Hotel Food and Beverage Trends
Food and beverage (F&B) programs have always been an important part of the hotel industry, but their importance only continues to rise. A hotel or resort鈥檚 F&B offerings could make or break a consumer鈥檚 decision to stay at the property or host an event like a meeting or wedding. With this in mind, we鈥檙e highlighting some of the top hotel food and beverage trends, along with ways your property can bring them to the table.
“Clean up”聽your menus
For the last decade or so, 鈥渇ad鈥� diets and clean eating have been on trend. And offering healthier fare is still important. But aside from less fat, carbs, sugar, etc., consumers want to know where their food is coming from. 鈥淥rganic鈥� and 鈥渇arm-to-table鈥� have become major buzzwords in the F&B world. Capitalize on that by partnering with local farmers. Not only will consumers like knowing the source of their meals, they鈥檙e more likely to choose a restaurant that supports local agriculture.
Also consider offering gluten- and allergen-free menus. Trying to eat out and follow a restrictive diet can be daunting and stressful for some diners. Showing that you鈥檙e thinking of them and their needs will go a long way in attracting customers and building loyalty.
Honor the day
It seems like each day something is being 鈥渃elebrated.鈥� There鈥檚 a National Pizza Day, National Nutella Day and National Blueberry Pie Day (which, FYI, is coming up on April 28), just to name a few. Even the entire month of May is devoted to burgers. Capitalize on some of these 鈥渉olidays鈥� by offering specials catered to these days. Take聽Burger Month, for example: your property鈥檚 restaurant could offer a different specialty burger each week.
Mix it up with learning experiences
People love to learn new things. And in many cases, they鈥檙e willing to pay for this knowledge. Consider offering classes鈥攍ike wine and cheese pairings or how to make craft cocktails鈥攖o your leisure guests or as add-ons to group packages. Take a cue from Quirk Hotel in Richmond, VA: they offered a liquor infusion class to meeting attendees as an alternative break activity鈥攁nd charged $50 a head for 60 people1. That鈥檚 $3,000 extra in revenue. In fact, it was that unique experience that made Quirk stand out and persuaded the group to book their meeting at the property.
Cheers to beer
Craft brews are all the rage right now. Breweries are really stepping outside the box and experimenting with a variety of flavors and ingredients, and beer lovers are traveling all over to visit these brewers. Capitalize on that by offering combination packages with local brewers鈥攜ou can provide lodging and transportation to and from the brewery and they can provide the guests鈥� entertainment with tours and tastings. (Plus, partnering with local businesses is never a bad idea鈥攃ross-promotion can really help drive revenue.)
Many restaurants are stepping up their game by offering beers from popular breweries, both local and national. Even better: partner with a brewery to offer an exclusive beer, or maybe hold a tap takeover (offering only beers from one brewery for a limited time). Limited releases and beer-related events are sure to bring in more customers to raise a glass. If you鈥檙e feeling adventurous, take it a step further and brew your own beer to offer on property.
Show love for local cuisine
While it鈥檚 a good idea to offer a variety of fare, it鈥檚 also smart to include regionally-specific items on the menu. Take , for example: they鈥檙e based just outside Charleston, SC鈥攁lso known as the Lowcountry鈥攁nd their passion for their location is evident in their menus. Seasonally, they offer weekly oyster roasts鈥攁 true Lowcountry treat鈥攑lus Southern favorites like shrimp and grits.
Make it post-worthy
In an age where social media is king, people will take pictures of anything and everything to post online鈥攐ne of the most popular things being food. So appeal to these photo-loving foodies and jazz up your presentation to attract them to your restaurant. Over-the-top food presentations are becoming a trend themselves. A solid example of this is Black Tap, a New York City burger and beer spot best known for their incredible milkshakes that have been topped with everything from cotton candy to a full slice of birthday cake (see the photo at the top of this post). People travel from all over and often stand in around-the-corner lines to get in. Media outlets can鈥檛 get enough of these photo-friendly shakes. And their social media following has increased astronomically in just a few months, all thanks to some eye-catching treats. Learn from Black Tap and pick a specialty item and really go for it. Offer something unique and customers will come鈥攁nd post.
Ready to sink your teeth into hotel food and beverage trends and find out how to make them work for your property? Reach out to Lynn Kaniper at lkaniper@danacommunications.com or 609.466.9187 ext. 117 today.
1https://www.hotelfandb.com/blog/?p=4484