Dining out on success: The rebound of seated dining numbers

At the start of the year Opentable released its study into the nation’s dining habits for 2022. In it the company found that seated dining numbers had risen dramatically on the back of the end of lockdown restrictions. Robin Chiang discusses why this happened and how Opentable went about collecting the data.

What were the main drivers behind the increase in seated dining numbers?

We believe diners are still making up for not being able to eat out during the pandemic. Some call it revenge dining. We also know that diners are keen to support local. Our research showed 53% of Brits are going to their local restaurants to support them, as people are acutely aware of the headwinds facing the hospitality industry – from the rising cost of energy to the ongoing staffing crisis and more.

What made smaller towns have the biggest increases in terms of seated diners?

The pandemic spurred a shift in working behaviour. With more people working from home and adopting hybrid schedules, paired with diners’ desire to support local restaurants. This has been good news for restaurants in more residential areas. We believe that working from home and hybrid schedules, paired with diners’ desire to support local restaurants, have encouraged this growth. In fact, internal data revealed that in 2022 there was a 15% increase in seated diners in the UK on Mondays compared to 2019.

Do you think that this increase was due to people wanting to take advantage of not being in lockdown?

Absolutely, people are still craving social connections. Even occasions, which are traditionally big dining moments, have seen a spike, suggesting that Brits are looking to make up for lost time and reclaim those celebrations. For example, we saw a 17% uplift in seated diners for Mother’s Day in 2022 vs 2019.

What methods did you use for your research?

We looked at seated diners from online, phone, and walk-in reservations from 1 January  – 31 October, 2022 and compared it to the same range in pre-pandemic 2019. The cities we looked at had a minimum of 100K diners in 2019 . We looked at the number of cuisines that had at least one seated diner from 1 January – 31 October 2022  and all the cuisines we looked at had a minimum of 100K diners in 2019.

Do you think that this increase is a sustainable trend?

We’re optimistic that diners will continue to enjoy a meal at their favourite restaurant when they can, despite the current cost of living crisis. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, through external research we’ve found that 55% of Brits are keen to celebrate with a meal at a restaurant this year, a positive sign of things to come.

What do you think will be the top trending cuisines of 2023?

In the UK, we’re already seeing new trending cuisines this year between the 1 and 15 January compared to the same time in 2022. The top five cuisines that have seen the biggest increase in seated diners are Contemporary Asian with 107%, Turkish with 55% , French 49%, Thai 44% and European with a 36% increase.

How will seated dining continue to fare against delivery options such as JustEat?

Food is just one part of the dining experience. The service, ambiance and magic of an in-restaurant dining experience cannot be replicated through delivery. That’s why we’re confident that if people are able to dine out, they will continue to do so. This is backed by our external Valentine’s Day research I mentioned earlier. It is an indicator that Brits view restaurants as a place to celebrate special occasions with loved ones.

Why do you think phone reservations are dying out?

Our data shows that online reservations in 2022 have increased by 56%, whereas phone bookings have decreased by 10%, compared to 2019. The pandemic seems to have spurred a more widespread adoption of tech and online tools, including booking platforms and QR code menus and it looks like the nation is keen to carry on using this online method.

How did independent restaurants do compared to chains?

We have a broad variety of restaurants on OpenTable and something for every occasion from beloved chains like The Ivy to smaller independent restaurants, and we are confident that dining demand for both will remain steady. Interestingly, research from October highlighted that diners were willing to travel up to 10 miles when looking to dine out and 55% of those surveyed noted that they prefer to support family-run restaurants / smaller restaurants.

Do you think that the cost of living crisis will affect independent restaurants more than chains?

Increased costs will impact businesses across the board, whether they run smaller operations or are part of a bigger restaurant group. However it’s likely that those smaller independent restaurants, which run on even tighter profit margins, might feel the hit a little more. We carried out research in October 2022 discovered that over half of Brits are motivated to support their local restaurants.

This is partially because diners are aware that the hospitality industry is struggling due to issues such as the cost of living crisis. Over a third of those surveyed noted that they feel more inclined to support the local restaurants because of these challenges.We expect this trend to continue this year, with locals rallying around to support their independent local eateries as the industry faces further headwinds.

What are successful restaurants doing well to increase the number of bookings?

There are several components that can help restaurants run a successful business and OpenTable offers a variety of tools to help increase diner numbers. Functionalities such as Availability Alerts, where diners can be notified when last minute bookings are cancelled at their favourite spot, help restaurants fill seats versus taking the loss for a last-minute cancellation, so that it doesn’t impact revenue In addition, restaurants who showcase new menu items or offers via marketing and social media can help further reach and awareness, as well as getting creative with menus and offering outdoor dining to increase covers.