A few months ago, we discussed why experiential dining has become such an impressive force in the modern restaurant industry. By giving customers memorable experiences, restaurant owners are able to encourage repeat orders and strengthen in-house profit. Now, in 2024, the next level of experiential dining is here. It’s called “eatertainment”, and it’s shaping up to be this decade’s most profitable trend for sit-down businesses. By embracing eatertainment and technology at your restaurant, you’ll have a key tool for building orders and revenue!
Eatertainment bridges the gap between traditional restaurant experiences and entertaining, fun-filled atmospheres. It encourages customers to visit your business in-person – almost always in a group – and spend money in different ways. At a time when many restaurants are seeing stagnant dine-in sales, eatertainment boosts real-world interaction in a cost-effective way. It also provides unique opportunities for cost-conscious digital marketing. Let’s take a deep dive into eatertainment and find out why today’s customers love engaging, exciting restaurants!
What is "Eatertainment"?
Essentially, eatertainment is a dining experience that gives customers an activity to do while they eat. It’s similar to experiential dining, but with one key difference – eatertainment is active. For example: A restaurant that’s decorated like a retro diner would offer experiential dining. A restaurant that lets customers mini-golf while they’re served is eatertainment. Both kinds of eateries encourage customers to interact with their environment, and there’s plenty of overlap between the two.
Common eatertainment activities include simple sports like bocce or bowling, arcade machines, and pub-style competitions: darts, trivia nights, etc. These kinds of amusements suit restaurants well, as they can be enjoyed around a table and complement large groups of friends. They also don’t get in the way of waitstaff, and are easily paused when meals are served. Eatertainment venues are popular with restaurant owners because they usually don’t require any extra space or remodeling of one’s storefront. They benefit everyone involved!
How are restaurants using eatertainment?
Eatertainment isn’t a new concept, and it’s been a notable presence in the restaurant industry for decades. Originating from theme parks, eatertainment spots like Chuck E. Cheese, Dave & Buster’s, and Puttshack routinely gross major profits. In the past, eatertainment has been associated with businesses geared towards children, but modern stores aim at young-adult to middle-aged clientele. These demographics value live group activities, and eatertainment lets them enjoy a meal at the same venue.
Currently, eatertainment is seeing popularity across many of the U.S.’s major food cities, like Atlanta, Miami, and Sacramento. These cities attract millions of tourists every year, and eatertainment is a common stop on travel itineraries. Responding to this trend, many businesses solicit celebrity endorsements from figures like Patrick Mahomes and Justin Timberlake to promote their brands. Big-name spokespeople give eatertainment a flair of excitement and popularity, helping to attract trendy customers.
What impact does eatertainment have on business?
Industry experts from publications like FSR Magazine and Entrepreneur identify eatertainment as a key profit driver in today’s food world. Following pandemic-era lockdowns, eatertainment is a significant motivating force in bringing customers back in-house and minimizing third-party costs. As an explicitly in-person event, eatertainment requires no commission fees, cycling all money earned from it back into one’s business. Successful eatertainment venues are able to turn a profit on both their food and activity costs through dine-in service alone.
Eatertainment is ideal for restaurants who maintain a friendly, casual atmosphere. With it, businesses can monetize additional elements of their dining experience, and give customers new ways to enjoy their eatery. Critically, eatertainment also provides a strong opportunity for word-of-mouth promotion. A central element of any eatertainment venue for customers is sharing the experience online through social media. By leveraging interesting, appealing entertainment value, these businesses enjoy consumer-driven online advertising at no cost.
How can my restaurant start offering eatertainment?
Don’t worry – you don’t need to install an arcade or get a celebrity spokesperson to enjoy the benefits of eatertainment! Instead, think of ways that you can get your customers more involved in their dining experience. What activities can you offer that suit your cuisine style? Many of these amusements are available without significant costs, like trivia nights or pub quizzes. Even simple games like darts or shuffleboard are able to support your establishment as a complement to existing service. Profitable activities are often fast, accessible, and team-based.
Remember: eatertainment is an active experience, and customers want to be part of the action. If your restaurant has a theme, ideate eatertainment activities that go along with it! Bars suit collaborative quizzes, fast food chains work well for competitions, restaurants in interesting locations can utilize their environment.If you have an outdoor dining space, make the most of it with games made for groups. Creativity and an effective set of tools can transform any space into an engaging experience!
Impactful technology is a vital component of great eatertainment, and can make adding it to your workflow much easier. A powerful QR code ordering system allows for seamless tableside service, so you never get in the way of your eaters’ fun. With features like open tabs and split tabs, you give groups of guests quick ways of ordering more and paying fast. Savvy eatertainers incorporate these tools into their events, giving customers rewards for completing certain tasks or achieving certain accomplishments. The right tech makes any kind of eatertainment financially worthwhile!
Now, you’re an eatertainment expert!
The strategies we’ve listed above are a great starting point for you to build your restaurant’s eatertainment empire. Don’t stop here, though! Use your staff’s imagination and your restaurant tech’s capabilities to make dining at your business fun. With the right system, any kind of activity can be a popular – and profitable – source of eatertainment for your customers. Memorable dining experiences lead to successful restaurants, and eatertainment makes creating them possible. In today’s restaurant world, an entertaining meal is a shortcut to higher revenue!
