The Best and Worst Times to Visit Different Public Places

We're all looking to avoid large crowds right now thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, so Google is trying to help. They recently published an article with a whole bunch of COVID-related holiday data, including the best and worst times to go out in public. It reads:

"Popular times and live busyness information in Google Maps have always been essential holiday tools, helping you avoid unwanted crowds. These tools help you know in advance when places are going to be busy so you can save precious time and also social distance."

If you're looking to grab a cup of coffee at a coffee shop, it's best to avoid them on Saturdays around 10 a.m. The best time to stop is Tuesdays near 4 p.m. The busiest time of the week for restaurants is 6 p.m. on Fridays, so you'll maybe want to visit on a Tuesday for a late lunch around 3 p.m. instead. The grocery store is always busiest on Saturdays between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m., but going around 8 a.m. on a Monday will help you avoid those crowds. And for pharmacies, the busiest time of the week is Fridays around 3 p.m., so if you can stop by Monday around 9 a.m., you can save yourself some time.

The new article from Google also looks at trends regarding food. Out of all the different types of cuisine, it says that Americans have been craving Mexican food the most, with around a 20% increase in searches. And, takeout has become much more popular in recent months. Interest in the term has gone up 306%!

For more 2020 Google Maps holiday data, check out the full article HERE.