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Reservation booking service Open Table said going to a restaurant midweek emerged as a new trend this year, along with dining alone or with a large party.
Eating dinner at a restaurant on Wednesdays saw an 11% jump in 2024 compared to last year – and 43% of Americans said they will continue to dine on Wednesdays if they are going out midweek.
About four in 10 said going out on Wednesday for a meal helps break up the week.
“We’re seeing a new age of dining out that is more adventurous than years past, evidenced by diners embracing midweek dining, dining solo or with large groups, or upping the ante with a dining experience,” Debby Soo, CEO of OpenTable, said.
The report, compiled from data on OpenTable, also predicted good news for restaurants.
The research showed that 54% said they will dine out more next year, a trend spearheaded by younger diners – 71% of Gen Zers and 68% of Millennials.
Dining alone jumped 10% over last year, and going to a restaurant with parties of six or more rose by 8%.
Along with eating out more, diners are also becoming more adventurous by wanting to try multi-course tasting menus, cooking classes and Omakase.
OpenTable said bookings for such experiences are up 27% over last year, and 42% of Americans said they were looking to be more experimental dining next year.
Around six in 10 said they plan to try new restaurants in 2025.
