About Yelp Data
Yelp’s rich and unique dataset of consumer and business activity – based on hundreds of millions of reviews and photos, and millions of daily consumer interactions – uncovers cultural trends, economic changes, industry shifts, brand insights, and more. Through ongoing analysis of the data, findings reveal cultural, industry, and economic trends in real time, informing news stories, academic research, business decisions, and local and national economic policy.
News Media
Journalists leverage our data insights to tell compelling economic stories, such as minority-owned new business openings outpacing the national average, women-led stadium tours lifting local economies, consumers experiencing shrinkflation, and the economic impact of car-free streets. Yelp’s award-winning data insights program was recognized in 2021 for informing impactful real-time reporting on the pandemic’s impact on local economies. Our data and findings also help journalists uncover rising trends like early bird dining habits, dog-friendly dining, and the regional nuances of donut culture in the U.S., as well as unique brand insights such as the Most Loved Brands on Yelp.
Academia and Local Government
Academic researchers use our data to inform health-related research, such as identifying acts of interpersonal racism in health care or positive public health effects from posting restaurant inspection information. Yelp data helps researchers study business cases, from the impact business owner identity attributes have on customer engagement to the effect of minimum-wage levels on restaurant success, and why restaurants that are out of the way are often better. We also share data with researchers and students through our open dataset initiative. Additionally, local governments use our data to advocate for policy and inform their economic recovery strategy.
For more information or to request Yelp data for a potential story, please reach out to press@yelp.com. Join our mailing list to receive an email when new reports are released.
Yelp data can also assist you in developing market insights for your business. Learn more about Yelp Knowledge here.
Yelp data in the news
Washington Post
The most popular pizza style in every state, mapped
“After reading thousands of reviews, and exchanging just about as many emails with our friends at Yelp, we found that the secret to measuring American pizza is a careful parsing of the review text. ‘Today’s consumer palette is looking for a more localized take on pizzas and something you can’t find elsewhere when traveling,’ said Brittany Smith, who directs community campaigns at Yelp and thus has a neighborhood-eye view of all that’s trending in the pizza universe.”
Axios
Inside the business boom of 2023
“New listings of shops and services on Yelp are on track to beat 2022's all-time high, according to a new report from the company. ‘As reasons for economic optimism grow, it’s promising to see new business growth approach a new all-time high, with the uptick being reflected in minority-owned businesses as well,’ Yelp says.”
Fortune
Yelp coins the ‘Beyoncé bump’ for the economic halo created by the pop star’s Renaissance Tour
“Beyoncé is a force, and it’s fascinating to see the level of excitement and tangible
Bloomberg
Americans Gravitating Toward Fine Dining, According to Yelp
“Americans are gravitating toward fine dining, according to Yelp data. Listings for new restaurants were up 10% between April 2022 and March 2023 compared to the same period a year earlier, per a Yelp report.”
Washington Post
America’s doughnut capital. Can we stop at just one?
“We kicked off our investigation with our friends at Yelp, who shared all the doughnut shop listings on the review site. By grouping stores with the same name and calculating the most common doughnut shop in groups of census tracts around the country, we found that our reader’s observation was right on: The United States is a federation of at least nine distinct doughnut nations.”
The Takeout
The Food Brands We Love Most, According to Yelp
“Yelp just released its Top 50 “Most Loved Brands” report, and it’s a telling glimpse into consumer behavior and loyalty in 2023. The results are fascinating for lots of reasons, but there’s one thing that’s absolutely undisputed: Americans love eating meals they didn’t prepare for themselves. Nine of the top 10 beloved brands on the list are either restaurant chains or stores that sell food.”
Axios
Interest in pickleball exploded during the pandemic
“Americans searching for ways to fill new chunks of leisure time are leaning heavily toward pickleball, data out today from Yelp shows. Interest in the game [pickleball] shot up by 275% from 2019 to 2022, according to changes in consumer actions such as viewing relevant business pages, sharing photos or posting reviews on Yelp.”
Bloomberg
US Business Openings on Yelp Reached Record Last Year
“Business openings reached an all-time high in the US last year, with the vast majority of states exceeding pre-pandemic levels, according to Yelp Inc. data. About 637,590 businesses opened on Yelp’s online platform in 2022, compared with 566,836 in 2019. In particular, the number of new businesses catering to homeowners and offering local services soared.”
Forbes
Is The Newest Trend In Cocktails…Pickles?
“Recently, more and more pickle-packed beverages have entered the scene. This week, Yelp predicted the top trends of 2023, citing its searches and businesses that drew significant interest over the last two years. One of the top 10 trends listed is pickle-flavored products, including pickle martinis and pickle ice cream. Searches for pickle-flavored food were up 55%. “Pickles are a big ‘dill’ this year,” Yelp noted.”
Architectural Digest
DIY Diary: Jeremiah Brent Shares Expert Advice on Designing a Deck
“Earlier this summer, Yelp released a report of top backyard trends of 2021. Among the terms experiencing a meteoric rise in interest among consumers, the searches for outdoor decks were up 373% this year and increased by 64% between February and March. Turns out building and enjoying a deck wasn’t just something on my mind.”
Fast Company
Yelp finds evidence of ‘shrinkflation’ in restaurant reviews
“For the first time ever consumers are mentioning ‘shrinkflation’ in Yelp reviews. In Q2 2022, consumers are talking about shrinkflation-related experiences most commonly at restaurants serving more affordable offerings like hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, followed by seafood restaurants, Italian food, and Chinese food.”
Good Morning America
Top trends coming in 2022
“Lagom is the new hygge. Hygge is a lifestyle trend that we don’t see going anywhere. It’s still all about comfort and coziness, and we believe people will continue to embrace that. But searches for “lagom” have increased by 33% in just the past two months, on Yelp. Plus, carb lovers will love this next trend. Searches for “croffles”, a hybrid between a croissant and a waffle, are up 1,505% on Yelp.”
CNBC
Yelp data shows 60% of business closures due to the coronavirus pandemic are now permanent
“Home and professional services such as landscapers, contractors and lawyers, see a much lower closure rate than clothing stores and even home decor businesses…