Beyond the Ordinary: 3rd Space, Competitive Socialising & Event Space Report reveals two in five (41%) consumers have been out for at least one of these occasions in the last quarter. Bowling (15%), mini golf (11%) and pool / snooker (10%) are the top three competitive activities, followed by a long list of games including arcades, bingo, darts, escape rooms, ping pong and Virtual Reality.
The report takes a deep dive into consumers’ habits in this fast-changing space, including expert analysis of three vital considerations: venue choices, drinks preferences and brand selections.
Venue choices
Nearly two in five (39%) consumers say affordability is important when they choose a competitive socialising venue—making it the top driver ahead of location (33%), atmosphere (29%) and family-friendliness (23%) These and other factors highlight the diverse nature of competitive socialising outlets, and the wide range of consumers they can attract at different times of day. For suppliers, it’s vital to understand the variety of need states, and ensure that their brands are well-suited to different venue types.
The importance of friend recommendations (22%) and good reviews (22%) meanwhile shows the importance of building positive word of mouth about a venue and its activities. Notably, the quality of food (13%) is less important, suggesting that people are more interested in the experiences on offer than the standard of food and drink they will get.
Drinks preferences
It’s also important to understand the drinks preferences of competitive socialising consumers. Well over a third (38%) of them say they typically drink soft drinks on their visits, while lager (20%) is the top alcoholic choice, ahead of cocktails (13%), cider (11%), wine (10%) and ale (10%). Given the variety of their guests, these venues provide listings opportunities for a large range of drinks.
Brand selections
As with their choice of venue, drinks selections are heavily influenced by price, which is an important factor for around a third (35%) of consumers. However, many more factors come into play, including the availability of a favourite drink brand (18%) and the quality of drinks available (16%). The ease of ordering during an activity (14%) is another important consideration. Recommendations from friends or bar staff are less critical here, suggesting that many consumers already have a clear idea of what they want when they go out for competitive socialising.
Nevertheless, there are opportunities to encourage guests to trade up. More than half (53%) are willing to pay more for better quality drinks during competitive socialising. Nearly as many (49%) say they enjoy experimenting with different drink choices on these occasions—which makes this an important channel for suppliers launching new brands.
CGA’s Beyond the Ordinary report provides much more expert analysis of competitive socialising and other experience-led venues including stadia, arenas, food halls and festivals. It has insights into consumers’ preferences by category, channel and much more, with added volumetric data to help businesses identify opportunities for new sales.
Chris Sterling, CGA by NIQ client director, said: “Competitive socialising is one of the most dynamic segments of hospitality at the moment, and it’s moved from the fringes to become part of the mainstream of eating and drinking out. From traditional games like bowling and golf to modern innovations like escape rooms and Virtual Reality, consumers now have a huge range of activities to choose from. It provides exciting opportunities for suppliers, but these are unique environments, where preferences and decision drivers can be very different from in traditional settings like pubs and restaurants. It’s vital to understand these nuances and respond nimbly to consumers’ evolving preferences, and our report has the insights that are needed to get ahead of the game.”
Chris Sterling, CGA by NIQ client director, said: “Competitive socialising is one of the most dynamic segments of hospitality at the moment, and it’s moved from the fringes to become part of the mainstream of eating and drinking out. From traditional games like bowling and golf to modern innovations like escape rooms and Virtual Reality, consumers now have a huge range of activities to choose from. It provides exciting opportunities for suppliers, but these are unique environments, where preferences and decision drivers can be very different from in traditional settings like pubs and restaurants. It’s vital to understand these nuances and respond nimbly to consumers’ evolving preferences, and our report has the insights that are needed to get ahead of the game.”
The Beyond the Ordinary report is available to order now. To learn more, click here and contact Chris Sterling at chris.sterling@nielseniq.com.
