Research reveals rise of restaurant reservations by mobile

The research, carried out among 850,000 Bookatable users, found that 41% of diners now use a mobile device to book a table at a restaurant compared to just 7% three years ago.

Women were found to be far more likely to make a restaurant reservation by a mobile device - 61% of bookings were made by women compared to just 39% made by men.

Mobile restaurant bookings feature more so in the evening than those made on desktop. While desktop online searches for restaurants peak at 12.20pm, perhaps while people are at work, mobile searches spiked at 7.07pm.

According to Joe Steele, CEO of Bookatble, as more people rely on mobile devices to make purchases, so they also rely on their devices to make reservations in a world of 'instant gratification'.

"This significant increase in restaurant booking through smartphone and tablet devices indicates a major shift in the marketplace and shows that consumers are no longer making these kinds of decisions from a static position," said Steele.

In terms of spending, diners that book restaurants via mobile were found to spend up to 37% less than desktop bookers, with an average bill of £27.63 (US$46.53) compared to £37.78. (US$63.59). However, mobile bookers were more interested in trying out new venues with 44% making first-time dining reservations.

Image via Shutterstock

Tags: mobile trends, restaurant trends