Page 43 - RLI September 2019

SPECIAL FEATURE: EATERTAINMENT

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A fast-growing trend in the industry, the interest in eatertainment continues to take hold

and brands are placing a greater emphasis on food and beverage to capture customer
interest. Here, RLI takes a closer look at this rising phenomenon, analysing how it all started
and what has caused it to become such a breakout term among millennials. We will also

highlight some of the key examples of eatertainment that exist in the current market.

ThE RISE oF EATERTAInmEnT “It’s part of a bigger trend where people want to go out and
In her article, ‘Inside the Rise of Eatertainment Dining’, have an evening and an experience at one – dinner, drinks, and
PUnCh BoWL SoCIAL beyond just mini golf or movie theatres with concession- New York-based Barcade, one of the original arcade bars.
games all under one roof,” says Paul Kermizian, CEO of Brooklyn,
Mary Avant explains that the concepts in this space go
stand snacks. Instead they’re a mashup of high-quality food,
“Millennials really seek out and consume experiences,”
beverage, and entertainment – a one-stop shop where
says Robert Thompson, CEO of Punch Bowl Social, a “social
experience-seeking consumers can go for premium meals,
pong to bocce ball and bowling. “When the largest buying
fun activities, and the chance to connect socially with emporium” featuring everything from arcade games and ping-
friends and family. segment speaks, most of the consumer-facing retail world listens.”
It is now the consensus that Millennial’s love to dine out, But millennials aren’t the only ones interested in the
and according to a study by Bankrate.com, the average eatertainment segment. According to a survey conducted by
Millennial eats out five times a week. However, due to this food industry market research firm Datassential, nearly 60 per
frequency of eating out, they are becoming pickier about cent of all consumers said they were interested in visiting an
where they to choose to spend their precious time and eatertainment concept, while 30 per cent of consumers said
hard-earned money. Millennials would much prefer to pay they had already visited one. More specifically, around 40 per
for an experience than a product. cent of those surveyed said they were interested in visiting an
According to Jeff Fromm and his article, ‘Eatertainment arcade bar, bowling restaurant, or social emporium, while 26
Venues Serve up the Right Recipe to Attract Millennials’, per cent were interested in visiting a golf entertainment venue.
this is why these venues are gaining steam with younger Though growing rapidly, the eatertainment segment isn’t
consumers. These restaurant/bar/gaming establishments necessarily new. Its true beginnings came with arcade and
take an ‘old school’ spin on socialising. Guests gather to eat, gaming concepts like Chuck E. Cheese’s and Dave & Buster’s
drink and play games like shuffleboard, marbles, Skee-Ball, in the late ’70s. Over the last handful of years, however, new
ping pong and vintage arcade games. As millennials seek concepts have popped up and taken eatertainment to the
out unique and share-worthy experiences, eatertainment next level in hopes of meeting millennials’ demands for a
venues are the ultimate one-stop shop. more elevated experience.
SPIn

ood is no longer an afterthought at some of the world’s most
exciting attractions. Instead, it is becoming a key part of the visitor
experience. Whether it’s themed food, food-based experiences or
F food festivals, eatertainment looks like it is here to stay.
A lot can be, and has been, said about modern-day consumers: They crave
experiences rather than goods; their tastes are increasingly sophisticated; they’re
seeking quality, value, and, above all, convenience. In short, they want it all. And
when it comes to food and entertainment, it looks like they’re getting exactly what
they’ve asked for thanks to the rise of the “eatertainment” industry.