HospitalityGEM: Single offerings may alienate customers

According to new research, the recent surge in single offering and specific concept sites in the UK is putting operators at risk of alienating their guests. 40% of diners feel the availability of suitable dishes is the biggest concern when eating out. The trend for a specific offering has resulted in success for Pret a Manger and its veggie pop-up site, however not for County Durham pub, The Victoria, which recently advertised “it’s all about meat”.

With a recent survey by HospitalityGEM revealing 23% of diners described themselves as having special food requirements, it is more important than ever to have a food offering that appeals to multiple markets. However, 30% of diners’ felt staff were not well trained when it came to catering for special dietary requirements.

Steven Pike, Managing Director, HospitalityGEM commented: “All brands need to stand out for something in a crowded marketplace or they will be forgotten. But some subjects are more emotive than others and alienating any particular group can be a risky strategy. While these examples focus on advertising campaigns, the same can be true of interactions with guests in-house.

“There’s no easy answer (apart from playing safe, which may not always gain commercial recognition) but it can help to involve guests in your decision-making process, either in terms of research into what you stand out for (which may be different to what you expect) or by testing the impact of a given message on their perception of you.”