# AI in travel and dining: what the 2026 numbers say

> A round-up of 2026 surveys and data on how people use AI to choose hotels and restaurants, with the caveats you need to read them properly.

_UK and US · Updated 2026-10-27 · Akkrev, https://akkrev.com/ai-seo/ai-travel-and-dining-trends-2026/_

## Restaurants

- **22% of US consumers** had used an AI tool such as ChatGPT or Gemini to help choose a restaurant (DoorDash, survey of 3,001 US consumers, March 2026).
- **35%** said an AI recommendation had led them to a new restaurant they then visited or ordered from (Menufy and Dynata, 1,000 US consumers, September 2026).
- **80%** said they'd try an independent restaurant they didn't know if AI recommended it (same survey).

## Hotels and travel

- AI traffic to hotel websites grew **almost 200%** from March to August 2026, with the UK up **287%** (Net Affinity and Smarthotel AI Barometer).
- **84%** of US leisure travellers surveyed said a trusted AI recommendation would make them more likely to book a specific hotel (TakeUp, 300 respondents, January 2026).

## How to read these

Several of these studies were commissioned by companies that sell to hotels and restaurants, and sample sizes vary. The direction is consistent, though: AI is now part of how people choose where to stay and eat, and it favours places it can describe well.

## Sources

- [DoorDash Restaurant Industry Trends Report, May 2026](https://about.doordash.com/en-us/news/doordash-restaurant-industry-trends-report-2026)
- [Menufy and Dynata survey via FSR Magazine, September 2026](https://www.fsrmagazine.com/industry-news/how-ai-is-influencing-independent-restaurant-dining-decisions/)
- [TakeUp: The Rise of AI-Planned Travel in 2026, via Hotel Management](https://www.hotelmanagement.net/tech/report-ai-planned-travel-surges-2026-growth-still-ahead)
- [Net Affinity and Smarthotel AI Barometer, September 2026](https://www.ittn.com/post/ai-reshapes-hotel-booking-journey-as-traveller-traffic-surges)

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