Going out for dinner during the festive season is a growing modern Irish Christmas tradition. That’s according to a new survey by OpenTable, the world’s leading online restaurant booking platform and part of The Priceline Group (NASDAQ: PCLN), which reveals that 40% of Irish adults plan to dine out at least once a week over the Christmas period.
Saturday 10th December is slated to be the busiest night of the festive season with the majority of respondents (10%) saying they would choose to dine out on this date.
Christmas Day Dining
At present, only 5% of Irish adults admit to eating in restaurants on Christmas Day itself but 15% say they would like to do so if more restaurants were to open on December 25th. Indeed, a third of respondents believe that restaurants should open on Christmas Day.
The opportunity to relax and enjoy time with family was the main reason for dining out over Christmas for 71% of adults, with a significant proportion simply wanting to avoid the stress of cooking for a large group (15%).
Festive Favourites
When dining out over Christmas, more than half (51%) of respondents have a preference for traditional Irish fare. Chinese cuisine was a surprising second choice (14%), closely followed by Italian (13%). Turkey and Ham came out on top as the nation’s favourite Christmas foods (64%), followed by roast potatoes (31%) and stuffing (29%). The ever controversial Brussel Sprout was voted Ireland’s least favourite food (34%), followed by Christmas pudding (28%) and trifle (21%).
When deciding upon a dining destination, 27% of respondents said they would make a booking at their favourite tried and tested restaurant. Almost one in 5 (18%) are happy to go along with whatever option the organiser has chosen, while one in 10 are looking for a good deal or to try somewhere new.
Close to a third (31%) use a meal out over Christmas as a way to catch up with friends. Family occasions (28%), work events (12%) and annual Christmas catch ups (13%) are also popular reasons for festive dining. Add Contact Form
