OpenTable Research: Gen-Z Ushers in New Era for Valentine's Day Centered on Broader Celebrations of Love

Rhea-AI Summary

OpenTable (BKNG) research dated Jan 27, 2026 finds Valentine's Day dining is broadening beyond romantic couples as 57% of Americans say the holiday is becoming about celebrating all relationships and 52% plan to dine out. Gen Z leads the shift: 70% view V-Day as more inclusive and 60% of Gen Z are likely to celebrate with friends. OpenTable data shows Galentine's reservations rose 34% YoY and solo reservations increased 35% YoY. OpenTable published its Top 100 Romantic Restaurants list using >9 million diner reviews and dining metrics through Nov 30, 2025.

Positive

• Galentine's seated diners +34% year-over-year (Feb 13, 2024 vs 2025)
• Solo reservations on OpenTable +35% year-over-year
• 52% of Americans plan to dine out on Valentine's Day
• Top 100 list compiled from >9 million verified diner reviews

Negative

• 24% of Valentine's Day reservations made within 48 hours, indicating late booking risk
• High last-minute demand: 14% of reservations made within 24 hours, pressuring availability

News Market Reaction

+0.90%

1 alert

+0.90% News Effect

On the day this news was published, BKNG gained 0.90%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Key Figures

Dine-out intent: 52% of Americans Broader love focus: 57% of Americans Gen Z inclusivity: 70% of Gen Z +5 more

8 metrics

Dine-out intent 52% of Americans Plan to dine out on Valentine’s Day

Broader love focus 57% of Americans View Valentine’s Day as for all relationships, not just romantic

Gen Z inclusivity 70% of Gen Z Lead trend toward broader Valentine’s Day celebrations

Culinary compatibility 55% of Americans Say shared food preferences matter in connection

Galentine’s growth 34% increase Year-over-year Galentine’s Day dining per OpenTable data

Solo reservations 35% increase Year-over-year solo reservations on OpenTable

Search time 2 hours 14 minutes Average time Americans spend finding Valentine’s venue

Review base Over 9 million reviews Used to compile 2026 Top 100 Romantic Restaurants list

Market Reality Check

Price: $4312.44 Vol: Volume at 179,125 vs 20-d...

normal vol

$4312.44 Last Close

Volume Volume at 179,125 vs 20-day average 193,978 (relative volume 0.92) suggests typical trading ahead of this lifestyle-focused release. normal

Technical Price 5107.28 is trading below the 200-day MA of 5307.6, with shares about 12.54% under the 52-week high and 24.68% above the 52-week low.

Peers on Argus

BKNG’s modest move of 0.17% sits within a mixed travel tape: peers like ABNB (+0...

BKNG’s modest move of 0.17% sits within a mixed travel tape: peers like ABNB (+0.68%), RCL (+1.91%), TCOM (+1.93%) and CUK (+0.85%) are higher, while EXPE is down 1.14%. No sector-wide momentum signal is flagged.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jan 22 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Jan 22	Partnership expansion	Positive	-0.3%	Navan and Booking.com broaden direct API connection to boost inventory and savings.
Jan 21	Earnings webcast	Neutral	+2.7%	Announcement of date and time for Q4 and full-year 2025 earnings call.
Jan 15	Trend report	Positive	+0.1%	KAYAK releases 2026 travel trend insights using searches, TikTok data and surveys.
Dec 22	Trend forecast	Positive	+0.6%	KAYAK outlines 2026 travel trends with rising interest and lower airfares.
Dec 17	Marketing campaign	Neutral	-1.8%	Athletic Brewing relaunches "Athletic January" campaign in partnership with OpenTable.

Pattern Detected

Recent BKNG lifestyle and data-driven travel releases have generally coincided with small price reactions, with occasional divergences where positive partnership or campaign news met flat-to-negative trading.

Recent Company History

Over the last few months, BKNG-related brands have issued several data and partnership updates. On Dec 22, 2025, KAYAK’s 2026 Travel Trends forecast highlighted rising demand and falling fares. KAYAK’s Jan 15, 2026 “What the Future” report focused on Gen Z and AI-led travel trends, while a Jan 22, 2026 Navan–Booking.com API expansion targeted business travel inventory and pricing. The current OpenTable research similarly leverages proprietary diner data and consumer surveys to underline evolving Valentine’s Day dining behavior.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement showcases OpenTable’s Valentine’s Day research, highlighting that 52% of Americans...

