The demand for online restaurant bookings increased by 39%.%

The demand for online restaurant bookings increased by 39%. At the same time, the number of online card openings of catering establishments increased by 46% year on year. This was reported to Izvestia on March 11 in the Yandex Maps service.

"We are seeing a change in the user scenario. More and more people are looking for restaurants in services where they already solve everyday tasks: plot routes, check traffic jams, pay for parking. The interest in restaurants in online services is also growing. In 2025, the number of users who searched for cafes and restaurants increased by 20%. And the number of card openings of catering establishments increased by 46% year on year. Since October last year, the number of restaurants available for online booking has tripled," the analysts said.

According to them, for example, in maps, a user can immediately explore options in one session, find a suitable restaurant and book a table — and all this without switching to other applications.

"As a result, online bookings are also growing. The average monthly increase in bookings is 17%. The maximum growth was recorded in December — 39%. In February, although there is a decrease compared to January (in January there was an increase above average due to long holidays), but it is exceeded in October and November. At the same time, about 22% of users who made their first booking through Yandex.Maps return to the service for a second booking. That is, restaurants get regular customers," the analysts added.

They also noted that personal recommendations based on AI have become an additional driver. They help you make a decision faster: the system offers options based on your preferences and search history, making the selection and subsequent booking process as comfortable as possible.

Lunch budget: retailers deprive restaurants of visitors

What is the reason for this and what trends are changing the field of public catering

Marina Chernyakova, head of the Commercial Real Estate department, told Izvestia on February 20 that 64 restaurants and cafes had stopped operating in the Central Administrative District of Moscow from October 2025 to January 2026. According to her, the market is simultaneously being pressured by an increase in VAT, a 20-25% rise in food prices, a shortage of staff and a decrease in real incomes of the population. With this cost structure, projects with a minimum margin of safety are the first to close, especially those operating under high rental loads.

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