STREET FOOD CONSUMPTION TREND: A CASE STUDY OF VIETNAMESE GEN Z

Abstract Street food is very popular in Vietnam. In the big cities such as Hanoi, Hue, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Phu Quoc, etc., many street food dishes have become familiar. This study systematically addresses the fundamental issues of street food consumption and the trends among Vietnamese youth, particularly Gen Z. Survey results show that most young people are familiar with street food. The most common places they choose to enjoy street food are sidewalk stalls and food carts. In terms of frequency, 44% of young people said they only occasionally enjoy street food. Most of them indulge in street food during their free time, often with friends. The survey also reveals that young people agree that street food is diverse, delicious, reasonably priced, and convenient to buy. Although there are concerns about hygiene quality, many still enjoy street food. The most loved dishes are skewers (grilled meatballs, fried fermented pork rolls, etc.), and grilling remains the most favored method of street food preparation. Notably, Vietnamese street food is preferred over the cuisine of other countries. Young people consider street food a fun experience. From these findings, the research team provides some discussions with street food businesses to better meet the consumption trends of young people and achieve success in the highly competitive street food industry.