San Francisco restaurants busy with Valentine's Day, Chinese New Year parade, All-Star weekend
Executive Chef Dustin Falcon of Niku Steakhouse said he and his staff are busy preparing for influx in customers.
"On Friday and Saturday, we seat eight guests around here and it's a very, very private experience. We dim the lights, and it's just myself, and then eight guests," Dustin Falcon told CBS News Bay Area.
According to OpenTable, this Michelin star restaurant is one of the top businesses fully booked for Valentine's Day weekend.
"Restaurants and diners are definitely feeling the love today on Valentine's Day. Reservations in San Francisco are trending 22% higher than last year, which is great to see for the restaurant industry," Amy Wei, the chief operating officer of OpenTable, told CBS News Bay Area.
Wei added that a recent survey shows 75% of San Francisco diners plan to try a new restaurant on Valentine's Day. Almost 30% of those surveyed said they will spend more money this year than last year. Additionally, 56% of diners said they would go on a first date on Valentine's Day.
"One trend that I find very interesting is of all of the San Francisco diners who are going to celebrate Valentine's Day, three quarters of them are looking to do so in a group. And I believe that's because over the last couple of years, this trend is on the rise. Valentine's is no longer just about the romantic dinner for two. It's about celebrating friendships, celebrating with your family," Wei said.
"The city has had a lot of ups and downs. And we're thankful every single day, for one how busy we are, and the fact that we get to take care of so many people and they look for us for those special moments," Falcon said.
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