Christmas Out of Home Dining in 2023
Christmas 2023 is set to see a different consumer environment from previous years. Within the hospitality industry, out of home dining footfall has seen a significant decline over the course of the past 12 months, with the cost of living crisis and rising inflation rates hitting both business and consumers alike from all angles. In fact, in response to our recent Plates to Profits Report, 47% of establishments have seen a decrease in bookings in 2023, and 86% said they would need to close their doors in the next 3 years if costs don't reduce.
Whilst these numbers may initially provide little confidence when looking to prepare menus for the festive season, this decrease in casual or regular dining has made way for another trend that will be a key factor for out of home food providers to capitalise on as we head towards the end of the year:
Occasion-led and experience dining.
Consumers may be eating out less, however that has meant that when they do venture out, they are looking for something different, and often willing to spend more than they would normally, as it has become rarer occurrence.
This is where carefully curated menus and point of difference products step into play to captivate diners into splashing out on something different from the norm, and offering establishments opportunity for greater profit margin in challenging economic times.
Within our Creed Christmas guide for 2023, we have carefully curated our extensive product range in order to cater to these emerging consumer trends, whilst maintaining awareness of kitchen expenses.
Festive food often offers little variance year on year, with turkeys and mince pies as the classic best sellers. However, operators will need to offer either superior quality or something a little different this year, to compete with other venues and gain footfall.
For example, diners are used to seeing a pulled pork option on a menu, why not switch this up for our 756730 Pig Cheeks? These can be assembled and seasoned in the same way to the standard pork option but offer differentiation and intrigue being something new. This also provides an opportunity for profit margin whether as part of a centre of plate dish or as a topping, as consumers will likely be willing to pay more for a rarer experience.
When it comes to dessert, the Christmas pudding is a traditional classic, but does it ever stand out above the rest? Why not try 756790, our Sticky Toffee Christmas Pudding. Adding a nostalgic twist to the traditional offering adds that point of difference to your menu, enticing consumers to indulge in a 3rd course from your menu.
If you’re looking for further inspiration to drive eyes to your menus this Christmas, look no further than our 2023 Christmas Guide. With an extensive range of over 400 products, recipes and tips from our very own Creed chefs, insights and more, you can make sure to boost your offering this season and provide Christmas, with a little sparkle.
