Americans are opening their wallets to celebrate romance — and a lot of them are looking for experiences.
According to the National Retail Federation, people are expected to spend $23.9 billion this Valentine's Day. While candy, greeting cards, and flowers make the top three most popular gifts, experiences are growing in popularity. This year, 31 percent of respondents said they plan on gifting an activity, whether that's dinner out or tickets to see a show. It's up from just 24 percent in 2021.
"We've had a rough two years," said Junior's Restaurant owner Alan Rosen. "People are itching to get out, enjoy themselves. They want experiences. They want to go to famous restaurants. They want to go to places and travel, and, of course, have some great cheesecake with their loved ones."
The diner chain, famous for its cheesecake, is celebrating the holiday by offering vow renewals and weddings at its flagship location in Brooklyn, N.Y. Rosen even got ordained in order to facilitate the ceremonies. Three lucky couples who had Junior's-related love stories were gifted a New York City honeymoon, where they received tickets to a Broadway show, a hotel stay in the Big Apple, and other treats including Junior's cheesecake for life.
"Just in this recent weekend with the mask mandate being lifted, I think people felt a little bit overjoyed," Rosen said about business bounding back. "Obviously, Valentine's Day is a great time to celebrate."
Whether it’s a deepfake video of actor Tom Cruise discovering gum in a lollipop or President Joe Biden discouraging people from voting via telephone, you’ve likely come across a deepfake video, photo or audio recording.
Tensions in the South China Sea, Apple moving to India, and banning TikTok? The podcast ‘Face Off: The U.S. Versus China’ helps explain how we got here.
Cust2Mate is a leading innovator in retail technology, aiming to revolutionize the shopping experience. By implementing smart cart technology, the tech company addresses the issue of theft while enhancing the shopper's journey.
The Biden administration has unveiled a plan, Plan B, to address the student loan debt crisis. It offers to cancel up to $20,000 in interest for borrowers enrolled in income-driven repayment plans. This proposal aims to reset balances for those facing growing debt due to unpaid interest, benefiting low—and middle-income borrowers. An estimated 25 million borrowers are eligible for some form of interest forgiveness.
As we head into the second quarter, there’s an argument in favor of buying Boeing stock. Why? As one expert says, ‘there’s nowhere else to get planes.’
With inflation and prices still on the rise, it might be worth considering a carpool app. One of them, Singapore-based Ryde, just went public in the U.S.
Full Glass Wine Co., the company behind Bright Cellars, Wine Insiders, and Winc, knows you fell in love with home delivery during the pandemic – and it’s investing millions into making it even better.
