Early Dining

BACK TO OUR WORK

CLIENT:

OpenTable

COMPLETED:

2025

CATEGORY:

PUBLIC RELATIONS

6 pm is the new 8 pm. By uncovering and amplifying the early dining trend, Launch positioned OpenTable as the authority on UK dining behaviour and proved the brand owns the conversation on how Britain eats out.

OpenTable wanted to prove its authority on how Britain dines out. Post-pandemic routines, office returns, and earlier nights meant the 6 pm slot was suddenly filling up. The challenge was to use OpenTable’s booking data to prove the trend and show restaurants how to respond.

the challenge

USING BOOKING DATA TO SHOW NEW UK DINING TRENDS

THE SOLUTION

CLAIMING THE EARLY DINING TREND

We mined OpenTable’s booking data and found the evidence: 6 pm bookings up 11% in London and 6% across the UK. It was clear that the early dinner rush was here.

By framing “6 pm is the new 8 pm” as a cultural shift in the way the UK eats out, we positioned OpenTable as the voice of authority on dining behaviour, with insight no other platform could provide.

THE execution

MAKING 6PM DINING A NATIONAL TALKING POINT

We built a story that combined evidence with expert advice. The data showed the trend was real, and the commentary gave restaurants clear advice on how to adapt, from launching early-bird menus to rethinking work patterns.

Coverage landed across national and business media (FT, The Times, The Guardian), lifestyle titles (Vogue), broadcast channels, and trade press. The early dining trend became part of the national conversation, with OpenTable leading it.