"OpenTable reported that 6pm to 6:59pm was the most popular dining hour in New York City in 2025, up 12 percent year over year. Even earlier slots have become more common: 5pm reservations were up 20 percent and 4pm ones increased by 16 percent between 2024 and 2025."
"Yelp's data shows that 60 percent of dinner reservations on the platform in 2024 and 2025 were made before 7pm, up from 51 percent in 2018, while the share of 8pm bookings dropped from 14 percent to 10 percent."
"For Hamilton Heights-based actor Ben Salus, 32, a satisfying night out is centered more around community and connection versus that pit of exuberance that defined his evenings during his early 20s."
Younger New Yorkers are increasingly opting for earlier dining experiences, with 6pm becoming the most popular reservation time. Data shows a significant rise in early dinner bookings, with 45 percent of New Yorkers preferring early dinners in 2026. Yelp reports that 60 percent of dinner reservations were made before 7pm in 2024 and 2025. This shift reflects a change in nightlife preferences, focusing more on community and connection rather than late-night exuberance, as exemplified by individuals like actor Ben Salus, who favors earlier reservations to avoid crowds.
Read at Time Out New York
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