By 2019, online restaurant reservations are becoming increasingly popular, as evidenced by this year's double-digit growth of TheFork, TripAdvisor's online restaurant reservation platform, which reaches 30.5 million monthly visits.

Regarding the main criteria used by consumers in restaurant selection, dining experience remains the most important factor (71 percent), but the environment (41 percent), location and services (40 percent) are also decisive. Consumers are looking for a unique atmosphere and experience. For users, restaurants should not just be a place to dine, but an entertainment experience away from home. Popularity is just a determining factor for 2 percent.

With over 2,700 partner restaurants in Portugal, TheFork offers a selection of restaurants to suit all tastes, and some with offers of up to 50 percent discount. However, the study reveals that only half of users book a restaurant based on the discount.

Whether it's a Michelin-starred restaurant or not, the study indicates that 28 percent of reservations are made at one of the INSIDER category establishments offering a selection of restaurants based on guide ratings, TheFork users and expert appreciation.

In both Portugal and Europe, Saturday is the day of the week that includes most reservations (23 percent), followed by Friday (19 percent) and Thursday (14 percent). Dinner is more popular than lunch with 69 percent of reservations. On average, Portuguese consumers make their reservation 6 hours in advance even though 21 percent of users make reservations within 1 hour of their meal.

The smartphone is becoming increasingly popular for online bookings as 62 percent of bookings are made through this channel according to TheFork users.

TheFork study found that over half of the bookings (54 percent) are for two people and 28 percent for three to four people. Only 3 percent of Portuguese book a table for one person.

In 2019, the average budget for consumption in a restaurant in Portugal is €20 per person.

The three types of cuisine most sought after by Portuguese users include traditional Portuguese restaurants, followed by Japanese and international restaurants.

To make their choices, TheFork users can access reviews submitted by an active community of millions of foodies. Only users who have tried a particular restaurant have the opportunity to rate it.

According to TheFork study, 45 percent of users submit a review and 23 percent write comments after the restaurant experience.

The Top 10 most reserved restaurants at TheFork in 2019 in Portugal include the cities of Lisbon (8), Porto (1) and Funchal (1), on first place is Laurentina - The King of Cod (Lisbon), followed by Chiado Palace (Lisbon), Chef Ljubomir Stanisic’s 100 Ways Bistro (Lisbon), SEEN (Lisbon), Smuggling Restaurant and Bar (Lisbon), DesNorte (Lisbon), Yakuza First Floor by Chef Olivier (Lisbon), Frade Dos Mares (Lisbon), Caffeine (Porto) and Il Vivaldi - Mediterranean Cuisine (Funchal).