Havas Labs Invites You to... the Pub of Tomorrow!

Meta-mealtimes, satisfied staff and cultural-hub creation will shape the future of Australian venues going forward, a new research report by global at-table ordering solution me&u has found. 

me&u has launched Pubs, Pints & Predictions: Hospitality Ten Years On in partnership with Havas Labs (the research division of Havas Australian Creative Group), YouGov and an interview panel of industry experts throughout Australia, the UK and US to uncover what the pub of 2032 will look like and the trends that will redefine what it means to go out.

The research gazes into the future to take a look at what hospitality will look like in ten years’ time and reveals a set of predictions for the industry within Australia, the UK and US and the trends that will redefine what it means to go out.

Trends at a glance:

SMART VENUES = CONNECTED CONSUMERS

Our phones are smart, our homes are smart, but what about venues? 

Customers are expecting to see smart technology available in future (80%), with customers keen for tech to bring the end to the hassle of ordering. However, most importantly, 85% of Aussies agree that technology can be useful, but hospitality remains all about people and human interaction.

MORE THAN A PLACE FOR A PINT

From ping pong to darts, has the pub evolved beyond the drinking hole?

Drinking will no longer be the main attraction on a night. Creative or themed but flexible venues are flagged as the way forward. Whether acting as a space for a community meeting center, a hub for parents to meet up for coffee, or offering a working space away from home, 78% of customers are expecting pubs to adapt to different needs across the week. 

WHO KNEW ALCOHOL-FREE COULD BE SO APPEALING? 

Will non-alcoholic beverages be the hot new drink on tap?

While Aussies found a new passion for making margaritas on the couch in 2020, the number of Aussies who consume alcohol may be on the decline. Although pub lunches and boozy brunches are far from extinction, 30% expect to be drinking less in five years’ time, 22% are likely to give up drinking alcohol altogether and 40% are happy to visit alcohol-free venues.

WAGING THE WAR ON WASTE 

Hospitality’s pathway to net positive

The report found that while consumers are taking the charge to live eco-consciously, venues should be more aware of their own waste. 75% of customers think hospitality venues produce a worrying amount of waste from disposable items and 82% are concerned about the industry’s food waste, wanting the industry to act on both issues. Whilst 77% of Aussies expect to see their go-to venues contributing to the local economy by sourcing food and drink locally, giving back as an organisation was also high on the agenda. 

EMPTY SEATS & DROPOUT MEETS

Are we all flaky foodies?  

Despite patrons demanding more from their favourite venues, such as local sourcing, community integration and sustainability, customers are not always holding up their side of the deal. Aussies were shown to be guilty of ‘Hospitality Ghosting’, with 25% admitting they were likely to no-show at a booking without letting the place know. Whilst we might flake on seats, we won’t on staff, with 85% of those surveyed wanting career progression paths and professional development opportunities within the industry. 

FANCY ANOTHER BYTE?

Data and personalisation will power the next generation of the pub

With the rise of hyper-personalised venues comes the need to tailor the experience to every unique visitor. In the future, consumers might expect the ability to control the music at their own table or even turn down the lights. 

Katrina Barry, global CEO, me&u said: “Globally pubs, bars, clubs and restaurants have changed and we have to acknowledge that our customer has changed too. As a global leader in hospitality tech we wanted to delve into what the future of the industry might look like, arming our allies (your favourite pubs) with the tools and insights they need to help future proof their businesses. We are a brand built by hospitality, for hospitality, and know better than anyone that research, innovation and product flexibility is imperative in helping the industry to keep up.  Businesses will need to be creative, to be brave, to try new things whilst remaining agile and nimble within the market. And we want to help them on the journey”

A quantitative data study was carried out amongst more than 5,000 participants across the three markets, delving into consumers' experience of the pub today and what they believe the pub of 2032 will look like. The research was supported by qualitative focus groups and interviews amongst cultural experts and future-gazers within the fields of F&B, technology, and hospitality to collate the top trends that will redefine what it means to go out.

Olly Taylor, chief strategy officer, Havas Labs said: “Culturally this piece is important. In an industry that’s experienced significant change in the last three years, the one constant that we know will exist in the industry’s future will be the people. For centuries, the pub and bar has been the beating heart of communities and while technology is evolving how we navigate the public house, genuine interactions and human connections cannot be replaced. What really prevailed through all three markets was the pub’s continuing role as a community hub. And although the needs of differing cultural communities are changing across Australia, the US and the UK, audiences all still want a place to call home, a hub to centralise their socialising and a human experience which allows them to feel part of something.”

Alex Bryant, executive director, Red Havas said: “me&u is a disruptor who has the power to impact the hospitality industry in a meaningful way. We wanted to uncover impactful, bold and driven insights which will make a relevant mark on the evolution of the industry for venues and consumers alike. Whilst the pub has long been the beating heart of communities filled with history and tradition, the research uncovered Australia’s changing interaction with the venue, and the evolution of customer’s needs and expectations. me&u is helping venues to understand these trends to future-proof their businesses.”

To download the full Pubs, Pints and Predictions research, please see the reports here.

The research was developed by Havas Labs, the research division of the Havas Australia Creative Group, in partnership with YouGov. The study was conducted online between 17 and 27 June 2022. The research consisted of nationally representative samples from Australia (1,276), UK (2,300) and US (2,296) residents aged 18 to 65. 

Following completion of the panel, the data was weighted by age, gender, generation, education, and region. Havas Labs in addition conducted a number of in-depth interviews with industry experts across AU, the UK and US.