With searches for ‘Christmas dinners’ across the UK rising by 717%* in the past month, it’s clear that festive planning is well underway. However, according to new insights from hospitality discovery platform DesignMyNight, those hoping to dine out on Christmas Day have less than a week left to secure a table.
Brits now book their Christmas Day meals almost two months ahead
Recent Google data shows that searches for ‘pubs open Christmas Day’ have climbed by 342%, highlighting a growing desire among Brits to celebrate Christmas away from home.
DesignMyNight’s latest booking analysis reveals that diners are reserving their Christmas Day tables an average of 59 days in advance to ensure they don’t miss out.
Katie Kirwan, Head of Brand & B2C at DesignMyNight, said: “With Christmas dinner searches rising by over 700%, festive diners must secure their tables well in advance.
Securing your table for Christmas Day not only helps Brits relax and have peace of mind that dinner is sorted, but it also helps restaurants provide the best experience for everyone on the day.
Our internal data shows that bookings for December 25th are typically made at least 59 days ahead to guarantee availability. This leaves Brits with less than a week to finalise their Christmas Day dining if they plan on eating out.”
For those still undecided, Kirwan adds: “Booking deadlines can vary depending on location or your chosen pub, so it’s best to call ahead and check or use DesignMyNight’s table search engine to discover where has availability. As it’s one of the biggest days of the year, spaces do fill up fast, so booking as early as possible is the best way to avoid disappointment.”
1pm revealed as the nation’s favourite time for Christmas dinner
DesignMyNight’s internal data also shows that most Brits prefer to sit down for their Christmas meal at 1pm, keeping with tradition.
On Christmas Day itself, lunchtime remains the preferred slot, while in the lead-up to the big day, evening reservations dominate.
Katie Kirwan explains: “Looking at our internal booking data, 1pm has been revealed as the most popular time to eat Christmas Day dinner.
However, for pre-Christmas day celebrations, Brits are enjoying evening Christmas dinners at pubs and restaurants. The data shows that 7pm has emerged as the most popular time for festive dinners across the UK, closely followed by 6:30 pm and 6pm, allowing for greater flexibility around work schedules and more time to enjoy socialising with family, friends, and colleagues.”