What Influences Consumers’ On-Premise Drink Choices
Source: Wine & Spirits Daily
March 29, 2019
The type of on-premise venue impacts the average number of bev alc drinks a consumer has in a single occasion. For instance, consumers drink more at a club or sports bar, at an average of about three drinks, compared to an average of less than 2 drinks at a casual dining venue, according to Datassential.
For most consumers (65%) when they choose a drink, they tend to stay with that the rest of the night, but there are a lot of factors that go into what consumers choose to drink next and the first drink makes a big impact on what the second drink will be.
“60% of the sale on-premise comes after that first drink and we can’t presume that people that have one drink are going to keep having that same thing,” said Datassential’s Jack Li at the recent VIBE conference. “It’s actually a bit of a journey.”
Jack outlined a few “agents of change,” i.e. what makes it more likely for consumers to switch categories/drinks during one drinking occasion. Women and millennials are the groups most likely to switch drinks. Other factors that make a switch more likely include:
. It’s a high energy environment.
. There’s food.
. If they’re drinking something for the very first time.
HOW FIRST DRINK CHOICES IMPACT SECOND, THIRD. Though most people do tend to stick with the same drink, the first drink is a good indication of what they’ll do next.
If a consumer starts with beer, they’re most likely to stick to beer for the rest of the night. Similarly, consumers who pick a mixed drink are likely to stick with that choice. But if a consumer’s first choice is red wine, they’re more likely to switch to another bev alc category altogether. And with a cocktail, they’re “almost certainly making a switch at some point,” said Jack.
If they switch, what are they switching to?
. A consumer that starts with beer is most likely going to a mixed drink.
. If the first drink is red wine, they will most likely switch to beer.
. If the first drink is white wine, the consumer is most likely to stay within the wine category and move on to red wine, rose or sparkling.
. If they start with a cocktail, most likely to switch to a mixed drink or beer.
HOW CAN YOU STEER THE DRINK JOURNEY? Descriptors. Drink descriptions are the second most important drink menu element, according to the annual VIBE consumer survey presented by Mike Ginley. In fact, 78% of consumers want to see more drink descriptions on menus. Not to mention, descriptions can help sell and drive trade-up, according to Mike.
Across all three bev alc categories, “refreshing” and “smooth” are by far the “most appealing way to consumers to describe adult beverages,” said Jack.