Blogs
In any competitive industry, it's important to stay on top of the trends so you can deliver according to demand. That's why we've already got our eye on what 2018 holds in store for hospitality...
Dining solo. According to Waitrose's Food and Drink Report 2017-2018, dining solo is on the rise, with 78% of consumers believing that going it alone in a pub or restaurant is more socially acceptable than it was five years ago. The research revealed 45% of guests believe this change in attitude is due to restaurants becoming more single-person friendly. Does your venue do enough to put the solo diner at ease?
Full disclosure. The Mintel Global Food and Drink Trends 2018 report highlighted the growth of natural, ethical and environmental claims and the subsequent increase in widespread distrust. As a result, guests are clamouring for full disclosure of ingredients and sourcing. Mintel found that 57% of adults in the UK who use and buy milk, milk drinks or cream are more likely to buy the products from a brand that spells out how it supports its farmers, right there on the package. Something to think about when designing menus.
Rise of the vegans, vegetarians and flexitarians. We came across an interesting article in EatOut magazine which highlighted that veganism has increased by 360% in Great Britain over the past 10 years - this makes it the country's fastest growing lifestyle movement. Additionally, a third of consumers have chosen to embrace a flexitarian lifestyle due to concerns about animal welfare, the environment and personal health. However, our research shows operators could do more to cater to this lucrative crowd. We found that 69% of guests thought the range of vegan options when dining out was poor and 70% thought vegetarian options were poor or only 'quite good'. Our survey also revealed that taste was far and away the most important factor - chosen by 64% of guests - when choosing a vegetarian over a meat option. Take a look at our infographic to see more results from this survey.
Experiential boom. EatOut Magazine also suggested the experiential boom shows no sign of slowing. Guests no longer choose a venue simply to eat and drink, they want memorable experiences which exceed expectations. Hospitality operators should look to offer something unique to guests and be ready to react quickly to changing trends.
Data to connect and personalise. The Mintel report predicts that technology will continue to offer new possibilities to connect with guests and personalise experiences with recommendations of products or individually targeted promotions. Our research suggests using tech and data in this way could prove lucrative to hospitality businesses - on returning to a hotel, 38% of our surveyed guests would expect a personalised service based on a previous stay's preferences or extras.
