Last year, 52% of reservations were made at least 6 days out – book before February 9th for the best shot of securing your favorite table⁷

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a survey commissioned by OpenTable, Valentine's Day is no longer just for couples:¹ Americans will consider dining out with family (18%) or friends (15%) this year. This trend is backed by OpenTable data: last year, nearly ⅓ of Valentine's Day dining (32%) was solo diners and groups (parties of 3+).²

To help diners discover the perfect backdrop for any celebration of love, OpenTable is sharing tips and resources including date-night and city guides and its just-debuted list of the Top 100 Romantic Restaurants in America for 2024.³ Created by analyzing over 12 million diner reviews and metrics including ratings and the percentage of restaurant reviews diners tagged as "romantic," the list is perfect for couples or anyone seeking a cozy atmosphere.

Valentine's Day dining trends

• The hottest Valentine's Day reservation isn't just the 14th: Like 2023, Valentine's Day falls midweek – if last year's trends are any indication, diners will be competing for hot tables on the Saturdays before and after the holiday. For a better shot at securing that coveted reservation, look for tables on Thursday, February 15th or Friday, February 16th.⁵
• Americans plan to spend the same or more as last year: 70% of those surveyed plan to spend the same or more on Valentine's Day than last year.¹ OpenTable data also suggests diners will splurge for the occasion: in 2023, diners spent more on Valentine's Day than any other holiday.⁴
• People want experiences > gifts: 28% of survey respondents hope to receive an experience this Valentine's Day, edging out the 23% who want a tangible gift.¹ Search OpenTable Experiences to find special offerings like a 4-course dinner at A16 in San Francisco or a romantic lobster dinner at Koloman in NYC.

Tips to discover the perfect Valentine's Day venue

• Book before February 9th: In 2023, the majority (52%) of reservations were made at least 6 days out, so book before February 9th to increase your chances of securing that hot table.⁷
• Set an alert: For diners whose top spot is already booked, they can try their luck with OpenTable's "Notify Me" feature, but competition could be fierce: last year, diners set 13x the number of alerts on Valentine's Day compared to non-holidays.⁶
• Check out OpenTable's filters: For the 20% of survey respondents who said they find "the cost" most stressful when planning where to dine on Valentine's Day, OpenTable's price filters can help diners discover the perfect venue for any budget.¹

"Valentine's Day dining is changing – it's more inclusive for friends and families, and celebrations are extending beyond February 14th," said Steve Sintra, SVP, US Restaurant Sales & Services. "Book before February 9th, which is when the race for Valentine's Day reservations really heats up, or celebrate at off-peak dates for the best shot of scoring your desired reservation."

Something for everyone on OpenTable's Top 100 Romantic Restaurants list
Whether seeking an intimate spot with candlelit ambiance or a lively atmosphere with stunning views, there's a restaurant for everyone on OpenTable's Top 100 Romantic Restaurants list. This year, it spans 34 states and Washington D.C. and once again, California takes the top spot with 12 restaurants, followed by Florida with seven.

The Top 100 Romantic Restaurants in America are (in alphabetical order by state):

Arizona

• Cafe Monarch – Scottsdale, AZ
• Dahl & DiLuca Ristorante Italiano – Sedona, AZ
• Lon's at The Hermosa – Paradise Valley, AZ
• Mariposa – Sedona, AZ
• Vivace Restaurant – Tucson, AZ

California

• 71Above – Los Angeles, CA
• Allora – Sacramento, CA
• Bouchon Santa Barbara – Santa Barbara, CA
• Copley's on Palm Canyon – Palm Springs, CA
• FARM – Palm Springs, CA
• Jeune et Jolie – Carlsbad, CA
• Le Vallauris – Palm Springs, CA
• Mister A's – San Diego, CA
• Orto Santa Monica – Santa Monica, CA
• Stonehouse at San Ysidro Ranch – Santa Barbara, CA
• Summit House - Fullerton – Fullerton, CA
• The Marine Room – San Diego, CA

Colorado 

• Flagstaff House – Boulder, CO

Connecticut

• J. Gilbert's – Wood Fired Steaks & Seafood – Glastonbury, CT
• Millwright's Restaurant – Simsbury, CT

District of Columbia

• Iron Gate – Washington D.C.

Delaware

• 1776 Steakhouse – Rehoboth Beach, DE

Florida

• Angelina's Ristorante – Bonita Springs, FL
• Bern's Steak House – Tampa, FL
• Bijoux – Miramar Beach, FL
• Christini's Ristorante Italiano – Orlando, FL
• Collage Restaurant – St. Augustine, FL
• Latitudes Key West, FL on Sunset Key – Key West, FL
• Michael's On East – Sarasota, FL

Georgia

• Alligator Soul – Savannah, GA
• Elizabeth on 37th – Savannah, GA
• The Olde Pink House Restaurant – Savannah, GA

Hawaii

• Michel's at the Colony Surf – Honolulu, HI
• Tidepools - Grand Hyatt Kauai – Poipu, HI

Idaho

• Chandlers Steakhouse – Boise, ID

Illinois

• Geja's Café – Chicago, IL
• North Pond – Chicago, IL

Kansas

• Cafe Provence – Prairie Village, KS

Louisiana

• Irene's – New Orleans, LA
• St Francisville Inn & Restaurant – Saint Francisville, LA

Maine

• Earth at Hidden Pond – Kennebunkport, ME

Michigan

• Copper Rock Steakhouse - Four Winds Casino Resort – New Buffalo, MI
• Leo's – Grand Rapids, MI
• MDRD – Grand Rapids, MI

