According to Lab 42 the smartphone is now a dinner guest and restaurant locator while dining out with 95% of respondents use their phones prior to going to a restaurant.
Before dinning out the smartphone is used for communicating dinning plans, searching for restaurants, viewing menus and for directions.
Smartphone owners trust online reviews. 85% reported that they trust online reviews from fellow diner more than reviews from professionals and food websites.
The primary reasons for using a smartphone while dining out include:
- Taking photos 24%
- Posting to Facebook 19%.
- 18% check-in at the restaurant.
- 13% search for places nearby to go after dinning, 70% of which are male.
After dinning out the smartphone is used for Facebook, directions or posting photos while 10% don't use their smartphone for any reason after dining out.
23% use their smartphone very time or almost every time they dine out while 49% consider their smartphone somewhat or extremely important in their dinning experience. See full infographic.