Never fear, this year it shouldn’t take a lot of luck to get into your favorite bar if you’re among the 28 percent of adults planning to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Because, be honest, that’s where you were planning on going right?

That’s what the National Restaurant Association says, anyway. According to its survey, the most important factor in planning your St. Patty’s Day celebrations is picking a “favorite restaurant or bar, regardless of St. Patrick’s Day theme.”

But woe betide the bar that doesn’t have an emerald brew on hand; “[n]early as many (29 percent) said they favor a restaurant or bar that offers St. Patrick’s Day menu items, such as green beer or traditional Irish food,” reports the survey.

That’s especially true for the lasses in the crowd—women were almost twice as likely as men to value food and drink as the most important factor.

Surprisingly, actual St. Patrick’s Day decorations and Irish music were among the least popular factors for a night out. But most unimportant of allwas an Irish bar, with only 11 percent preferring their favorite pub for the occasion. Still, as long as the location is showing the NCAA basketball tournament, they should be fine.After all, 15 percent of those planning to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at a restaurant or bar will choose a venue showing basketball.

Too bad that doesn’t include the Celtics…

Photo via Flickr user AdamSelwood using Attribution 2.0 Generic license.