AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE ROLE RESTAURANTS PLAY IN LOCAL ECONOMIES, WELLBEING AND COMMUNITY
- The Report brings together data from OpenTable and third-party sources including the Office for National Statistics, a OnePoll study of 5,000 UK adults, and findings from the Open Arms Report, a study looking at the role of pubs in tackling loneliness.
- The study also features commentary from Dr Tara Swart, a leading neuroscientist and doctor, and beloved restaurateurs from across the UK.
- Encouraging Brits to dine out and explore their local eateries, OpenTable releases its list of Neighbourhood Gems – a selection of restaurant guides across the country, most loved by the locals.
London, UK, October 2023: Restaurants do so much more than cook delicious food; they help shape communities and boost local economies, and can serve as a catalyst to reinvigorate entire towns or neighbourhoods. To underscore this importance, OpenTable, a global leader in restaurant technology, today releases its inaugural Restaurant Impact Report, a new analysis that explores the positive impact restaurants can have on local communities, economies and personal well-being.
The full Report is available to view and download here.
Key findings from the Restaurant Impact Report include:
Economic impact:
- In 2022, there were over 150,000 restaurants in the UK – an increase of 8% in 2019, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).1
- The number of people employed by the hospitality sector is also growing, from 1.46 million in 2019 to 1.56 million in 2021, a 7% increase.2
- 67% of respondents think that restaurants help boost their local economies by providing jobs locally.3
Sense of community:
- Almost two-thirds (64%) of people in the UK believe local places to eat are important in building a sense of community.3
- Survey respondents from multiple cities, including London (41%), Birmingham (37%), Glasgow (43%), and Manchester (40%), most frequently cited local restaurants, pubs, cafés and places to eat out as one of the top three biggest enhancers of community spirit.3
- More than half (58%) agreed that they feel “at home” at their local restaurant, with 15% saying they are on a first-name basis with their local restaurant staff or owners.3
- 86% noted that the whole community can suffer when a local pub closes (OpenArms Report, 2021)4.
Personal wellbeing:
- Nearly a third (31%) of Brits agree that local restaurants, pubs, cafés and places to eat out add value to their wellbeing;3 in London, that number is higher, with 37% of Londoners agreeing.3
- “Socialising at restaurants encourages the release of dopamine (the reward hormone), serotonin (mood) and oxytocin (bonding), which can ultimately reduce stress and make us happier,” said Dr Tara Swart, a leading neuroscientist and doctor.
“OpenTable’s Report celebrates restaurants and the value they provide local residents and their communities,” said Robin Chiang, SVP of International Growth at OpenTable. “The hospitality restaurants provide extends well beyond the walls of their venues, and we are pleased to shine a spotlight on all the ways they enhance our lives.”
To encourage Brits to get out and support their local eateries, if they can, OpenTable has released a list of Neighbourhood Gems in London, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Manchester, highlighting some of the restaurants that are most loved by locals across the UK.
The below categories, Economic Impact, Improving Personal Wellbeing and Sense of Community showcase just how vital restaurants are to cities and neighbourhoods across the UK. The report also includes a Neighbourhood Gems section that explores Brits’ dining habits and a section on what locals say about their dining scene.
Economic Impact
Even as the cost of living rises, people still want to gather—dining demand remains steady in the UK, staying nearly flat year-over-year5 (August 2023), according to OpenTable’s State of the Industry dashboard.
And despite a few challenging years for the industry, restaurants continue to open. In 2022, there were over 150,000 restaurants in the UK – an increase of 8% in 2019 – with London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow seeing some of the biggest growth.1
The number of people employed by the hospitality sector is also growing, rising from 1.46 million in 2019 to 1.56 million in 2021, an increase of 7%, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).2
A proportion of Brits agreed that their neighbourhood restaurants helped to boost the local economy by: providing jobs locally (67%), encouraging spending in the local area (65%), increasing footfall in the area (43%) and encouraging people to move to the area (26%).3
The research also revealed that 35 minutes is the average time survey respondents are willing to travel to dine out at their favourite restaurants. Moreover, almost two-thirds of people (64%) agreed that they either ‘frequently’ or ‘sometimes’ will stay in the area to experience other paid activities before or after a meal, such as shopping and visiting the cinema3, demonstrating the role restaurants can play in stimulating the larger economy of a place.
Improving Personal Wellbeing
Research shows nearly a third (31%) of Brits agree that local restaurants, pubs, cafés and places to eat out add value to their well-being. Green and blue spaces (44%), local amenities including the gym and library (36%), and neighbours (32%) are also key factors.3
This number is even higher in London – 37% of Londoners agreed that local restaurants, pubs, cafes and places to eat out add value to wellbeing.3 Other factors include having access to transport links (40%), local amenities including the gym and library (39%), green and blue spaces (38%) and neighbours (29%).3
“There are benefits to individuals beyond the simple act of eating a meal in a restaurant. Dining out gives the brain a multi-sensory experience and stimulates many different regions across the brain,” says Dr Tara Swart, a leading neuroscientist, doctor, and senior lecturer. “Socialising at restaurants encourages the release of dopamine (the reward hormone), serotonin (mood) and oxytocin (bonding), which can ultimately reduce stress and make us happier.”
Sense of Community
Restaurants are a key factor in strengthening community spirit and creating a sense of belonging: almost two-thirds (64%) of people in the UK believe local restaurants, pubs, cafés and places to eat out are important in building a sense of community and more than half of respondents (57%) agree that eating out locally brings people together.3
Nationwide, 37% of respondents most frequently cited local restaurants, pubs, cafés and places to eat out as one of the top three biggest enhancers of community spirit, alongside green and blue spaces (40%) and local amenities including the gym and library (33%). Respondents from multiple cities, including Glasgow (43%), London (41%), Manchester (40%), and Birmingham (37%), also most frequently cited that local restaurants, pubs, cafés and places to eat out are one of their top three.3
Research also shows that more than half (58%) of people agreed that they feel ‘at home’ at their local restaurants,3 with 15% saying they are on a first-name basis with their local restaurant staff or owners3, and 56% typically visiting their favourite local hospitality spot at least once a month.3
The Open Arms report4, a study looking at the role of pubs in tackling loneliness, highlights the importance of hospitality within local communities:
- 64% of survey respondents felt that the pub is one of the main places that people living in a local area can socialise.
- 86% noted that the whole community can suffer when a local pub closes.
- 76% felt that the hospitality venue where they work makes a positive contribution to the local community.
Neighbourhood Gems: Discover a new favourite restaurant or cuisine
Following London, which boasts 90 cuisines, Yorkshire came out on top for the number of food choices in the UK, with 40 different cuisines featured on the OpenTable platform as of July 2023. Manchester/Greater Manchester boasts 31 different cuisines and Birmingham/West Midlands offers 29.6
“Novel experiences, variation in the kinds of foods that we eat – particularly from different cultures – can contribute to the plasticity of the brain as we age, leading to improved quality of life,” says Dr Tara Swart.
For further information on the positive impact local hospitality businesses can have on the economy, personal wellbeing and local communities, visit OpenTable’s Restaurant Impact Report.
To show your support for the hospitality industry and to discover and book restaurants near you, visit www.opentable.co.uk. For restaurants interested in learning more about OpenTable and the tools, features and insights it offers, visit: restaurant.opentable.co.uk.