Analysis

This announcement showcases OpenTable’s Valentine’s Day research, highlighting that 52% of Americans plan to dine out and that younger diners are broadening the holiday to friends and solo experiences. It builds on prior BKNG brand trend reports that use proprietary data to illustrate evolving travel and dining habits. Investors may watch how such demand patterns interact with upcoming earnings on February 18, 2026 and broader travel booking trends across BKNG’s platforms.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

52% of Americans plan to dine out this Valentine's Day – discover how diners are celebrating and explore OpenTable's Top 100 Romantic Restaurants

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- According to new OpenTable research, Valentine's Day dining is continuing to expand beyond tradition, as diners reimagine the holiday to celebrate more than just romantic connections. In fact, 57% of Americans believe Valentine's Day is becoming more about celebrating all relationships than just romantic, a trend led by 70% of Gen Z.* The research also shows culinary compatibility emerging as a point of interest, with 55% of Americans saying shared food preferences play a meaningful role in connection.*

Highlights from the research, alongside OpenTable data, revealed:

The new dining landscape:

• Friendship gets the spotlight: Last year, dining on Galentine's Day (February 13) increased 34% year-over-year per OpenTable data,** as consumer research revealed 60% of Gen Z and 41% of all Americans are likely to celebrate Valentine's Day with friends instead of a romantic partner this year.* As the holiday broadens in meaning, 43% of those celebrating Galentine's or Palentine's Day this year say they'll be soft-launching a new friendship.*
• Solo dining = self love: More than half of Americans (58%) view solo dining on Valentine's Day as more socially acceptable than year's past, a belief most prominent among Gen Z (69%) and Millennials (68%).* Last year, solo reservations on OpenTable rose 35% year-over-year, reinforcing the trend's momentum.**
• V-Day goes group: 41% of Americans would consider going on a double date at a restaurant this Valentine's Day. This jumps to 50% among Gen Z, showing how younger diners are expanding the holiday to be more a more group-friendly, experience-first occasion.*

How relationship dynamics play out in restaurants:

• Culinary compatibility: 55% of Americans say it's important to share food preferences or dining styles with their partner, including enjoying the same food and/or sharing plates. This rises 67% among Gen Z and 62% among Millennials.*
• Dining red vs. green flags: It's not just about what's on the plate, it's about how you behave at the table. Some of the biggest dining red flags include rudeness to staff (79%), bad manners (77%) and lateness (65%), while leaving a generous tip (68%), complimenting service (64%), and offering to cover the bill (65%) are green flags that leave a lasting impression.*

"Gen-Z is leading the charge in making Valentine's Day more inclusive," said Cheryl Paniagua, VP of Restaurant Sales & Services at OpenTable. "From partners and friends to family and self-love, restaurants will be the gathering place as over half of Americans plan to dine out this year.* We're here to help every kind of diner find the right table, with tools like our Top 100 Romantic Restaurants list and our curated guides to get inspired."

Find a restaurant you love on OpenTable's 2026 Top 100 Romantic Restaurants list

Americans spend an average of two hours and 14 minutes searching for the right Valentine's Day dining venue.* This may be why some diners waited until the last minute: last year, 24% of OpenTable reservations were made within 48 hours and 14% within just 24 hours – but that procrastination may not have paid off, as diners set more 'Notify Me' alerts for Valentine's Day than any other holiday in 2025.**

To help diners skip the search, OpenTable's Top 100 Romantic Restaurants in America for 2026 offers standout options for every kind of celebration, compiled by analyzing more than nine million diner reviews, along with diner ratings, reservation trends and the percentage of five-star reviews. For additional inspiration, OpenTable's Valentine's Day hub features guides for first dates, a forever love, or a night out with friends.

