More Tuesday dining, 7pm tables and reservations made far in advance are among the standout Irish restaurant trends recorded by online booking service OpenTable so far this year. The platform also found restaurants can substantially reduce their “no show” rate by taking deposits for reservations or full advance payment for “experiences”.Research conducted by OpenTable, one of the dominant players in the booking sector, for the January to March period found 41 per cent of dining in Ireland happened between 6pm and 8pm, with 7pm the peak time across restaurants.There has been an increase in midweek dining too, with Tuesdays the most popular non-weekend day. This was particularly true for groups of six or more at the start of 2026, when OpenTable recorded a 38 per cent increase on Tuesdays for this category year-on-year. However, Friday to Sunday reservations still dominate on the platform, accounting for 71 per cent of all weekly dining in the first quarter. With “no-shows” consistently an issue across the hospitality sector, OpenTable found restaurants that adopted deposit models or offered prepaid “experiences” were more likely to see bookings completed. This type of model saw 19 per cent fewer “no-shows” than standard bookings, the platform said. [ Warning issued on overcharging scams at Irish pubs and restaurantsOpens in new window ]Some 41 per cent of online seated covers for OpenTable client restaurants in the first three months came from “out-of-town guests”, who could have been either domestic or international visitors.OpenTable recorded substantial annual increases in Valentine’s Day (up 65 per cent) and St Patrick’s Day (up 30 per cent) dining, with 57 per cent of Valentine’s Day bookings made at least seven days in advance. Planning ahead was also evident for Mother’s Day bookings, with close to 40 per cent made at least a week ahead of this year’s March 15th celebration.[ Ireland’s best foodie destinations: Perfect restaurants, lovely pubs and local produceOpens in new window ]