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Despite the current economic climate, people are seeing Christmas a time to treat themselves. Nearly three quarters (73%) of consumers visited a pub, bar, restaurant or other licensed venue over the 2023 festive period and with the cost of living crisis easing for some people, there is scope to increase that number in 2025.[1]
However, outlets and venues will have to give consumers compelling reasons to go out and deliver high-quality and value-for-money experiences. The opportunities for hospitality venues this year are massive but there are some key and easy wins to gain some Christmas cash in your tills.
1. Longer Serves
A third (33%) of consumers bought fewer drinks than usual in December 2023.[2] However, rather than moving away from specific categories entirely, many are opting for longer serves—such as spritzes or tall cocktails. These longer serves provide a lasting experience that deliver more perceived value in each glass. If you haven't already, make sure to add some long cocktails and mocktails to your festive drinks menu to deliver both customer satisfaction and profitability.
2. Make the Most of Your Mixers
Christmas brings a major opportunity for spirits, with sales in the four weeks to last Christmas 29% ahead of the average for the rest of the year.[3] Spirits go hand in hand with mixers and with one in six consumers planning to purchase festive drinks on premise this Christmas, make sure you have some key festive flavours in your mixers for the perfect spirit pairing. London Essence Orange & Fig Soda is the perfect festive addition to Aperol or Campari and Britvic Ginger Ale is a must have with a spiced rum to stand out and appeal to customers seeking something exciting.
3. Make Booking Easy
For those that are choosing to dine out this Christmas, value is still top of mind with 34% intending to spend less on eating out during the festive period [4], therefore it’s no surprise that food and drink prices and the quality of the food are the main drivers when choosing a venue [5]. Make sure you are shouting about your Christmas offering early and consider what promotions will entice bookings. Offering early bird booking deals for example mean that consumers can get ready for the occasion and you can plan for the right level of customer demand. However don’t neglect the booking process, for such significant bookings, customers want contact so follow up enquiries promptly, and with 74% saying they are happy to pay a deposit [6], make sure you secure it.
4. Don't Forget about Big Bookings
However, Christmas isn’t just about those family occasions, it also means big bookings in the form of Christmas parties and festive get-togethers. Private areas and function rooms are big business this time of year with 24% of people saying they were likely to use a private space or room in a venue last Christmas [7]. Therefore if you have the space, make sure you are utilising it. Consider offering a set menu or package deal for these types of bookings with options to pre-order both food and drink to encourage trade up. 60% prefer to pre-order from a set menu as it is easier and less stressful [8], but it also makes this easier for you and helps to plan your resources. It can also be a good idea to offer canapes and arrival drinks for these occasions to drive revenue.
5. Give the Gift of Gifting
Another significant opportunity for hospitality venues at this time of year is gifting. 2-in-5 would buy a gift card for a particular restaurant or pub as a present [9] so consider putting together some gift packages such as ‘Dinner for 2’, a wine tasting experience or a cocktail making class as easy gifting opportunities for customers.
[1-3] CGA by NIQ Christmas Report 2024
[4-9] KAM - nationally representative sample of 500UK adults -August 2023 vs 2022