Before we get into Gen Z, a word about generations.

They want to be part of it.   If you’re a brand looking to convince Gen Zers to set aside their Snapchatting for the eight seconds it takes to earn their attention and lasting loyalty...then hats off to you, friend. You’ve entered into a brave, new world of student marketing where the rules of well-executed, omni-channel campaigns no longer fully apply.

We surveyed 1,893 college students in the US this summer to give you a breakdown of Gen Z’s dining and eating habits. Here’s what we found out about Gen Z, the individuals born after 1995 who currently flex $143 billion in spending power (make that $829 billion if you include what their families spend on them), and will represent 40% of the population by 2020:

Marisa Allan, a Gen Z expert and VP of Innovation at UNiDAYS, sat down with Meg Hall from NCR to discuss all things marketing and Gen Z. Here are some of the tips and strategies she's developed for navigating this hard-to-engage audience.