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It's highly unlikely you'll see a restaurant or bar that stocks alcohol actively encouraging guests to partake in 'Dry January'. But there's no doubt the trend has caught hold this year with a YouGov poll estimating around 3.1m people in the UK were planning to go 'dry' for a month.
In an effort to minimise the risk to business, some operators in the sector have decided to turn the trend on its head. Instead of 'Dry January', guests are being encouraged to partake in 'Try January' by experimenting with new food and drink throughout the first month of the year.
The initiative grew from cocktail bar group All Bar One's January 2015 campaign which promoted January as the month to try their new cocktail range. Last year, the term 'Try January' was commandeered by The Morning Advertiser who aims to "harness the New Year's resolution mindset amidst an otherwise dreary month and transform it into something fun".
The Morning Advertiser drinks and content editor Jessica Mason said: "The 'Try January' campaign aims to challenge people to... step out of their comfort zone and, rather than ordering their 'usual' to go for something that they haven't tried before. I think that, collectively, we can make January a month for discovering new favourite drinks and dishes and I know that the British hospitality industry has a lot to offer its customers who are willing to challenge their taste buds."
Hospitality operators may want to extend their repertoire or promote some interesting options on the menu as part of the 'Try January' initiative. The aim is to counteract the effect of 'Dry January' in a positive manner, preventing "thousands of pubs and bars across the country seeing in the New Year with low takings during January" while rewarding loyal guests with something new and different.
Guests and hospitality operators alike are encouraged to share their experiences under the hashtag #tryjanuary.
