Summer 2022: A look at the numbers
At OrderPay, we find data exciting. We use it for the big things, of course - as we support over 5,000 venues across the UK with personalised data dashboards to inform decision makers with a clear snapshot of their business.
But we also love to use our data to get a sneak peek into how customers across the UK are eating, drinking and spending their Friday nights. So as the weather begins to get colder and the nights shorter, we’ve pulled together five key insights we gained from Summer 2022 for the hospitality industry.
Scorching heat
Let’s get this one out of the way first. It was hot. As in yellow scorched earth and melting pavements hot. Whilst some flameproof souls still ventured out for lunch in the midday sun, the heatwaves this year had a massive impact on the way we dined and drank out.
During July’s record temperatures, lunchtime sales saw a 42% week on week decline in bars and restaurants. But this time was spent wisely resting up for a big night out, as last orders at 11pm were three times higher on average. Finally, it seems that Brits have embraced the siesta.
As a side note, hot temperatures had an interesting impact on what we chose to drink. In both July and August’s temperature spikes, Guinness orders were down 23% - with punters opting for a lighter lager to cool off in the evening. With temperatures soaring at an all-time high, being able to order directly to an outdoor table made it a little more manageable.
Orange mania
Yes, there’s song of the summer, film of the summer, smug love islanders - but the win we’re excited about announcing is what we ordered the most at the bar. And it seems Aperol has gone from a holiday novelty to a bar staple. However, as the weather begins to cool it’ll be interesting to see if it can retain its orange grip on pub goers.
But continental lagers are still the nation’s favourite, with Birra Moretti the most popular pint ordered on OrderPay this summer, and newer international brands like Madri are also gaining popularity. This summer, it seems that we drank to match our Mediterranean climate.
We also attribute the dominance of Aperol to the fact people tend to order a little differently digitally. Whilst some might be nervous about asking for a cocktail at the bar, mobile ordering means you know exactly what you can have made. Which means more premium orders for venues, and more satisfaction for customers.
It’s all kicking off
It wasn’t just thermometers that broke records this summer, as there was an incredible victory for the Lionesses at this year's Euro’s tournament. During the tense finale between England and Germany, there was a 42% boost in sales in pubs. Which meant we celebrated harder too, with the last orders double versus the following week. When football comes home, we go out.
Other big sporting events like Wimbledon boosted Pimm’s sales to their yearly highest sales. But we’re just glad we could get drinks to the table without anyone missing the times we actually won.
Newsround
This is the part where we look at the figures that matter. That is, how much a round is costing. And whether it’s due to the rising cost of a pint, or simply summer vibes loosening the purse strings - a round of drinks was up this summer slightly compared to the rest of the year.
In London, customers were spending on average £1 extra per order. In towns such as Milton Keynes, the increase was around 50p. However, cities up north such as Newcastle, Chester and Sheffield remained relatively unchanged.
Summer of Love
Whether you finally made it abroad, or simply enjoyed your back garden - our collective high spirits showed in the massive jump in tipping rates across the country.
More venues than ever crossed the 10% or more average tip mark. What’s more, urban city centres such as Bristol or Liverpool saw a massive jump in tip amounts.
It’s great to see that venue staff are being rewarded for their hard work. As we know manning a heaving beer garden, delivering quality table service and running a packed bar all at once can feel like spinning plates for teams. But this summer, we were at least on the side to ensure venues get the most out of the holiday rush.
As our data definitely shows that venues that use OrderPay see a massive jump in tips, as well as quicker table turnover. Check out our website to find out more about what OrderPay can do for your venue.
