As 2023 gets underway hospitality, like most other businesses, is beginning to take stock of 2022 and plan for the year ahead. Here, we take a look at 2023 hospitality trends so you can be one step ahead of the game.
Reduced menu sizes
With rising supplier costs, soaring energy bills and staff shortages, it’s safe to say that 2022 was (another) challenging year for hospitality. As we start 2023 these problems are still on the menu, with resolutions seemingly a long way off. As a result, restaurants are looking for ways to cut costs and streamline their operations without having to shut up shop.
With this in mind it’s likely that 2023 will see restaurants and bars rolling out streamlined menus in a bid to make ends meet from both a resource and financial point of view. In fact, the latest Future Shock report claims that 35% of businesses plan to simplify their menus in order to combat staff shortages and soaring supplier costs.
While the cause of this cutback is hardly cause for celebration, a smaller menu can help you hone your craft and put extra focus on the dishes you are able to offer for an all round splendid service. You know what they say quality over quantity. Meanwhile, streamlining your offering now can help you build up a more robust defence to future cost increases or unexpected staff shortages.
Offer an offer
It isn’t just hospitality that is facing rising costs. Diners have also been hit with record inflation and soaring bills leaving little leftover cash for dining out or heading to your local, a scenario that has a detrimental effect on hospitality takings.
It is therefore essential that restaurants serve up an offer to entice would-be diners back into restaurants this year. Whether it’s an early bird offer, set menu or happy hour, a good offer with plenty of promotion is much-needed in 2023. A profile on our dining guide is also a sure-fire way to boost the reach of your restaurant or bar’s offer; we can even share your offers on our social media platforms to introduce your venue and offering to a whole new audience and therefore increase your bookings and takings.
Low and no alcohol drinks
It’s looking like dry January could be for life not just for the new year with Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I stating that one in five (21%) people would opt for non-alcoholic beer as their drink of choice at a social event.
With an increasing number of people opting to go sober on nights out and the non-alcoholic drinks market soaring, it would seem that sourcing high-quality low or non-alcoholic drinks is a must for pubs and restaurants as we move into 2023 and beyond.
After all, 21% of people is a lot of people to not cater for. Instead, by offering a wide range of low or non-alcoholic drinks such as mocktails, non-alcoholic beers and low alcohol wines you can ensure that your venue becomes the place to be whatever your tipple is.
Deposits
Over the past few years deposits have become increasingly commonplace when booking a table at a restaurant or bar. While initially deposits were seen as a risque, often ‘out there’ suggestion, diners are now often expecting to give their card details or pay a small deposit to reserve a table. And, as hospitality struggles under rising bills, no shows are going to become an even larger sting in the tail this year. With this in mind, we predict that taking deposits will become the norm for most restaurants and bars in 2023 with customers and restaurants alike fully onboard with the concept.
When you sign up for Sugarvine Tables you get a secure deposits system included as standard. Powered by Stripe, our deposits system allows you to securely take a deposit, take full payment for an event or simply hold card details all at the point of booking. It’s a simple, non-intrusive way to prevent no shows but also protect your revenue should the worst happen.
Time for tech
With staff shortages rife across the industry and with customers expecting an immediate 24/7 response to booking requests, pen and paper diaries are quickly becoming insufficient and unsustainable for hospitality businesses.
Instead, the focus is fully on automated systems such as online table booking systems, table management software and deposit systems.
Shifting to booking technology in 2023 is a sure-fire way to make sure you stay ahead of the curve and don’t get left behind in today’s tech-centric world. While a shift to online reservation software may be daunting, Sugarvine Tables is simple and easy to use with ample benefits for restaurants and bars. In fact, those switching from pen and paper to an online booking system could see a 20% uplift in bookings with no per cover charges from us.
Want to get in on 2023’s biggest trends?
Tapping into the latest trends can feel like you’re constantly chasing your tail. But, adopting the best value table booking system, Sugarvine Tables, comes with marketing, table management and deposits included as well as your table booking system. All of this means you can up your marketing activity, streamline booking processes and take deposits all without lifting a finger, allowing you to focus on tapping into those trends.
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