A new era for F&B? There is a growing voice as all venues compete to become destinations.

A comment was made by a global C-suite director this week that said: “The game has changed. Every hotel, venue, stadium and cultural site will need to see their F&B provision through fresh eyes. All our battles are for the consumer’s spend and F&B is now proven to be a key reason to visit. There can be no more excuses for poor food service; it has to be far better.”

In many ways, food service offers are becoming a great leveller and the discussion is moving from one when the discussion is dominated by cost to one which is about engagement and growth mind-sets. Many cultural and art sites, all across the country, are painfully aware that they need to raise the bar in their engagement of local communities and customers; the need is to create destinations where consumers want to come and dwell.

Hotels too are having to think far more deeply as if all is becoming about the experience, then the whole experience needs to be strong. Most accept that often their F&B has been secondary in thought to rooms but it is now often F&B which engages local audiences.

Even within Independent schools, the narrative has changed as a fall on boarding numbers has prompted a desire to improve their food service offers in order to attract new interest and boarders to schools. How times have changed.

Consumer research is showing time and again that consumers want to spend on hospitality, to spend time in great destinations, restaurants, and bars – so what is going to win that revenue spend?

It does come back to the question – what is it which creates a full experience? The answer can be varied but will invariably include Food service.

The argument is the same for offices. There is a growing voice which notes that if a company wants to attract back its employees, then the new employee journey must be stronger and must include a strong Food service offer.

All companies are learning that there is a need for a new narrative for the new era emerging. What was seen as good enough between 2010-20 now needs to be raised; whether in choice, in quality, in sustainability, in engagement. It needs a stronger and more engaging narrative than existed previously and a new understanding; an understanding of what will engage the consumer, the employee, the student, the pupil and make them engage in return. The old rhetoric of talking at audiences is no longer as effective.

The focus is also moving from transactions numbers to increasing dwell times as the latter also sees greater spend but also loyalty and consumer retention. This may well see longer dwell times at dinner, at lunchtime, even at breakfast; in stadiums after a match, in venues after an event.

It could be the start of a golden new era which sees real change and new innovation across all food service markets.