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Dining trends to
watch in 2025

We surveyed Australians and dug into OpenTable data to round up the biggest trends dominating the dining scene. Use these insights to set your restaurant up for a successful 2025.

See the trends

 

 

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Dining trends to
watch in 2025

We surveyed Australians and dug into OpenTable data to round up the biggest trends dominating the dining scene. Use these insights to set your restaurant up for a successful 2025.

See the trends

 

 

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Interest in experiential dining continues to rise

People are craving unique, curated experiences, such as tasting menus, cooking classes, and more.

 

 

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Capture dinersโ€™ growing interest in experiential dining by introducing offerings like tasting menus, mixology workshops, or ticketed wine dinners. Tailoring experiences to seasonal themes or local flavours can make them even more attractive and help build repeat traffic throughout the year.

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Interest in experiential dining continues to rise

People are craving unique, curated experiences, such as tasting menus, cooking classes, and more.

experiences_stat1
experiences_stat2
experiences_stat3

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Capture dinersโ€™ growing interest in experiential dining by introducing offerings like tasting menus, mixology workshops, or ticketed wine dinners. Tailoring experiences to seasonal themes or local flavours can make them even more attractive and help build repeat traffic throughout the year.

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Wednesday and Thursday
are the new days to dine out

Mid-week dining is on the rise, with Wednesday and Thursday emerging as the top trending dining days, perhaps due to hybrid or remote working schedules.

 

 

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Make the most of mid-week traffic with a Wednesday night feature, like live music or cocktail specials, to draw in guests. With flexible work schedules likely driving this trend, focus on targeting locals with social media, and offer loyalty perks to keep your mid-week bookings steady.

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Wednesday and Thursday
are the new days to dine out

Mid-week dining is on the rise, with Wednesday and Thursday emerging as the top trending dining days, perhaps due to hybrid or remote working schedules.

midweek_stat1
midweek_stat2

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Make the most of mid-week traffic with a Wednesday night feature, like live music or cocktail specials, to draw in guests. With flexible work schedules likely driving this trend, focus on targeting locals with social media, and offer loyalty perks to keep your mid-week bookings steady.

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More Aussies are embracing meals for one

Solo dining is becoming increasingly popular, especially among Gen Z and Millennials, who are embracing the freedom of dining on their own.

 

 

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Make solo diners feel welcome by offering cosy bar seating, personal touches like curated reading material, or single-serve menu options. Going the extra mile for solo guests could turn them into loyal diners.

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More Aussies are embracing meals for one

Solo dining is becoming increasingly popular, especially among Gen Z and Millennials, who are embracing the freedom of dining on their own.

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Make solo diners feel welcome by offering cosy bar seating, personal touches like curated reading material, or single-serve menu options. Going the extra mile for solo guests could turn them into loyal diners.

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Special occasion dining is in high demand

Special occasions like Motherโ€™s Day, Fatherโ€™s Day, and Valentineโ€™s Day continue to deliver high demand, showing steady growth in dining each year.

 

 

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These key dates are priority dining events for guests. Curate set menus, themed decor, and personalised touches to set your restaurant apart. Promote your offerings early and across channels to attract reservations and ensure your restaurant becomes the go-to spot for memorable celebrations.

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Special occasion dining is in high demand

Special occasions like Motherโ€™s Day, Fatherโ€™s Day, and Valentineโ€™s Day continue to deliver high demand, showing steady growth in dining each year.

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specialoccasion_stat2

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These key dates are priority dining events for guests. Curate set menus, themed decor, and personalised touches to set your restaurant apart. Promote your offerings early and across channels to attract reservations and ensure your restaurant becomes the go-to spot for memorable celebrations.

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People want healthier dining options

In 2025, Australians are embracing balance when it comes to their meals and drink choicesโ€”itโ€™s all about vibrant, veggie-packed dishes and thoughtfully crafted mocktails.

 

 

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Highlight healthier menu offerings with descriptive language to showcase their appealโ€”words like โ€œfreshโ€ and โ€œbalancedโ€ may resonate with diners. In addition, create mocktails with unique flavour combinations or consider alcohol-free pairings to give guests an elevated experience. Position these options as thoughtfully crafted choices rather than compromises.

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People want healthier dining options

In 2025, Australians are embracing balance when it comes to their meals and drink choicesโ€”itโ€™s all about vibrant, veggie-packed dishes and thoughtfully crafted mocktails.

healthy_stat1
healthy_stat2

frame-1244830136

Highlight healthier menu offerings with descriptive language to showcase their appealโ€”words like โ€œfreshโ€ and โ€œbalancedโ€ may resonate with diners. In addition, create mocktails with unique flavours combinations or consider alcohol-free pairings to give guests an elevated experience. Position these options as thoughtfully crafted choices rather than compromises.

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Optimism for dining out in 2025

Enthusiasm about dining out more, driven by younger generations eager to embrace dining experiences, signals a great year ahead for restaurants.

 

 

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Tap into the excitement by planning creative offerings, like themed dinner parties and interactive chefโ€™s tables, that make your restaurant feel one-of-a-kind. Focus on what sets you apartโ€”memorable, personalised hospitalityโ€”and guests will be drawn through your door.

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Optimism for dining out in 2025

Enthusiasm about dining out more, driven by younger generations eager to embrace dining experiences, signals a great year ahead for restaurants.

optimism_stat1
optimism_stat2

frame-1244830135-4

Tap into the excitement by planning creative offerings, like themed dinner parties and interactive chefโ€™s tables, that make your restaurant feel one-of-a-kind. Focus on what sets you apartโ€”memorable, personalised hospitalityโ€”and guests will be drawn through your door.

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1 An online survey was conducted by PureSpectrum among 1002 Australian consumers. Within this sample, major cities have been weighed for direct comparison. The research fieldwork took place between 25 October โ€“ 4 November, 2024.

2 OpenTable looked at online reservations for all restaurants active on the OpenTable platform from January 1 โ€“ September 30, 2024 and compared it to the same range in 2023. The cuisine category is self-determined by restaurants.

3 An online survey was conducted by PureSpectrum among 1000 Australian consumers with an interest in solo travel. Within this sample, major cities have been weighed for direct comparison. The research fieldwork took place between 2-6 August, 2024.

4 OpenTable looked at the average spend per guest for parties of one and overall party sizes from 1 August, 2023 to 31 July, 2024.

5 OpenTable looked at online seated diners for parties of 1 from 1 August, 2023 to 31 July, 2024, and compared it to the corresponding period in 2023. Average spend per guest for parties of one and overall party sizes from 1 August, 2023 to 31 July, 2024 was also analysed.