Restaurateur Claims Gen Z Doesn't 'Know What Happy Hour Is' but Young People Are Arguing Otherwise

Mar. 15, 2025

Restaurant owner claims that Gen Z customers “don’t know” about happy hour.Photo:Getty

Getty

A viral hot take from a New York City restaurateur has landed him in hot water with Gen Z.

Eugene Remm, co-founder of Catch Hospitality Group, toldNew York Postabout his theory that young people “don’t know what happy hour is.”

“People used to work from 9 to 5. And you were happy at 5:01 because your workday ended. But now there is no beginning of work and there is no end to work,” said Remm, whose restaurant group includes eateries likeThe Corner Store(aTaylor Swiftfavorite!). “So I think if you said ‘happy hour’ to 95% of [20 somethings] that used to do that on a regular basis, they would look at you and say, ‘Hey, Boomer, I don’t know what happy hour is.'”

Remm spoke about how restaurants are selling fewer alcoholic beverages and in turn are increasing food prices to accommodate: “Everyone has pivoted their habits, so the business still needs to sustain… the only thing that you can do is to raise prices.”

“Why does the media always talk abt us like we’re aliens or something.. we know what happy hour is,” wrote one commenter.

“Happy hour is for friends after work, not coworkers” another person wrote.

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PEOPLE polled our young staffers, and they did in fact know what happy hour is.

source: people.com