Working with 5,000+ restaurants worldwide, BentoBox has released its latest data finding for the hospitality industry. From what people aren’t putting in their drinks to website traffic, here’s a look at what’s to expect as this new year kicks off.
When you’re busy running a restaurant, it’s not always easy to spot what’s up and coming. To make it easy, here are some of the latest trends and what they mean for restaurants in 2020.
Spirts-Free Cocktails
From frosé to the Aperol Spritz, the cocktail kingdom has been subject to many trends over the years. Usually, they are attributed to the addition of new or rediscovered ingredients. However, in 2020 keep an eye on what restaurants are leaving out of their cocktails
Last year, 80% of bartenders reported they would be incorporating more mocktails into their cocktail menus. This year BentoBox discovered that many of them made good on that promise. Spirt-free cocktail offerings have increased by 108% giving more restaurant-goers delicious and creative non-alcoholic options.
Restaurants as Lifestyle Brands
It used to be that people only turned to restaurants for food, but that customer behavior is changing. More restaurants are becoming their own lifestyle brands, offering consumer goods beyond the meal.
Restaurants are selling DIY kits, housewares, accessories and clothing directly to the guests that love them. In 2019, BentoBox found that the number one item sold by a restuarant was a ramen kit from Ichiran, a ramen shop in New York City. From skateboards to reusable bags to soap, restaurants are branching out on what they sell to extend their brand, and customers are there for it!
Up and Coming Holidays
It used to be that December was the biggest holiday season for restaurants, but new data from BentoBox shows that other holidays are becoming just as important to the hospitality world.
When it comes to reservations, Mother’s Day is the most popular holiday, while Valentine’s Day gets the most last-minute reservations. V-day actually sees a 75% spike in reservation requests right before. Restaurants should be on alert for an influx of business around these holidays in 2020.
Mobile is a Must
BentoBox looked into how restaurant visitors are coming to their website. It turns out, 65% of restaurant website visitors are coming from mobile devices, while only 35% are coming from desktop. That’s a 12% increase since 2018.
In 2020, having a mobile-friendly restaurant website is set to become standard practice. Having a responsive website improves a restaurant ranking on Google, making it easier for customers to find. It also provides for a faster website load time. Restaurants who disregard risk losing over half of their website visitors in the new year.
