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

The New Dining Landscape - Valentine's Day is becoming more inclusive, with over half of Americans planning to dine out this year, reflecting a shift in relationship dynamics [3] - Americans spend an average of 2 hours and 14 minutes searching for the right dining venue for Valentine's Day, with 24% of reservations made within 48 hours last year [3][31] - OpenTable's Top 100 Romantic Restaurants list for 2026 is based on over 9 million diner reviews and various dining metrics [3][32] Relationship Dynamics in Restaurants - Dining on Galentine's Day increased by 34% year-over-year, with 60% of Gen Z and 41% of all Americans likely to celebrate Valentine's Day with friends [6] - More than half of Americans (58%) find solo dining on Valentine's Day more socially acceptable than in previous years, with solo reservations rising by 35% year-over-year [6] - 41% of Americans would consider going on a double date this Valentine's Day, with this number rising to 50% among Gen Z [6] Culinary Preferences and Dining Etiquette - 55% of Americans believe it is important to share food preferences with their partner, a sentiment that rises to 67% among Gen Z [6] - Major dining red flags include rudeness to staff (79%) and bad manners (77%), while green flags include leaving a generous tip (68%) and complimenting service (64%) [6]