Gen Z Is Cutting Weekend Spending — and It's Squeezing Leisure Businesses

A July 2026 Harris Poll found 68% of Gen Z adults say going out isn't worth the cost, and 62% skip weekend plans entirely to avoid financial regret. Persistent cost-of-living pressure is forcing budget-driven cutbacks, not a loss of appetite for leisure. Bars, restaurants, and outing-based businesses face shrinking demand from a generation rationing its leisure dollars.