OpenTable data shows dip in Chicago restaurant reservations

Chicago lost more restaurant diners during the pandemic than most other cities, according to recent data from OpenTable.

Why it matters: This data points to why celebrity chef Rick Bayless is calling on the federal government for more restaurant relief after the Omicron surge wiped out holiday seating.

• "We never built back to where we were, but in the fall, we kind of hit an equilibrium that we thought we could maintain," Bayless told the Chicago Tribune.
• "The saddest part of the whole thing is that December, when we were all hoping for a strong holiday season, the bottom fell out."

Yes, but: This chart is based on OpenTable's data, so it excludes reservations booked through other services.