Younger Generations: Boomers Were Actually Right

Every generation likes to joke about the one before it. Here in the Wenatchee Valley and all over Washington, millennials and Gen Z have spent years making fun of baby boomers for things like Facebook habits and “back in my day” stories. But now, something interesting is happening both online and at the checkout: younger people are starting to sound just like their grandparents.

It turns out that when it comes to today’s shopping experience, boomers weren’t out of touch. They were just ahead of everyone else. Now, younger generations are picking up some classic "boomerisms" and agree that many digital conveniences feel more like shared frustrations.

Just Give Us the Sale: The App Fatigue is Real

Look at the grocery store as an example. Shoppers just want the price they see advertised. Instead, we have to download an app, make an account, and scan a QR code just to save a little on milk. "Just give me the damn sale" is something people of all ages can agree on.

Subscription Traps and Digital Robots: The Online Nightmare

Things get even more frustrating online. Gen Z and millennials are tired of subscription traps. When we want to cancel a service, we don’t want to "pause" it—we just want to leave. And it’s hard not to laugh at having to prove we’re not robots to a computer, or at streaming services that charge extra to rent a movie when we’re already paying a high monthly fee.

Counter Tips and Locked Cases: Bringing Back the Human Touch

Even every day in-person transactions are making younger people agree with boomers. Paying a fee just to pay rent through an app feels wrong. Being asked to tip 20% when you ordered your food at the counter? No thanks. Seeing something locked behind glass because the store doesn’t have enough staff? Many of us will just leave, demanding the return of physical media and expecting a simple, human "hello" when walking into a local business. The generational divide is rapidly shrinking. Call it getting older, or call it consumer burnout. Either way, the verdict is in: the boomers were right.