodha/Rainmatter, which holds an annual fitness event peakst8, said.

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Not to mention, Gen Z is entering fitness earlier than any generation and approaching it differently. They are more conscious about overall health, and more mindful about their lifestyle choices.

"What really sets them apart is how they engage with fitness. In addition to traditional gym and studio formats, they are actively seeking out newer, more dynamic practices like pilates, strength and conditioning, animal flow and other novel movement formats. For them, fitness is as much about exploration and trying something new as it is about physical results," Gupta added.

The proof of which lies in the figures.

"About 45% of our users are < 29, which tells us that Gen Z is already a significant and growing audience for our club," Gupta said, adding that on an average, Gen Z visit the center around 10-11 times in a month.

The main difference between millennials and Gen Z when it comes to health, Gudekote said, is that GenZ chases fitness for identity.

"While millennials chased fitness for transformation to look different, to hit a number on the scale, GenZ chases fitness for identity and community. They’re not asking "will this make me thinner?" They’re asking "does this reflect who I am, and who will I meet there?"," he said.

But Gupta believes the biggest difference is timing and mindset.

"Millennials came to fitness later, typically in their 30s, and often from a preventive angle getting ahead of potential health issues. Gen Z has entered in their 20s and it's a far more identity-driven relationship," he concluded.