The Top 100 Romantic Restaurants in America for 2026 are (listed alphabetically by state):***

Alabama

• Voyagers – Perdido Beach Resort – Orange Beach, AL

Arizona

• Cafe Monarch – Scottsdale, AZ
• Vivace Restaurant – Tucson, AZ

California

• Boulevard – San Francisco, CA
• FARM – Palm Springs, CA
• Gary Danko – San Francisco, CA
• Jeune et Jolie – Carlsbad, CA
• Mister A's – San Diego, CA
• Stonehouse at San Ysidro Ranch – Santa Barbara, CA
• Summit House – Fullerton, CA
• The Marine Room – San Diego, CA

Colorado

• Barolo Grill – Denver, CO
• Shanahan's Steakhouse – Denver, CO

Connecticut

• J. Gilbert's Wood-Fired Steaks & Seafood – Glastonbury, CT
• Millwright's Restaurant – Simsbury, CT

Florida

• Angelina's Ristorante – Bonita Springs, FL
• Bern's Steak House – Tampa, FL
• Charley's Steak House – Tampa, FL
• Collage Restaurant – St. Augustine, FL
• KRES Chophouse – Orlando, FL
• La Nouvelle – St. Augustine, FL
• Sails Restaurant – Naples, FL
• Sale e Pepe – Marco Island, FL
• Savour – Tallahassee, FL
• The Black Pearl – Dunedin, FL

Georgia

• Canoe – Atlanta, GA
• Marcel – Atlanta, GA
• The Olde Pink House – Savannah, GA

Hawaii

• Honu Oceanside – Lahaina, HI
• Merriman's – Lahaina, HI

Idaho

• Chandlers Steakhouse – Boise, ID

Illinois

• Geja's Cafe – Chicago, IL
• Meson Sabika – Naperville, IL
• Mon Ami Gabi – Chicago, IL
• North Pond – Chicago, IL

Indiana

• Vida – Indianapolis, IN

Kentucky

• Giuseppe's Ristorante Italiano – Lexington, KY

Louisiana

• Irene's – New Orleans, LA

Maine

• Earth at Hidden Pond – Kennebunkport, ME

Maryland

• Osteria 177 – Annapolis, MD

Massachusetts

• Pellana Steakhouse – Peabody, MA
• Sorellina – Boston, MA

Michigan

• Leo's – Grand Rapids, MI

Minnesota

• Baldamar – Roseville, MN

Missouri

• Charlie Gitto's 'On the Hill' – St. Louis, MO

New Hampshire

• Ristorante Massimo – Portsmouth, NH

New Jersey

• 618 – Freehold, NJ
• Franklinville Inn – Franklinville, NJ
• Il Mulino New York – Atlantic City, NJ
• Washington Inn – Cape May, NJ

New Mexico

• Geronimo – Santa Fe, NM
• Sazon – Santa Fe, NM

Nevada

• Eiffel Tower – Las Vegas, NV
• Ferraro's Ristorante – Las Vegas, NV
• Ocean Prime – Las Vegas, NV
• Piero's Italian Cuisine – Las Vegas, NV

New York

• The Northport Hotel – Northport, NY
• The River Cafe – Brooklyn, NY

North Carolina

• JOLO Winery & Vineyards (EndPosts Restaurant) – Pilot Mountain, NC
• Ryan's Restaurant – Winston-Salem, NC
• Steak 48 – Charlotte, NC

Ohio

• BOCA – Cincinnati, OH
• Butcher & Rose – Columbus, OH
• Carlo & Johnny – Cincinnati, OH
• Cento – German Village – Columbus, OH
• Jag's Steak & Seafood – West Chester, OH
• Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse – Columbus, OH
• Lindey's – Columbus, OH
• Pier W – Cleveland, OH

Oregon

• RingSide Steakhouse – Portland, OR

Pennsylvania

• Alla Famiglia – Pittsburgh, PA
• Altius – Pittsburgh, PA
• Belvedere Inn Restaurant and Bar – Lancaster, PA
• Butcher & Singer – Philadelphia, PA
• Monterey Bay Fish Grotto – Pittsburgh, PA

