January has been a busy month for the KAM team, and one of the highlights was our first Informants event of 2026.
We brought together an outstanding line-up of speakers to explore the key trends shaping the hospitality industry in the year ahead, from consumer behaviour and value expectations to the growing role of AI in operations.
Below are the major themes that emerged – and why they matter for pubs, brewers, operators and hospitality brands navigating 2026.
1. Value is now foundational, not optional
Simon Stenning, founder of Future Foodservice, opened the session with a clear message:
Value is now the single most important factor shaping consumer decision-making in hospitality.
Although inflation is easing and interest rates are expected to fall, the fundamentals remain difficult:
- Consumer confidence is fragile
- Costs are structurally higher
- Growth will be hard-won
Consumers are spending cautiously, often prioritising saving over discretionary spend, even where wages have remained technically positive.
Price Benchmarks Are Hardening
Guests have become highly aware of “acceptable” price points, such as:
- ~£6 for a pint
- ~£4 for a coffee
- ~£15 for a pizza
Pushing beyond these benchmarks increasingly leads to switching behaviour or reduced frequency, rather than higher spend.
Delivering Value Through Experience
As panelists Caroline Ottoy (MD, WatchHouse), Jason Cotta (Group CEO, Arcturus Group) and Ben Warren (Commercial Director, Professionals at Play) discussed:
Many hospitality experiences now cost significantly more than they did pre-pandemic, without necessarily feeling better.
Value must therefore be delivered through:
- Consistency
- Clarity
- Atmosphere
- Service
- A sense of occasion
2. Fewer venues, higher expectations
Closures across pubs and restaurants are expected to continue in 2026, leading to:
- A smaller on-trade
- A more professionalised market
- Increased competition for fewer occasions
As communities lose venues, overall frequency of going out may decline — raising the stakes for those that remain.
Every outlet must work harder to give people a reason to leave the sofa.
That reason could be:
Occasion-led experiences
Relevance
Theatre
Atmosphere
3. A polarising market demands clarity
Hospitality continues to polarise into two ends of the spectrum:
The Everyday Value End
- Familiar, routine-driven visits
- Price-sensitive occasions
The Premium Experience End
- Less frequent but memorable visits
- Destination-led experiences
The middle ground is becoming harder to sustain.
Brands that try to be everything to everyone risk losing relevance.
Success in 2026 will depend on being clear about:
Which occasions you truly own, who you are and what you stand for
4. Experience is the true differentiator
As frequency falls, expectations rise.
Experience is no longer just for premium hospitality – it matters everywhere.
Whether through:
- Warm service
- Storytelling
- Atmosphere
- Design
- Theatre
Guests are still willing to pay more – but only when the experience earns it.
Experience is now the key justification for price.
5. AI moves from dashboards to decisions
A standout discussion came from Lauren Gould, focusing on how AI is transforming hospitality operations and guest insight.
Hospitality brands have more data than ever, but many face an “insight gap”:
- Head office sees metrics
- Frontline teams need action
AI is increasingly helping bridge this gap by:
- Translating complex data into simple narratives
- Surfacing patterns behind guest feedback
- Supporting faster, more confident decision-making on site
AI is shifting from reporting to real operational decision support.
Reinventing hospitality isn’t optional in 2026
The overarching message from the event was clear:
For most operators, growth in 2026 will be modest. The external environment won’t do the heavy lifting.
The levers that matter most will be:
- Value
- Clarity of proposition
- Experience
- Relevance
- Smarter use of AI
Brits still absolutely want hospitality in their lives – but they are asking the industry to earn that place more clearly than ever before.
Interested in understanding your category, consumers, customers or employees a little better? Take a look at other work we’ve done and get in touch to see how we can help you.
