Throughout the years, hotel food and beverage programs have grown and evolved to accommodate lodging industry trends. Today, these programs are so much more than a continental breakfast and room service. They include local foods, special menus, and an experience that drives business not just from guests in the hotel, but also local foodies looking for a night out.
According Adam Williamowsky, co-founder of retail concept and product investor and developer Financial Foods, the most successful hotel food and beverage programs are the ones that become an essential part of the surrounding neighborhood and attract local residents to their restaurants. “When guests are searching for a place to eat during their stay, you want to be sure that there’s no reason for them to look outside of your property, and the best way to do that is to have locals frequenting your establishment,” Williamowsky says, adding, “This is a way that any property can generate value.”
While there are many ways to grab the attention of locals, one of the most trendy is to cater to the wellness-minded. More hotels are doing this by sourcing regional and organic food and beverage products. “Each of these elements adds to the guest experience and may be easily delivered though marketing and social media channels to establish authenticity,” says Chip McIntyre, senior vice president of strategic sourcing for Avendra.
The shift toward turning hotel restaurants into a neighborhood hot spots is partially caused by people eating out more, not just when they travel, but in their everyday lives. Williamowsky says this is because much of our day-to-day interactions have been eliminated by the rise of online communities and services that take away from our experiences out in the real world. “I can buy my groceries, my clothes, basically anything I need, online. However, I’ll never be able to eat online. This is why people are eating out more and more,” he explains.
Ultimately, what most travelers, and people in general, are looking for is somewhere comfortable where they can eat and socialize. Hotel food and beverage programs that change their approach to capture this market will be able to capitalize on this trend.
