Restaurants are helping boost local economies across the country, says a new study by online reservation platform OpenTable.
Seated dining at U.S. restaurants that use OpenTable increased 11% year over year during the 12 months that ended in June. Meanwhile, average spending rose 3% to $60 per person, reported the San Francisco-based online reservations platform.
The increase in spending comes as inflation continues to accelerate; the consumer price index rose 0.4% in August and 3.4% over the past year, while producer prices increased 0.4% in August and 5.4% from a year earlier.
OpenTable stressed in its 2026 U.S. Restaurant Impact Report, the first of its kind released by the company, that restaurants play a key role in powering local economies by creating jobs and stimulating spending not just at restaurants but at nearby businesses.
The report found that 60% of diners spend money at neighboring businesses before or after their meal, with Gen Zers and millennials spending more than other age groups.
“Restaurants are at the heart of local neighborhoods,” declared the report. “These ‘third spaces’ bridge life between home and work.”
It was based on OpenTable booking data along with market research surveys of some 1,500 U.S. consumers who dine out along with 355 restaurant workers.
The restaurant industry is the nation’s second largest private sector employer, providing 15.7 million jobs, or 10% of the total U.S. workforce, according to data provided by the National Restaurant Association.
Dining and Cooking