Pack the Dining Discount! National Survey Reveals Six out of 10 Consumers Use Restaurant Discounts when Traveling

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., July 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Saving up for vacation is a familiar concept to most Americans, but how about saving while ON vacation? According the 2012 Restaurant.com Annual Dining Destinations and Deals survey, those who plan ahead now outnumber travelers who dine on the fly.  In fact, 61 percent of survey respondents stated they search out local dining deals before vacationing. 

"Restaurant.com has more than 50,000 restaurant deals available nationwide and is the quickest way to discover great local restaurants while on vacation, and save money at the same time," said Restaurant.com President and Chief Marketing Officer Christopher Krohn. "Travelers can plan ahead and search for restaurants near their destination, or use the Restaurant.com mobile apps to discover deals on the go.  There's no easier way to find great restaurants and deals anywhere nationwide."

Following are key findings from the 2012 Restaurant.com Annual Dining Destinations and Deals survey:

Dining-Out Trends

• Authentic Philly Cheese Steaks & Miami Cuban Sandwiches – Respondents revealed that the only thing more important than finding a great deal at a restaurant (65 percent) while on vacation is enjoying local flavors (66 percent).  Flavor just barely inches out savings and Restaurant.com lets you have it all – great local restaurants and great deals every meal, everywhere.
• Spending Smart – Though Americans may be eating out more often while on vacation, the majority are still willing to invest on their vacation meals spending on average between $15 and $24 per person at each meal. Restaurant.com helps these tasteful travelers get more for less offering discounted dining certificates at thousands of restaurants – so go ahead and add dessert!
• Where to Eat? – Most vacationers looking for a restaurant turn to locals (29 percent) or review sites (28 percent) for suggestions.  With more and more people going online for a recommendation, Restaurant.com is making it easier to find a great restaurant anywhere.  The Restaurant.com Android and iPhone apps, as well as the mobile website, can make finding the best local dining deal anywhere easy even in unfamiliar places. Download the app here: http://www.restaurant.com/mobile and find where to save while dining out.
• New York, New York and Vegas, Baby:  The U.S. has plenty of contenders when it comes to cities with the best local restaurants. New York (67 percent) and Las Vegas (36 percent) topped this year's 2012 Restaurant.com Dining Destination list. With the Cajun-flare of New Orleans (34 percent) rounding out the top three. In fact, six out of 10 people (59 percent) voted New Orleans' spicy flavors as the most unique local fare.  Pass the crawfish!

"Restaurant.com makes it easy to enjoy local flavors and save at the same time," added Krohn. "And if plans change, Restaurant.com takes the risk out of planning ahead.  Simply call Restaurant.com and we'll exchange your certificate for one closer to home, no questions asked." 

Dining Destinations and Deals
In honor of the 2012 Restaurant.com Annual Dining Destinations and Deals survey, Restaurant.com has partnered with top 10 Dining Destinations as selected by more than 2,400 Restaurant.com consumers to highlight their local flavors.  This year's top destinations are: Las Vegas, New York, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, San Diego, and Miami. Before boarding a flight or packing the car, be sure to check out the deals to top destinations here: http://www.restaurant.com/listing/findrestaurants?pgn=gcp and don't forget to pack the discount.

About Restaurant.com
Restaurant.com is the leading provider of restaurant savings nationwide. The company offers the best deal on every meal at more than 15,000 restaurants nationwide with more than 50,000 daily gift certificate options. Restaurant.com has helped customers to save more than $2 billion since the Arlington Heights, Ill.-based company was founded in 1999. To learn more, visit www.Restaurant.com.

Media Contact: Sarah Guffey
815-630-9557 / [email protected]

Editor's Note:
The 2012 Restaurant.com Annual Dining Destinations and Deals Survey was conducted online by Restaurant.com® using Survey Monkey from June 21-25, 2012 with 2,414 consumers participating.

SOURCE Restaurant.com