Among feasts and toasts, at home or at the restaurant, all data of the national New Year’s Eve

At home with friends and family or at a restaurant, on an agritourism stay or at some big party before toasting in the many squares of Italy, the time for the last dinner of the year is approaching, along with the toast which bids farewell to a complicated 2025 and welcomes a 2026 that, as always, we hope will be better than the year before. Tables laden with food will celebrate the holiday and that way of understanding conviviality and dining together which is one of the cornerstones of the recognition of Italian Cooking as Unesco Heritage. But New Year’s Eve is also a key moment for the consumption of agri-food products, wines, and for the tourism and restaurant world.
Indeed, according to Fipe-Confcommercio, 4.6 million people will celebrate in one of the 76,500 restaurants open tonight, for an estimated total expenditure of 439 million euros (+9.7% compared to the 2024 New Year’s Eve dinner).
More broadly, according to Confcooperative, New Year’s Eve dinners will generate a total turnover of 2.5 billion euros, 200 million euros more than in 2024, with many menus, at home or restaurants, featuring fish and traditional dishes more generally. Among these, for New Year’s Eve, absolute symbols are cotechino and zampone: over 3.3 million pieces sold of the two PGI versions from Modena, says the Consortium which protects them, for a turnover in 2025 of 21.3 million euros.
In general, according to a Coldiretti/Ixe’ survey, 42% of Italians will celebrate at home, another 42% with relatives or friends, while 16% will choose restaurants and agritourisms, which record over 400,000 reservations (+5% compared to 2024).
Spending for the New Year’s Eve dinner still divides families: 30% will manage to keep the budget within 50 euros, 28% will spend between 50 and 100 euros, and 22% will reach 150 euros.
Sparkling wine is, in any case, a must: according to Fipe, only tonight, 1.3 million corks will pop in Italian venues, while 100 million bottles of sparkling wine will be opened during the holidays, this is the “sale” of these celebrations, according to Coldiretti and Ixe’, with Prosecco (DOC, Conegliano Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG and Asolo Superiore DOCG) dominating, followed by Asti, Franciacorta and Trentodoc, but also Alta Langa, Moscato and Oltrepò Pavese, along with many expressions from native grape varieties which have emerged in recent years throughout all Italy. Cheers!