Puerto Rico

• Marmalade Restaurant & Wine Bar – Old San Juan, PR

Rhode Island

• Boat House Waterfront Dining – Tiverton, RI
• White Horse Tavern – Newport, RI

South Carolina

• Charlie's Coastal Bistro – Hilton Head, SC

Tennessee

• Coastal Fish Company – Memphis, TN
• Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro – Townsend, TN
• Porch & Parlor Prime Steakhouse – Memphis, TN
• Sinatra Bar & Lounge – Nashville, TN

Texas

• Bohanan's Prime Steaks and Seafood – San Antonio, TX
• Jeffrey's Restaurant – Austin, TX
• Pappas Bros. Steakhouse – Houston, TX
• Perry's Steakhouse & Grille – Dallas, TX
• Truluck's – Austin, TX

Utah

• Log Haven – Salt Lake City, UT
• Ruth's Chris Steak House – Salt Lake City, UT

Virginia

• 2941 Restaurant – Falls Church, VA
• Bistro L'Hermitage – Woodbridge, VA
• Bookbinder's Seafood and Steakhouse – Richmond, VA
• L'Auberge Chez Francois – Great Falls, VA
• L'Opossum – Richmond, VA
• Le Yaca – Williamsburg, VA
• The Ivy Inn Restaurant – Charlottesville, VA

Washington

• Il Terrazzo Carmine – Seattle, WA
• The Pink Door – Seattle, WA

Wisconsin

• The Del-Bar – Wisconsin Dells, WI

*Consumer Research Methodology: An online survey was conducted by Ripple Research among 1,509 American consumers, with minimum quotas applied across major cities. Fieldwork was carried out between December 20, 2025, and January 2, 2026. All data was collected in accordance with MRS (Market Research Society) and ESOMAR guidelines, ensuring ethical standards and robust data quality.

**OpenTable Dining Data: OpenTable looked at the number of seated diners from online reservations for all active restaurants on the OpenTable platform in the UK on Galentine's and Valentine's Day (February 13-14, 2025) and compared it to the same days the year prior (February 13-14, 2024).

***OpenTable's Top 100 Romantic Restaurants in America List: OpenTable's Top 100 Romantic Restaurants in America List for 2026 list is generated from over 9 million reviews from verified OpenTable diners and dining metrics from December 1, 2024 to November 30, 2025. Restaurants with a minimum threshold of diner reviews were considered and evaluated by a compilation of unique data points, including diner ratings, the percentage of five star reviews, the number of alerts set, the percentage of reservations made in advance, percentage of capacity and direct searches. Metrics were weighted to comprise an overall score. The qualified restaurants were then ranked by the percentage of reviews with the tag "romantic." The resulting list appears A-Z, not in ranked order.

About OpenTable
OpenTable, a global leader in restaurant tech and part of Booking Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: BKNG), helps more than 60,000 restaurants worldwide fill 1.9 billion seats a year. OpenTable's world-class technology empowers restaurants to focus on what matters most – their team, their guests, and their bottom line – while enabling diners to discover and book the perfect restaurant for every occasion.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/opentable-research-gen-z-ushers-in-new-era-for-valentines-day-centered-on-broader-celebrations-of-love-302671280.html

SOURCE OpenTable, Inc.

FAQ

What did OpenTable (BKNG) report about Valentine's Day dining trends on Jan 27, 2026?

OpenTable reported that 57% of Americans see Valentine's Day as more inclusive, 52% plan to dine out, and Gen Z is driving friend- and group-focused celebrations.

How much did Galentine's dining increase according to OpenTable's data?

OpenTable data shows Galentine's seating increased by 34% year-over-year for Feb 13, 2025 vs Feb 13, 2024.

What growth did OpenTable observe in solo reservations for Valentine's-related dates?

Solo reservations on OpenTable rose by 35% year-over-year.

How was OpenTable's Top 100 Romantic Restaurants list for 2026 generated?

The list was created from over 9 million verified diner reviews and weighted dining metrics covering Dec 1, 2024–Nov 30, 2025.

What share of Americans plan to dine out for Valentine's Day according to the research?

52% of Americans plan to dine out this Valentine's Day.

What booking timing trends did OpenTable highlight for Valentine's Day 2025?

OpenTable reported 24% of reservations were made within 48 hours and 14% within 24 hours, with more 'Notify Me' alerts set than any other holiday in 2025.