EXPLORING THE ROLE OF INSTAGRAM REELS IN DRIVING GEN ZS CAFE VISITS AND BUYING BEHAVIOUR IN MUMBAI

The rise of shortf orm video has radically altered the way young consumers discover brands and places to visit. Platforms such as Instagram have pivoted from static photographs to dynamic Reels, giving marketers new ways to reach Generation Z. This paper explores whether Instagram Reels encourage GenZ residents of Mumbai to visit cafes and whether this exposure influences their buying behaviour. A structured questionnaire was administered to 150 respondents aged 18 - 25 years in Mumbai. The survey measured Reels usage patterns, cafe visitation frequency,spending per visit and attitudes toward Reelsdriven discovery and purchasing. Descriptive statistics, chi square tests, independent samples t tests, one way ANOVA and factor analysis were employed to analyse the data. Research results show that 89 % of Gen Z social media users globally are on Instagram and shortform video is their preferred format; this study confirms similar patterns in Mumbai. More than half of respondents watched Reels frequently and 61 % reported being influenced by Reels to visit cafes. The findings highlight that Instagram Reels serve as mini market place combining entertainment with product tags and influencer endorsements; they motivate Gen Z not only to discover new cafes but also to make impulse purchases. The study recommends that cafe owners and marketers invest in authentic Reels content, collaborate with micro influencers and create instagrammable spaces to attract Gen Z.