What’s next for hospitality?

At the end of a long and devastating year for hospitality in the UK, Katy Moses, MD of KAM Media, looks at what 2021 could possibly hold for the industry- asking “what’s next for hospitality?” (If you don’t get her weekly blogs you can sign up here.)

“As we near the end of the year, I should be sharing with you some last minute insight into proposed consumer behaviour over the next two weeks, some insight about operator sentiment and some thoughts about 2021 and what it could hold for the hospitality industry. Living, as we are, in a government-enforced no-man’s land, even those of us who look at insight and research to point the way are often forced to admit that we might have to just “wait and see”.

Recent KAM research, however, has told us that for those unlucky operators in tier 3 who are unable to open for the usually lucrative festive season, there is at least a chink of light insomuch as customers still want to interact with their brands;

• 25% of people we spoke to would still consider a take-away Christmas dinner
• 20% would be interested in a ‘cook at home’ option
• 26% would like to buy a gift voucher for their local pub/restaurant
• 25% would like a “NYE celebrate at home” box (drinks, food, party poppers and the like…)
• 27% would be interested in a ‘make at home’ cocktail kit
• And 34% are up for getting a take-away keg of beer

You can download a handy infographic of the above stats here.

For those still trading, but with their hands tied behind their back and their eyes forcibly closed thanks to the lack of common sense or information coming out of the government (otherwise known as tier 2), there have been two new (possible) occasions that have emerged out of the gloom;

• 24% of those we spoke to would consider visiting a pub/restaurant for Christmas breakfast or brunch, rather than the traditional lunch
• And the same amount- 24%- would consider a NYE lunch instead of dinner

Am I presenting this information as a silver lining? Absolutely not. What I’m trying to show is that out of the flames, comes the phoenix.

“Customers WANT hospitality to succeed.”

Our industry is suffering knock-back after knock-back. Salt poured into already very sore wounds on a daily basis- but there is one thing that remains- customers WANT hospitality to succeed. They see their interactions with pubs, bars and restaurants as essential to their lives and are, because of that fact, willing to come with us on this helluva bumpy ride.

They are proving that they are paradoxically both adaptable and loyal. That if we can’t provide them with the traditional services and products that they love, that they are willing to join us on a new journey and explore new ways of interacting with good food, good drinks and great service.

Wishing you all the best for 2021. If we can help in anyway, let me know.”

Katy Mose

MD, KAM Media

You can sign up for Katy’s weekly blogs- KAMera-An Eye On Hospitality- here.