Has the New York dining scene finally begun to claw its way out of the doldrums brought on by the deep economic downturn? The 2012 Zagat Survey of New York Restaurants seems to think so.


Tim Zagat, co-founder with his wife, Nina, of the eponymous restaurant guidebook series, suggests that Gotham’s struggling restaurant industry “has stabilized and may be turning upward” — speculation he bases on the collateral data accompanying this year’s volume.


One metric offered as evidence of the nascent upturn is the number of noteworthy restaurant openings and closings tallied over the past year. Zagat counted 135 openings in 2011, which, while no match for the steroid-injected 2005, when 187 places debuted, still is up over 2009’s lackluster figure of 123. By comparison, there were 68 closings in 2011, a considerable improvement over the 90 logged in 2010 and thoroughly disheartening 102 in 2009.


The guide cites the dining-out frequency of its 41,604 surveyors as another positive sign. Zagateers ate out an average of three times per week in 2011, reflecting a three-year-long, steady state of affairs among diners. Of course, the number largely has been edging downhill since the high of 3.5 in 2002. But if we’re to believe the popular recession-era tenet, “flat is the new up,” perhaps that’s a good sign, after all.


Another interesting metric revealed by this year’s survey is that while the price of dining out has been creeping up steadily, diners in New York don’t seem to be particularly incensed about it. The average cost of a meal at fine-dining restaurants hit $43.46 in 2011, an increase of 4.1 percent over the $41.76 average tab in 2010. Curiously, most of those surveyed didn’t appear to feel the pinch or, at least, just didn’t care much. When asked what irritated them most about New York restaurants, only 8 percent of the surveyors said it was the prices. By comparison, 60 percent indicated service and 24 percent said noise or crowds. One percent complained about the parking, but hey, get real, folks — this is New York.


Meanwhile, when surveyors were questioned about whether they were spending more per meal compared with a year ago, 54 percent said they were paying the same. Thirty-two percent said they were paying more, but 14 percent
said they were paying less.


In a sign of the changing times, surveyors reported they were turning to the Internet more frequently when making dining-out plans. While 51 percent said they still make reservations over the phone, 41 percent said they now book via the Internet — a big leap from 2005, when only 9 percent used the Web to reserve a table.


Finally, for those restaurateurs who were wondering if diners care about whether they post their health-inspection grade, apparently, they do. When asked if operators should post letter grades prominently, an overwhelming 85 percent of surveyors responded, “Yes.” Moreover, 53 percent said they would dine only at a restaurant with a “B” or above, while 35 percent would patronize “A” levels only. So be forewarned. 


Contact Paul Frumkin at paul.frumkin@penton.com.