Today’s Experience Economy Is All About ‘Good Vibes’
As the year comes to a close, restaurants have continued to be a major place for consumers to spend time — especially with the mass decline of “third places,” a place for people that encourages social interaction and public relaxation outside of the home (“first place”) and work (“second place”) through shared activities and shared interests.
A recent Resy study titled “The 2024 Resy Retrospective,” looked a reservation data and asked diners in an overview look at 2024 and predict what’s to come in the new year. The survey was conducted by DKC Analytics on behalf of Resy and polled 1,000 U.S. adults.
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One major 2024 theme found by the survey authors was that one in four respondents said that a restaurant’s “overall vibe” was the major factor in choosing a restaurant, second to the 38 percent of people who said they went to a restaurant to order a specific dish.
Moreover, 88 percent of consumers said that they’re more likely to book a restaurant when the staff has “good vibes.” Sixty-six percent of consumers also reported that they’re more likely to book a restaurant based on their photos in the Resy profile. Moreover, 46 percent of diners said that they take home design inspiration from their favorite restaurants, with lighting and glassware at the top of the list.
“In this experience economy, people are seeking meaningful connection and moments to unplug and restaurants are where they do that,” said Pablo Rivero, chief executive officer of Resy and vice president and general manager of American Express Dining. “A restaurant’s ‘vibe’ can mean as much to diners as its food, service and the people behind the restaurant work tirelessly to curate it — it’s the sum of a thousand tiny details, from lighting choices and sound levels to glassware and menu font. The restaurants that do this expertly are regularly the most in-demand and are at the top of my 2025 Resy Hit List.”
American Express found that restaurant spending is the fastest growing of its travel and entertainment in the U.S. consumer business categories, up 7 percent from the third quarter in 2024 versus the third quarter in 2023. In 2024, Resy reported a growth in its user base to 50 million users, with 600 million reservations booked since its initial start a decade ago — with more than 350 million diners making reservations from October 2023 to September 2024.
According to the National Restaurant Association, restaurant gift cards were the leading holiday gifts for 2024. A recent study surveyed 1,000 adults and found that 3 in 5 adults planned to give restaurant gift cards — with the trend prevalent among Generation Z adults (74 percent) and Millennials (70 percent).
The top reported reason for doing so was finding practical and meaningful gifts, with 81 percent of adults citing that the gift card cover an entire meal — for a complete dining experience.
“Restaurant gift cards are a thoughtful way to make holiday gift giving meaningful and easier, especially when you have a long list of friends and family to purchase gifts for,” said Michelle Korsmo, president & CEO of the National Restaurant Association. “As our survey shows, nearly half (46 percent) of adults buy a restaurant gift card because it offers convenience and flexibility. With the holidays in full swing, there’s no better way to bring people together than by sharing a delicious meal at a favorite restaurant. Americans love going to restaurants and a restaurant gift card creates valuable memories for friends and family.”
As for what’s to come in the new year? The National Restaurant Association released a report titled “What’s Hot 2025: Culinary Forecast,” which found that consumers’ support of businesses to support environmental sustainability through local sourcing, reduced-waste cooking and sustainable ingredients will grow in 2025.
Notably, the forecast report linked Korean dramas to having a cornered a niche in entertainment in the U.S. with a growing interest in consumer’s interest in South Asian foods. Korean cooking competitions and food documentaries have driven diners to rank Korean, Vietnamese and Filipino food as the all-time cuisines for 2024.
Resy’s report forecasts that similarly to how mainstream regional Italian cuisines have become more popular, more regional Chinese restaurants have grown as well.
The growth of wellness-conscious consumers has skyrocketed in recent years and doesn’t show signs of slowing — especially with consumers becoming more cognitive of how food consumption can be used alongside beauty and health products. The National Restaurant Association report’s author found that consumers are seeking out beverages that taste good while also improving immunity and general well-being with vitamin-rich supplements and fermented drinks such as kombucha.
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