New Study Reveals Home Hosts Juggle 5+ Different Apps to Plan a Single Gathering
The Gourmet Host research finds extreme tool fragmentation, widespread menu anxiety, and a post-pandemic shift toward smaller, more intentional gatherings
March 3, 2026 (Toronto, Canada) — A new qualitative study on home entertaining behaviour in Canada has found that the average host uses 4.7 different tools — from recipe websites and group texts to spreadsheets and handwritten lists — to plan a single gathering. Across all respondents interviewed, no two people reported using the same combination.
The Canadian Home Entertaining Study, conducted between June and July 2025 through in-depth interviews with home hosts with ages ranging from 20s through 70s, was carried out in partnership with Impact Consulting Group, the student-run strategy consulting arm hosted by the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management.
The research reveals a home entertaining landscape defined by fragmentation and emotional tension. An estimated 82% of respondents cited menu planning and decision fatigue as their top frustration — not because they lack cooking ability, but because the volume of decisions involved in choosing, coordinating, and timing dishes for a group becomes overwhelming. When hosting six or more guests, an estimated 91% default to familiar, tried-and-true recipes despite wanting more variety, driven by fear of disappointing guests rather than lack of skill.
Timing compounds the pressure. Roughly 76% of respondents identified sequencing multiple dishes as more stressful than the cooking itself. Meanwhile, 96% rely on text messaging and WhatsApp as their primary coordination tool for gatherings — not purpose-built hosting or event platforms.
The study also captured notable post-pandemic behavioural shifts. Respondents described a move toward smaller, more frequent, and more intentional gatherings, replacing the large dinner parties that were more common before 2020. Approximately 18% reported shifting away from alcohol toward non-alcoholic beverages and alternatives at their events. Life stage plays a significant role: families with children under five reported an estimated 71% reduction in hosting frequency, while empty nesters showed a 43% increase.
Culturally, the research — conducted primarily in the Greater Toronto Area — found distinct hosting traditions across Jewish, Middle Eastern, Italian, South Asian, and East Asian households, each with its own rhythms and meal structures that existing planning tools are not designed to accommodate.
The research was conducted by The Gourmet Host, a Toronto-based platform dedicated to making home entertaining more accessible. Founded in 2023, the company publishes hosting resources at thegourmethost.com and has an iOS and Android mobile application for dinner party planning and coordination.
The full study findings, methodology, and participant insights are available here.
Media Contact
David Jubé
CEO & Founder, The Gourmet Host
contactus@thegourmethost.com
thegourmethost.com
About The Gourmet Host
The Gourmet Host is a Toronto-based platform dedicated to making home entertaining more accessible and enjoyable. Founded in 2023, the company publishes hosting guides, recipes, and entertaining resources at thegourmethost.com and most recently published a mobile application designed to simplify dinner party planning and coordination.
