10 Restaurant Facts that'll surprise you!
A slightly more light-hearted post to mark the end of the month
27 Feb 2019
Restaurants are a pivotal part of many people's lives. Yet, how much do we really know about restaurants, and what interesting morsels have we yet to glean? Below are 10 fascinating and unexpected facts that might just spice up your knowledge about the restaurant industry.
1. Restaurant is actually a French word. Yep! Even if you're not a fan of French cuisine, we have France to thank for the word 'restaurant'. Initially, a restaurant was the name given to a type of hearty Buillion soup that French taverns served to people to bolster spirits and treat ailments. 
2. Almost 40% of Americans have worked at a restaurant at some point in their lives - even if that stint was just a part-time job.
3. The world's biggest restaurant is located in Syria and is called Bamwabet Dimashq Restaurant. This mammoth eatery has a staggering 6,014 available seats.
4. The world's oldest running restaurant is located in Madrid, Spain. Opened in 1725, Botin Restaurant boasts a history of nearly 300 years!
5. The most expensive burger in the world comes in at a whopping 5,000 USD. The Fleur de Lys is served exclusively at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas.
6. The French Revolution saw the birth of fine dining. After Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette met their demise, many top-class chefs were out of a job. They decided to open up their own eateries and served fine food to the masses, which eventually spawned a food revolution across Europe and then the world.
7. A quarter of diners say integrated technology options at a restaurant (such as online ordering) are important features that factor into their decision when choosing a restaurant.
8. According to a survey conducted in 1999, the most common cause of arguments in restaurants is when someone steals another person's fries.
9. The restaurant industry sees sales of $1.9 billion every 24 hours, on average
10. Restaurant review sites (27.7%) and a restaurant's website (27%), are the most important places consumers turn when deciding on whether to visit a new restaurant.
