Restaurants to draw one-third of Americans over Labor Day weekend

Aug. 31, 2011 7:30 AM PT

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Labor Day seems to make Americans hungry -- more than one-third will either dine out over the holiday weekend or get takeout or delivery to bring to outdoor festivities, according to new research.

High demand is especially reassuring for East Coast eateries worried that tourists will shun the area in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, the National Restaurant Assn. said.

The group found that a quarter of consumers, many of them middle-aged, will visit a restaurant over the long weekend while 15%, most of them younger, will opt for takeout. For 5%, both options will be a good bet.

Over the summer, 66% of survey respondents said they visited a restaurant while on vacation. Seeking shelter from the heat, 17% of dining patrons said they ate out to help cool down. Special summer deals such as Restaurant Week promotions and happy hours clinched the deal for 12% of consumers.

Food prices grow, as does public’s appetite to eat out

-- Tiffany Hsu

Money & Company

Tiffany Hsu

Tiffany Hsu is a former staff writer for the Los Angeles Times. Previously, she wrote about the California economy, fast food, restaurants, retail and alternative energy for the Business section. A Bay Area native, UC Berkeley graduate and eternal Nor-Cal fan, she once worked for the San Francisco Bay Guardian. She also did a stint at the Richmond Times-Dispatch, where she developed a passion for sweet tea. She still has faith that someday she’ll find two economists who agree.