Sweet & Social: Key Into Creator Culture

Personalization is the norm for Gen Z. They grew up customizing their burritos and bowls in fast-casual lines, selecting preferred options in ordering apps, and requesting TikTok-inspired drinks and dishes that aren’t even on the menu. That’s particularly true in the beverage category, which increasingly features an abundance of options and inclusions for customization.

While some operators may view this as a logistical nightmare, up-and-coming drive-thru chain Happyfastdelicious, with locations in San Diego and Lakeland, Fla., bakes the extreme-personalization trend right into its concept. Elevating the customization process, the brand taps into Gen Z’s creator culture: Customers can build their preferred coffee drink, energy drink, seltzer, soda or milk-based drink in the brand’s app, choosing from a variety of flavors, inclusions and toppings that range from cinnamon bark, Hawaiian salted caramel and yuzu to blue cotton candy and sour gummy worms. Taking the experience further, the customer gives their concoction a name (e.g., the “Michael Bublé Goes to Trader Joe’s Latte” or the “End of a Snow Cone”), and their drink is added to the app’s menu for others to consider ordering. The continual supply of new creations keeps the menu exciting, allows customers to show off their signature drinks live or on social media, and gamifies the experience, as creators monitor their position in most-ordered rankings.