Just in time for Valentine’s Day, OpenTable has uncovered the biggest "icks" while dining on a date, as well as a list of Canada’s 100 most romantic restaurants for 2023.
Lake Country’s Block One Restaurant at 50th Parallel Winery and Kelowna’s Home Block at CedarCreek Estate Winery are two Okanagan spots that made the romantic restaurant list, which was generated from over one million reviews from verified OpenTable diners.
Being rude to staff, frequent texting at the table, excessive drinking, talking about exes and chewing with an open mouth are the top dinner-date deal breakers for Canadians, according to the OpenTable survey.
“Our survey revealed it’s as important to be your best self with your date as it is with the restaurant team taking care of you,” said Matt Davis, the country director of OpenTable Canada.
“We want to inspire Canadians to pack their charm along with their passion for romance and dining out this Valentine’s Day.”
The survey found that 80% of Canadians celebrating Valentine’s Day are enthusiastic about splurging on local restaurants and plan to spend over $41 per person.
When it comes to the bill, the results revealed that 67% of respondents are comfortable with splitting the bill for a Valentine’s Day date, however, generations are divided.
For Valentine’s Day 2023, nearly 80% of Gen Zers and Millennials believe it’s fine to divide the dinner bill evenly, compared to 50% of Baby Boomers.
Additionally, the survey revealed that the favourite Valentine's Day spots are Italian, steakhouses and Canadian.
OpenTable’s dining data also found that most Valentine’s Day reservations are secured one week before the holiday, making Feb. 8 the perfect time to book.
Find the full list of the romantic restaurants here.
