More Than Half of Brits Admit to Last-Minute Christmas Meal Bookings
Forget the dry turkey and overcooked sprouts; British diners are giving their festive menus an international makeover. According to December 2024 booking insights from TheFork, Europe’s leading restaurant reservation platform, Italian and Indian cuisines surpassed British favourites for Christmas Day dining— and early trends indicate the same appetite for global fare will dominate Christmas 2025.
This year, restaurant-goers are once again leaning towards comforting bowls of tagliatelle and plates of fragrant paneer, choosing bold, international flavours over the usual roast trimmings.
A Festive Feast With Worldwide Influence
Data from TheFork’s December 2024 bookings highlights a growing shift in how UK diners celebrate Christmas Day— a shift that looks set to define festive dining again this year:
- Italian cuisine topped Christmas Day reservation lists, proving pasta may now rival parsnips
- Indian claimed second place, as korma continues to outshine carrots
- British dishes landed in third place
- French cuisine ranked fourth
- Mediterranean secured fifth
“Brits aren’t abandoning Christmas, they’re just spicing it up. From paneer to panna cotta, diners are choosing global comfort food with a festive twist,” said Patrick Hooykaas, Regional Managing Director at TheFork. “It’s tradition, just served differently.”
“As tastes diversify, TheFork is proud to work with restaurants across a wide range of cuisines, giving diners more choice than ever when it comes to festive dining.”
Last-Minute Diners Rule Christmas
Even Santa’s imminent arrival couldn’t persuade many to plan ahead last year. December 2024 data confirms the festive season as a playground for spontaneous diners:
- Over a third of diners made bookings on the same day
- 15% booked just one day before dining
- Only a quarter of people planned their meals more than a week in advance
But there’s a twist: size matters. Solo diners booked closest to the day (an average of 3.5 days ahead), while two and three-person bookings gave themselves a little more planning time (5.7 and 6.6 days on average, respectively). Big parties, however, played the long game: groups of 8 or more booked about two weeks in advance.
Compared to the rest of 2024, December diners were a little more spontaneous – the median lead time during the festive month was 28.7 hours, versus 22.4 hours on average throughout the rest of the year.
“Brits may not be planning far ahead, but they’re ensuring Christmas still feels special,” said Patrick Hooykaas, Regional Managing Director at TheFork. “The rise of the spontaneous diner shows that flexibility and enjoyment matter more than perfect organisation, especially at Christmas. With TheFork, last-minute planners can still find the perfect table, while restaurants can make sure every seat is ready to welcome festive diners.”
Festive Spending: Tasty Treats Without Breaking the Bank
TheFork’s 2024 booking data suggests a “treat-yourself-but-be-sensible” mindset that’s likely to continue this year. Diners are swapping pricey home hosting for mid-tier festive dining that delivers joy without the washing up:
- The average festive bill (food only): £27
- The average non-festive bill: £33
- Most bookings fell in the £25–£35 range
Where Brits Book on Christmas Day
Top cuisine choices were not only reflected in dining preferences but also in the most popular restaurant bookings on Christmas Day. Italian, steakhouses, and bold spices now clearly define Britain’s festive flavour profile.
- L’Ulivo (Leicester Square)
- Steak & Co. (Piccadilly)
- Carluccio’s (Regents Park)
- Turmeric Kitchen (Paddington)