Christmas parties back with a bang

Jan. 10, 2011 - PRLog -- The number of Brits suffering the effects of a heavy night was on the rise last December as Christmas parties are returned en masse to the UK. After many were scaled down or cancelled in 2009, BookaTable saw a 73% rise in Christmas party bookings in 2010, with Friday 10th December 2010 the day when most people will be letting their hair down and celebrating.

Traditional Christmas meals seemed to be losing popularity though, as according to BookaTable, Europe’s largest online restaurant booking service, Brits actually chose tagliatelle and tiramisu over turkey and Christmas pudding. The most favoured food for Christmas party meals last year was Italian with 62% of revellers choosing this cuisine, compared to French (12%) and British (6%).

Jemima Bird, Marketing Director from Tragus Group, which includes Strada, Bella Italia and Café Rouge, said: “We’ve seen a significant rise in group bookings for Christmas parties, especially compared to last year. Interestingly, it seems our customers are not only ordering from a Christmas menu, but plenty are requesting Italian menu options instead. It might be that they are happy to wait till Christmas Day for their turkey with all the trimmings.”

Miles Quest from British Hospitality Association said: “It’s great for our industry that consumer confidence has returned to the extent that Christmas party bookings have seen such an increase. Restaurants rely on being full in December to cover the quieter times so this should stand them in good stead for the New Year.”

Celia Pronto, Managing Director – Consumer Marketing for BookaTable, said: “The Christmas party is back with a bang in 2010 as it seems businesses are able to begin rewarding their employees again.”

BookaTable works with restaurants from across the globe, including those located in the UK, United States, France, Germany, Sweden and Spain. The website is available in nine languages and allows users to book tables in real time, choosing from over 8,000 restaurants in 19 countries across the globe, including Gordon Ramsay’s Maze in London, Blue Elephant in Paris, East in Hamburg and Grill in Stockholm.

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About BookaTable

BookaTable is Europe’s largest online restaurant booking website - operating in 9 different languages and across 19 countries. BookaTable enables visitors to make free, real-time restaurant reservations - quickly and easily, 24/7 with instant confirmation.

BookaTable enables users to browse restaurants based on location, cuisine and price point. Those requiring inspiration can use the interactive map, which shows which restaurants are the most popular in certain neighbourhoods and cities. Restaurant information available includes their address, average price, photos, opening hours and a detailed description of what to expect from your experience.

For more information visit:
http://www.bookatable.com
http://www.bookatable.com/uk/offers/christmas