Diners are returning to restaurants in record numbers, according to Yelp

In May, more than 3.7 million diners were seated via Yelp, a record for the company and a 48% increase compared to May 2019, the company announced in a blog post on Tuesday. In addition, 16,500 food and restaurant businesses reopened in April, according to Yelp, the highest number of reopenings since April 2020.

Diners seated via Yelp hit an all-time high last month. Image: Yelp.

Number of diners seated surpassed pre-pandemic levels in most states. For the majority of states, Yelp seated more customers last month than it did in May 2019, with states like Wyoming and Idaho exceeding May 2019 levels by over 1,000%.

Diners-Seated-are-Surpassing-Pre-Pandemic-Levels-in-Nearly-Every-State-655x600-1 Diners are returning to restaurants in record numbers, according to Yelp
Image: Yelp.

“While some larger metros are still behind in diner volume, we are seeing many other cities bounce back and perform better than in pre-pandemic months, even after many experienced a second dip in the winter when COVID-19 cases increased,” Yelp said in its announcement, “Cities that have seen a huge spike from May 2021 compared to May 2019 include Honolulu (up 853%), Las Vegas (up 589%), and Denver (up 320%), among others.”

Labor continues to be a bottleneck. Now that we’re heading into summer and more than half of Americans have received at least one vaccine dose, consumers are expressing pent-up demand for the experiences they missed out on last year. However, restaurants and other local businesses have been struggling to regain the workers they lost over the course of the pandemic, limiting their ability to fully reopen.

In May, the leisure and hospitality industry added 292,000 jobs, two-thirds of which were jobs at restaurants and bars, and average hourly earnings for employees in that sector rose to $18.09, up 5% from January alone, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

To alleviate the situation, some restaurateurs are turning to technology to help them automate front-of-house operations like customer reservations, waitlists and table management. Between March and May 2021, Yelp saw a 59% increase in adoption of its front-of-house offerings, compared to January and February 2021.

Why we care. Last year, businesses in the leisure and hospitality industry suffered enormously as recreational activities were halted in favor of social distancing and other safety measures. Now that the nation is moving past the pandemic, consumers may be looking to make up for lost time, encouraged by the stimulus checks they may have received and more promising economic prospects as businesses continue to reopen.

Local businesses can position themselves to take advantage of this heightened consumer demand by adding attributes to their business profiles for greater discoverability, ensuring that they have a process for soliciting and responding to reviews and keeping their business profiles up to date.

And, businesses looking to streamline their processes, or ones that are just having a difficult time hiring more staff, may want to look into software platforms that can help them automate communications with customers, streamline data entry and even aid their marketing efforts.


RECOMMENDED POSTS

Find Out More

Marketing Tips You Need

Keep In Touch

Quick Subscribe

Client Reviews Tell The Tale.

Jillissa CooperOctober 31, 2024
Paul GrewSeptember 25, 2024
Nicole NoblesApril 18, 2024
Dan was a delight to work with. I needed a few headshots taken for my LinkedIn profile and Dan provided the easiest and most comfortable experience using state-of-the art equipment in a very professional setting. Also, the turn-around time on results was quick and I felt completely engaged and satisfied during the entire process. I highly recommend his services.Donny RitcharoenDecember 19, 2023
I got headshots taken and they turned out so well! The lighting was amazing.Tessa ChanMay 30, 2023
We used Appture to build a lodging website, and they were awesome! Dan went above and beyond to show us the functions and make all of our changes. Appture is our go to for web design from now on!Abigail HaleOctober 26, 2022
Appture knows their business and will go the extra mile for their customers. They do high quality work and provide great ongoing support.Chris McCorkindaleMay 24, 2022
Anita CauthornMay 24, 2022
It’s so rare in these times to find one man with so much wow factor and more rare to find men with similar interest and passion in their life journey as myself . Dan Elliott has been introduced to many in what is now considered as the Terror Dome , a place where many dreams are not deferred they are detoured to routes that lead to dead ends , he comes in full of optimism so infectious that he, maybe with out knowing is energizing those who have ventured where others would fear going with just the right jolt to forge on in the way of helping fallen humanity … His various fields of expertise has helped many in my region and I can only imagine the number he has effected beyond those I know … from day one I knew “ this was a man of kindred spirit “ Dan Elliott is a Gem and adds glimmer to things he touches … I’m a Witness ….and eternally grateful….L.Rashaan RichMay 21, 2022
Dan and his group are highly capable and knowledgeable. They work fast and get the job done. I highly recommend Appture.Justin FrankMarch 26, 2022
They are highly specialized in their work and constantly seek innovation.Ismail YenigulMarch 14, 2022
Dan is a marketing wizard. Honest, Experienced and a read deal. I am blessed to have him in my journey online :) Highly recommended.Sabbir HasanMarch 7, 2022
So much to say. Creative, Intelligent, Talented, Limitless, Affordable. It's amazing what these guys can do.Hack mackMay 17, 2019
We'd used some other agencies before, but man, they simply knocked us all over. After being in business for 30 years, I wonder how much more business we'd be doing if we'd hired them earlier.Rebecca HoneaMay 17, 2019