"A Few Factors at Play How do we know if the early dinner trend is a real thing outside of social media vibes? Look to restaurant culture. According to data that OpenTable made available to The Guardian last year, 53% of Gen Z diners are interested in booking earlier dinnertimes. And in New York City, 5 p.m. dining was up by 20% for the first eight months of 2025."
"There's an irony in OpenTable reporting that information; alongside Resy, the platform has helped turned the once-civil act of securing a dinner with friends into blood sport. OpenTable's 2026 trends report states that in New York, diners are willing to wait up to 57 minutes for a table. This is a somewhat inevitable consequence of A) short-form food review content, B) influencer chefs and C) eateries needing to market themselves to survive...an initiative that sometimes goes a little too well."
Gen Z adults increasingly adopt early, 5 p.m. dinners as part of wellness routines, influenced by TikTok creators and supermodels. Restaurant reservation data show rising demand: 53% of Gen Z diners express interest in earlier bookings, and New York City recorded a 20% increase in 5 p.m. dining during the first eight months of 2025. Platforms like OpenTable and Resy have intensified competition for tables, with New Yorkers willing to wait up to 57 minutes. Short-form food reviews, influencer chefs, and aggressive restaurant marketing contribute to earlier seatings and tighter reservation markets.
Read at InsideHook
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