Madrid (EFE).- The love of consumers for celebrating Valentine’s Day has been reflected in a 34% increase compared to 2022 in reservations in bars and restaurants to commemorate this day.
Lovers will mostly occupy the tables of restaurants in Spain during the date that celebrates their love, since 89% of the reservations made for that day, according to data from The Fork platform, are for two people .
A high percentage, since the figures available to the platform show that, on a regular basis, reservations for two people account for 55% of the total.
And it is that this date has already become a “key” appointment for the hospitality sector, as the director of Marketing for Italy and Iberia of El Tenedor, Raquel Bravo, has pointed out in statements to EFE.
The influx of reservations this year confirm that the “trend continues to rise” and that consumers go out “increasingly” to celebrate this day, reaching, according to what he says, “pre-pandemic data”.
A trend that is also confirmed by the Spanish Hospitality Association, which values the “positive impact” that this celebration has on the sector.
In the case of this year, when it falls during the week, the data handled by the association point to a 50% growth compared to a normal Tuesday in February.
However, they explain that, in some cases, the celebration “also extends to the weekend, before or after, with a drag of 5% of the increase in billing compared to a normal weekend in February in which there was not this special event”.
What are lovers like and what do they prefer?
For the celebration of this date, lovers also have their preferences regarding the type of recipe chosen to savor during the date; Mediterranean gastronomy stands out, which gathers 28% of reservations, followed by Japanese restaurants, with 15%, according to data from The Fork.
To these two types of dishes are added national gastronomy, with 13%, Italian, with 7% and, finally, international, with 4%.
There is not so much distinction regarding the gender of the people who make the reservations; this percentage is very even, with 51% men and 49% women.
In addition, lovers between the ages of 35 and 49 are the age group that has made the most reservations for this day, with 36% of the total; They are followed by young people from 25 to 34 years old, with 32%, and lastly couples from 50 to 64 years old, with 20%.
Cupid’s arrows hit the plates
Beyond the celebration itself, the dishes that lovers will taste have also been hit and impregnated by Cupid’s arrows.
For example, from the Obrador La Hermosita they propose an experience crowned by a series of sweets and desserts specially designed for this Valentine’s Day, such as the ‘Red Velvet’ artisan cake, in which the important thing is inside.
Restaurant chains such as Dunkin also offer a selection of their main product, the donut, in an exclusive edition box with a new heart design.
Others like Rodilla join this date with a product that will be available throughout the month of February: a mini sandwich, filled with passion fruit, apricot and ruby chocolate.
Thus, the foods specially designed for this date put the icing on the cake for a Valentine’s Day date that each year gains more followers and who seek to celebrate it with all their senses in restaurants.