OpenTable reservations have yet to rebound in SF
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Restaurant reservations made in San Francisco via OpenTable are down 34% this month compared to July 2019, recent data shows.
The big picture: A variety of data points indicate San Francisco has yet to rebound from the pandemic, despite the city lifting many of its COVID-19-related restrictions.
- In addition to low restaurant bookings, San Francisco saw an office vacancy rate of 24.2% in Q2 compared to Manhattan's 15.2%, CNBC reports.
- Tourist spending in the city is not expected to hit pre-pandemic levels until 2025, per the San Francisco Travel Association.
Zoom out: Unlike San Francisco, restaurant bookings in California and nationwide have bounced back since COVID hit.
- Bookings are up 23% statewide and 19% nationally compared to 2019.
Diners can also book reservations on competing apps, like Tock and Resy, which may siphon market share from OpenTable.
- Yes, but: A 2021 Resy report showed San Francisco, where indoor dining was more restrictive compared to other cities, lagged behind metros like Boston, Miami and Philadelphia.
What they're saying: SF neighborhoods have rebounded, but the city's economic core continues to lag, Amy Cleary, director of public policy and media relations for The Golden Gate Restaurant Association, told Axios.
- She hopes that workers are returning to offices, and Dreamforce and other major events "help fuel a stronger fall."