London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026

Dining out is back, as America gets vaccinated

Dining out is back, as America gets vaccinated

Across the country, Americans are getting vaccinated. States and cities are loosening pandemic-related restrictions. And people are heading back to restaurants.

According to OpenTable, which has been keeping tabs on the industry using data from the restaurants that employ its reservations platform, the percentage of seated customers at US restaurants open for reservations is hovering just below pre-pandemic levels.

OpenTable is tracking the number of seated diners compared to the same period two years ago. For example: If 100 people made reservations at a restaurant on this day two years ago, and only 50 did today, the seated diner level would be 50%.

Recently, the number has been relatively high. With some dips and spikes along the way, the percentage of diners compared to 2019 rose from 75% on March 1 to 87% on April 29. On Saturday, for example, US seated diners reached 97% of 2019 levels.

Some states, like Florida and New Jersey, have been at 100% in recent days, according to the data. OpenTable is measuring markets with 500 or more restaurants on the platform and in which at least 10% of restaurants are taking reservations.

Katie Nguyen, a spokesperson for OpenTable, declined to specify the sample size of restaurants tracked, noting in an email that the number changes as restaurants reopen.


OpenTable CEO Debby Soo told Bloomberg TV in an interview on Wednesday that as soon as cities or states announce looser dine-in restrictions, OpenTable begins to see future reservations in those areas rise. "Dining is coming back, and it is coming back strong," Soo said.

Restaurant chains are also reporting signs of a recovery.

At Starbucks (SBUX), sales at restaurants open at least 13 months jumped 9% in the first quarter of the year. The results pointed to a "full sales recovery" in the United States, CEO Kevin Johnson said in a statement earlier this week. McDonald's (MCD) also saw sales spike in the first quarter.

Another encouraging sign? Industry jobs are coming back: Restaurants and bars added about 176,000 jobs in March. Chains have announced major hiring events, and smaller restaurants say they're desperately looking for employees.

The demand is good news for restaurants open today. But not every restaurant made it through the pandemic.

OpenTable data shows that about one in four restaurants have closed for good, Soo said in the interview. Over the summer, a Yelp report found that 60% of restaurants marked as closed on the platform during the pandemic were shut down permanently.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Piddington Residents Back Symbolic Independence Vote Over Asylum Accommodation Plan
Reform UK Names Helen Jenner as New Leader in Wales
England Expands Devolution of Transport, Skills and Economic Development Powers
Liberal Democrats Call for Temporary Fuel Duty Cut to Ease Cost-of-Living Pressure
UK Farmers Warn Drought Has Caused Crop Failures and Reduced Harvests
UK Fixed Mortgage Rates Approach 6% as Lenders Raise Borrowing Costs
YouGov Poll Puts Labour at 23% With Conservatives and Reform UK on 21%
Badenoch Presses Burnham to Increase Defence Spending and Cut Welfare Costs
UK Military Figures Warn of Growing Threats to Undersea Infrastructure and National Readiness
BP Moves Ahead With Sale of UK North Sea Oil and Gas Business
UK and ASEAN Endorse New Framework for Trade and Economic Cooperation
UK Consumer Confidence Falls to Three-Year Low as Borrowing Costs and Job Concerns Rise
UK Inflation Rises to 3.1% as Motor Fuel Costs Push Prices Higher
Bank of England Sets Multi-Year Plan to Wind Down Quantitative Easing Holdings
UK Borrowing Rises to £18.3 Billion in August Ahead of October Budget
Michelin Guide Faces Industry Questions Over Restaurant Inspection Coverage
English Woodlands Face Renewed Weather Stress From Dry Conditions and Strong Winds
Research Finds Extensive Alcohol, Gambling and Unhealthy Food Branding During 2026 World Cup
Five Charged After Newborn Baby Dies From Stab Wounds in Sheffield
BT Could Reap £2 Billion From Recycling Copper as Full-Fibre Network Expands
FCA Urges Young Adults to Trace £1.5 Billion in Unclaimed Child Trust Funds
Reform UK Names Helen Jenner as New Leader in Wales After Dan Thomas Steps Down
Resolution Foundation Calls for Broad-Based Tax Rises to Fund Higher UK Defence Spending
Ed Davey Calls for Global Treaty to Halt Development of Super-Intelligent AI
Scotland Consults on Legal Price Caps for Essential Foods
NHS Productivity Reforms Could Prevent More Than 20,000 Early Deaths a Year, Report Says
United Kingdom and ASEAN Deepen Trade and Investment Cooperation
United Kingdom Deploys RAF Refuelling Support to Saudi Arabia After Houthi Attacks
UK Fiscal Headroom Shrinks as Higher Borrowing Costs Complicate Autumn Budget
UK Public Borrowing Jumps to £18.3 Billion in August, Raising Pressure Before Budget
Andy Burnham Reaffirms UK Net-Zero Target With £30 Million Community Energy Fund
Scottish Labour Leader Backs Rosebank and Jackdaw North Sea Projects
UK Consumer Confidence Falls to Three-Year Low
UK Diesel Prices Approach £2 a Litre as Global Supply Shortages Intensify
Chiltern Railways Returns to Public Ownership as UK Rail Nationalisation Advances
British Museum Faces Questions Over Peter Thiel’s Private Bayeux Tapestry Viewing
Earl Spencer Memoir Excerpts Renew Public Debate Over Diana’s Death
Liberal Democrats Gather in Brighton for Autumn Conference
Mothercare Shares Plunge as Middle East Store Closures Threaten Long-Term Solvency
Kent Police Treat Folkestone Hotel Fire as Suspicious
Caribbean Governments Advance Reparations Campaign Seeking Engagement With Britain
Scottish Labour Leader Backs Rosebank and Jackdaw North Sea Projects
FCA Urges Young Adults to Trace £1.5 Billion in Unclaimed Child Trust Funds
UK Competition Regulator Opens Inquiry Into McCormick-Unilever Foods Deal
Public Inquiry Into Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys Mental Health Failings Set to Begin
Nigel Farage Looks to US Immigration Enforcement Model for UK Border Policy
Chiltern Railways Moves Into Public Ownership
Security Review Raises Concerns Over Sensitive UK Police Data Stored on Microsoft Cloud
Burnham Government Warns of Difficult Autumn Budget as Fiscal Headroom Narrows
Bank of England Holds Rates at 3.75% as Inflation Rises to 3.1%
×