Understanding TheFork diners: insights & trends

Family meal( 37%*), aperitif with friends (34%*) or special occasion (31%*) are the top 3 motivations of TheFork diners to book a table

Every diner has a different motivation when looking for a restaurant. For instance, one could be searching for the perfect spot for a quiet, romantic night with their partner and another for the ideal location for a lively family reunion after months of separation. Every restaurant owner should remember that delivering an exceptional dining experience is crucial when it comes to attracting potential diners. Therefore, understanding who your potential diners and what motivates them are can greatly enhance your ability to achieve this goal.

Did you know that 81%* of TheFork diners dine out at least once per month vs. 78%* for non-diners.

TheFork led a survey in May 2021 to get a better understanding of who TheFork diners are and what they are looking for when searching for a restaurant. Take a deep dive into our findings of who TheFork diners are, what they want, and how you can improve your profile to reach these potential diners. TheFork diners are 100% restaurant lovers. They love exploring new places and visiting restaurants as a part of their monthly habits, with TheFork diners going to restaurants more frequently than other diners. 81%* of TheFork diners dine out at least once per month vs. 78%* for non-diners.

What’s in TheFork diners’ DNA? 61% of them would rather book a table  for dinner and 53% on weekends!

Dinner is their preferred meal to go out to restaurants

While time preferences can always change, restaurant schedule preferences are quite even between weekdays (47%*) and weekends (53%*) but diners tend to prefer dinner (61%*) instead of lunch (37%*). Brunch, while popular on weekends, only represents about 2%* of the overall bookings. 

TheFork diners’ average bill is HIGHER

When looking at how much the average diner spends at a restaurant, TheFork diners spend on average more than other diners per meal with 81%* spending more than 25€ in comparison to 70%* of non-diners.

37%* of TheFork diners book a restaurant to enjoy quality time with family

While diners have a range of different motivations when looking for restaurants we found that 31%** book to celebrate a special occasion, 34%** to catch up with friends, and 37%** to enjoy quality time with family.

How TheFork diners compare to non-diners

Motivations to go to the restaurant between TheFork diners and non-diners are quite different, here are some comparisons:

• 51%* of TheFork diners go out as couple compared to 39%* for non diners 
• 42%* of TheFork diners want to try new restaurants and new food whereas only 23%* of non diners are motivated by this idea 
• 38%* enjoy good deals at restaurants against 10%* for non diners 

The spontaneity of a restaurant experience, such as discovering a charming spot while on a walk with family and friends, can alter the dining journey. However, in general, the process relies on online research and deliberate decision.

The internet plays a crucial role in guiding diners throughout their journey, from discovering places to eat to making reservations with ease. Diners rely on platforms like TheFork to research potential restaurants in their area before making a final decision and booking a table.

What are TheFork diners looking for? 

In today’s digital age, it’s more crucial than ever for restaurants to have a strong online presence. The internet plays a huge role in the dining journey, so it’s crucial to establish an online profile on platforms like TheFork to improve your restaurant’s image, increase visibility and attract more bookings.

When it comes to information a restaurant should share with its audience, TheFork diners revealed what motivates their decisions online the most:

• Knowing the average price (89%***)
• Knowing the menu is up to date (85%***)
• Knowing that reviews are from people who actually dine at the restaurant (84%***)
• Ability to find a restaurant at the last minute (81%***)
• Ability to get confirmation for their special requests (79%***)

We can see that TheFork's diners are interested in having transparent information regarding restaurants, whether it’s for the reviews or the prices. 

The choice of a particular restaurant is also motivated by more specific details of the diner experience.TheFork diners are particularly interested in information about:

• The noise level 
• Special features of the restaurant (outdoor, rooftop, special attention)
• Loyalty rewards or promotions
• Option to select preferred table type when making a booking

Finally, diners highlight that they feel it’s important to them to know when new restaurants open in their neighborhood, to see a complete list of all restaurants in an area even if some are not bookable online and to learn the latest news regarding restaurants nearby. 

37%* of diners also look at where they can spend their Yums, join our loyalty program

As the restaurant profile appears to be the main source of information for potential diners, let’s discover how diners navigate them on the TheFork app. 

Most diners go straight to the search bar on TheFork mobile app to enter a specific keyword like a type of cuisine and 34%* of these diners start a search looking for a specific restaurant. This means that being present on TheFork is crucial to be viewed by all potential diners. 37%* of diners also look at where they can spend their Yums, TheFork loyalty program. 

Discover here how Yums can help you attract more diners. Diners are also looking at special offers like 20%* discounts, so don’t hesitate to use TheFork special offers to boost your bookings. Learn more about special offers here. 

When a potential diner is looking at a restaurant profile they believe a few pieces of content are the most important with 31%* saying photos, 31%* menus, and 43%* promotions. 

As such, it’s crucial to have appealing restaurant photos and emphasise these 3 pieces of content to help spark the interest of diners.

Overall, TheFork diners seek unique dining experiences that are not easily accessible without our booking platform. They rely not only on the reviews to make their decision but also on the restaurant impression they receive from the profile. Optimizing your restaurant profile and understanding the preferences of TheFork diners will help you increase your bookings and attract high-quality guests. 

Ready to take your restaurant to the next level? Discover how TheFork manager can help you optimise your business operations, enhance your online visibility and increase bookings from your ideal diners. With powerful features for managing reservations, seating plans and occupancy rates, TheFork Manager is an all-in-one solution that makes life easier for you and your customers.