Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Market drivers
- Leisure industry forecast to grow over 2015-20 as economy improves
- National Living Wage puts pressure on margins
- The rise in number of children is a positive, given high usage among families
- Companies and brands
- Cinemas aim to make the occasion more special
- Themed food and drink creates theatre around catering
- Better-for-you choices aim to appeal to health-conscious consumers
- Three players dominate cinema sector
- National Trust leads by visits among visitor attractions
- ATG in the lead in a fragmented theatre sector
- Top three account for half of lanes in tenpin bowling
- Leading catering/hospitality groups have a presence at leisure venues
- The consumer
- Two in three adults use leisure venue catering
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- Figure 1: Types of leisure venues visited and use of catering, February 2016
- Family and friends are top companions for using leisure venue catering
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- Figure 2: Who people use leisure venue food and drink facilities with, February 2016
- Discounts can help to manage footfall
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- Figure 3: Leisure venue catering enticements, February 2016
- Balancing the demand for quick and leisurely experiences
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- Figure 4: Leisure venue catering preferences, February 2016
- Secondary spend remains in line of fire
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- Figure 5: Attitudes towards leisure venue catering, February 2016
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Technology can help caterers engage users and improve the food and drink service experience
- The facts
- The implications
- Themed food and drink can offer much-needed support to position catering as more central to leisure venue visits
- The facts
- The implications
- Wider foodservice can offer cues for steps needed to combat poor perceptions on quality and freshness
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Leisure industry forecast to grow over 2015-20 as economy improves
- National Living Wage puts pressure on margins
- Rise in the number of children is a positive, given high usage among families
Market Drivers
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- Leisure industry forecast to grow over 2015-20 as the economy improves
- Days out benefit from consumers’ extra spending power and tourism
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- Figure 6: Percentage-point change in what extra money is spent on, November 2009-April 2016
- National Living Wage puts pressure on margins
- The rise in children is a positive, given high usage among families
- Technology ownership provides opportunities for leisure operators
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- Figure 7: Selected leisure venue catering enticements, February 2016
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Cinemas aim to make the occasion more special
- Themed food and drink creates theatre around catering
- Better-for-you choices aim to appeal to health-conscious consumers
- Three players dominate cinema sector
- National Trust leads by visits among visitor attractions
- Gala retains the lead as bingo admissions fall further
- ATG in the lead in a fragmented theatre sector
- Top three account for half of lanes in tenpin bowling
- Leading catering/hospitality groups have a presence at leisure venues
Leisure Venue Segments and Brands
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- Cinemas
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- Figure 8: Cinema operators in the UK, by number of sites and screens, ranked by number of screens, September 2015
- Visitor attractions
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- Figure 9: Leading attraction operators and organisations, by visitor numbers, 2013 and 2014
- National Trust
- Merlin Entertainments
- Tate
- Zoos
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- Figure 10: Visitor numbers of top zoos in UK, 2013-14
- Bingo clubs and casinos
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- Figure 11: Top Bingo brands in the UK, by outlet numbers, February 2016
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- Figure 12: Top Casino operators in the UK, by outlet numbers, February 2016
- Nightclubs
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- Figure 13: Leading UK nightclub operators, by number of clubs, February 2016
- Theatre
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- Figure 14: London theatre revenues and attendance figures, 2013-2015
- Tenpin bowling
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- Figure 15: Leading tenpin bowling operators, by number of sites and lanes, April 2016
- Spectator sport venues
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- Figure 16: UK spectator sports attendances, by leading segments, 2013 and 2014
- Music concerts
- Selected catering operators
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Customisation and premiumisation offers a more luxurious experience
- Cinemas aim to make the occasion more special
- Visitor attractions look to overnight occasions
- Themed food and drink initiatives create theatre around catering
- Pop-up catering seen at leisure venues, particularly at night
- Better-for-you choices aim to appeal to health-conscious consumers
- Digital technology targets today’s connected consumer
- Beacon technology is being introduced
- Pre-order app explored by selected venues
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Two in three adults use leisure venue catering
- Family and friends are top companions for using leisure venue catering
- Discounts can help manage footfall
- Balancing the demand for quick and leisurely experiences
- Secondary spend remains in line of fire
Leisure Venue Catering Usage
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- Two in three adults use leisure venue catering
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- Figure 17: Types of leisure venues visited and use of catering, February 2016
- Stark differences in conversion rates
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- Figure 18: Share of visitors who have bought food/drink at a leisure venue, by venue type, February 2016
- Cinema catering struggles to reach older visitors
Who Do People Use Leisure Venue Food and Drink Facilities With?
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- Family are top companions when using leisure venue catering
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- Figure 19: Who people use leisure venue food and drink facilities with, February 2016
- Half of diners use leisure venue catering with friends
- Visiting as a couple is more prevalent among over-45s
Leisure Venue Catering Enticements
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- Discounts appeal widely
- Off-peak discounts can manage footfall
- Interest in off-peak discounts among nightclub visitors
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- Figure 20: Leisure venue catering enticements, February 2016
- Faster payment and pre-order apps appeal to 16-24s
- Vending opportunities
Preferences When Eating Out at Leisure Venues
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- Balancing the demand for quick and leisurely experiences
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- Figure 21: Leisure venue catering preferences, February 2016
- Flexibility in freshly made and ready to eat options
- Meal choice varies by leisure venue usage
- Appeal of local products and producers
- Healthier choices and calorie displays appeal to more than one in five
Attitudes towards Leisure Venue Catering
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- Secondary spend remains in line of fire
- 86% say food and drink should cater to all budgets
- Meal deals can secure catering spend
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- Figure 22: Attitudes towards leisure venue catering, February 2016
- Pushing a quality perspective
- Non-visitors can provide a separate catering revenue stream
- Themed menus would appeal to half of users
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Appendix – Market Drivers
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- Figure 23: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2010-20
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