Minnesota

• Baldamar – Roseville, MN
• Murray's Restaurant & Cocktail Lounge – Minneapolis, MN
• Porterhouse Steak and Seafood – Lakeville, MN

Missouri

• Charlie Gitto's 'On the Hill' – St. Louis, MO

North Carolina

• JOLO Winery & Vineyards – Pilot Mountain, NC
• Madison's – Highlands, NC
• Ryan's Restaurant – Winston-Salem, NC
• Steak 48 – Charlotte, NC
• The Dining Room - Biltmore Estate – Asheville, NC

North Dakota

• Harry's Steakhouse – Grand Forks, ND

New Hampshire

• Ristorante Massimo – Portsmouth, NH

New Jersey

• 618 – Freehold, NJ
• Franklinville Inn – Franklinville, NJ
• Il Mulino New York - Atlantic City – Atlantic City, NJ
• The Gables – Beach Haven, NJ
• Washington Inn – Cape May, NJ

New Mexico

• Geronimo – Santa Fe, NM

Nevada

• Eiffel Tower – Las Vegas, NV
• Hugo's Cellar Four Queens – Las Vegas, NV

New York

• Club A Steakhouse – New York, NY
• One if by Land, Two if by Sea – New York, NY
• River Café – Brooklyn, NY
• Russell's Steaks, Chops, and More – Williamsville, NY
• TS Steakhouse at Turning Stone – Verona, NY

Ohio

• Carlo & Johnny – Cincinnati, OH
• Pier W – Cleveland, OH
• Primavista – Cincinnati, OH
• The Bistro at Gervasi Vineyard – Canton, OH

Oregon

• RingSide Steakhouse – Uptown – Portland, OR

Pennsylvania

• Altius – Pittsburgh, PA
• Belvedere Inn Restaurant and Bar – Lancaster, PA
• Josephine's – Lancaster, PA
• Monterey Bay Fish Grotto - Mt. Washington – Pittsburgh, PA
• SkyHigh – Philadelphia, PA

Rhode Island

• Chanterelle – Newport, RI
• White Horse Tavern – Newport, RI

South Carolina

• Chez Georges Bistro & Bar – Hilton Head Island, SC
• Frank's Outback - Outside Dining – Pawleys Island, SC
• Peninsula Grill – Charleston, SC
• Saluda's – Columbia, SC

Tennessee

• Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro – Townsend, TN
• Flight Restaurant & Wine Bar – Memphis, TN
• Itta Bena – Memphis, TN
• Porch & Parlor Prime Steakhouse – Memphis, TN

Texas

• 1011 Bistro – Kerrville, TX
• Truluck's - Ocean's Finest Seafood & Crab - Southlake – Southlake, TX

Utah

• Log Haven – Salt Lake City, UT

Virginia

• 2941 Restaurant – Falls Church, VA
• Bistro L'Hermitage – Woodbridge, VA
• Fahrenheit 132 – Fredericksburg, VA
• L'Auberge Chez Francois – Great Falls, VA
• Le Yaca – Williamsburg, VA
• Lemaire at The Jefferson Hotel – Richmond, VA
• The Ivy Inn Restaurant – Charlottesville, VA

Washington

• Il Terrazzo Carmine – Seattle, WA
• Over The Moon Café – Tacoma, WA

For additional Valentine's Day dining inspiration, head to OpenTable.com and the OpenTable app.

¹ Consumer Research Methodology
An online survey was conducted by PureSpectrum among 1500 general US consumers. Within this sample, quotas were applied to major cities for direct comparison. The US was included as one of eight markets in a multimarket study surveying 12,000 participants on the topic of Valentine's Day attitudes and behaviors. The research fieldwork took place between January 19th – 23rd, 2024.

² OpenTable Data
OpenTable looked at seated diners (from online, phone and walk-in reservations) by party size on February 14, 2023.

³ The 100 Most Romantic Restaurants Methodology
OpenTable's Top 100 Romantic Restaurants in America for 2024 is generated from over 12 million verified OpenTable diner reviews and dining metrics from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023. Restaurants with a minimum threshold of diner reviews were considered and evaluated by a compilation of unique data points, including diner ratings, the percentage of five star reviews, the number of alerts set, the percentage of reservations made in advance and direct searches. Metrics were weighted to comprise an overall score. The qualified restaurants were then ranked by the percentage of reviews with the tag "romantic." The resulting list appears A-Z, not in ranked order.

⁴ OpenTable Data
OpenTable looked at the average diner spend on February 14th in 2023 and compared to 'non holiday' days - those outside of Mother's Day, Father's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year's Eve - looking at restaurants that were on the platform in each of these periods.

⁵ OpenTable Data
OpenTable looked at the number of seated diners from walk-in, phone and online reservations from January 1 – December 31, 2023.

⁶ OpenTable Data
OpenTable looked at the number of alerts set for February 14th in 2023 and compared to the number alerts set per day on 'non holiday' days – those outside of Mother's Day, Father's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year's Eve.

⁷ OpenTable Data
OpenTable looked at seated diners from phone and online reservations on February 14th in 2023.

About OpenTable
OpenTable, a global leader in restaurant tech and part of Booking Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG), helps 55,000 restaurants, bars, wineries and other venues worldwide fill 1.6 billion seats a year. OpenTable powers reservations, experiences, payments, guest insights and operations, enabling restaurants to focus on doing what they do best: providing great hospitality.

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SOURCE OpenTable, Inc.

Jenna D'Aniello, jdaniello@opentable.com