4 tips to help hospitality businesses adapt to the rise in early bird dining

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A cultural shift is happening within the world of hospitality, as recent research shows a growing demand for earlier dinner reservations.

Figures from OpenTable suggest that more diners are opting for early bird slots, with an 11% increase in 6pm bookings in London over the past year, and 6% nationwide. No longer reserved for those with small children or older generations, the average dinner reservation in the UK is now 6.12pm, with 5pm reservations proving even more popular than 8pm.

So, what is causing this shift?

With the sudden rise in working from home since 2020, fewer people than ever need to commute daily. With the extra time they gain from not sitting in traffic or waiting for trains, it’s no surprise that people are opting for earlier dinners, straight after they shut their laptops at 5pm.

Meals out, which were once reserved for special occasions, are now more of an everyday occurrence. As digitisation makes eating out faster and more efficient than ever, people are saving time by eating dinner out more regularly, on a more casual basis. Without the ‘occasion’ of going to restaurants, consumers are more likely to opt for earlier dining times, so they can get home in time for Netflix and a good night’s sleep before work the next day. What’s more, with many hospitality businesses offering ‘early-bird’ dining deals, customers are more inclined to take advantage of early offers and save money, as the cost-of-living crisis continues to impact spending power.

As well as these practical reasons, consumers are becoming increasingly health-conscious, which is driving the trend of eating earlier to support a healthier lifestyle. Research by Harvard University shows that a 5pm dinner (or stopping food intake at least three hours before bedtime) is optimal for health, to control weight and reduce the risk of diabetes. With Gen Z customers at the forefront of the growing health and well-being trend, these influential consumers are making a huge difference to the way the hospitality industry now operates.

Here are our 4 tips to help you adjust to new customer preferences.

#1. Data-led insights
Is your business experiencing an upturn in early bookings? With accurate and real-time data from hospitality software systems like Kitchen CUT, businesses can gain a complete overview of their bookings and customer habits, to drill down into their own trends. With in-depth knowledge of the most popular dining times, including which dishes perform best and how much people spend, businesses can capitalise on improving efficiencies at key times and increasing profits.

#2. Rotas and shift patterns
If your business is experiencing an increase in bookings from 5pm, it may be time to reassess your rota systems.

Whether it’s more split shifts or longer day shifts with earlier finishes, find a way to ensure your business is covered for the 5-6pm rush. With data insights, businesses can predict their busiest periods on each day of the week, making team scheduling easier and more efficient, to reduce staff burnout whilst ensuring the best possible service for customers.

#3. Inventory management
A boom in early dining means less time to prepare before an evening shift, so hospitality businesses need to be extremely attentive to stock levels after the lunch period.

With Kitchen CUT’s enhanced line check capabilities, stock is monitored more frequently, tracking variances throughout the week and tackling any issues proactively, to ensure that your business is fully stocked from early evening to close.

By saving time with automated inventory processes, staff have more time to ensure the kitchen is prepped for early diners and stock doesn’t run low for latecomers.

#4. Menu engineering
Early diners are often looking for quick and efficient experiences, special offers and discounted set menus – in fact, there are now even apps dedicated to seeking out early bird deals for restaurant bookings between 4.30-6pm.

With menu engineering technology, businesses can cater for this alongside their usual offering, to take advantage of the trend for early bookings and further boost profits.
Utilise Kitchen CUT’s menu engineering capabilities to identify the best-performing dishes, their optimal times, and enable chefs to create menus targeting early audiences. Consider health-conscious menus tailored for Gen Z customers, kid-friendly dishes for early diners with children, and cost-effective set menus with short prep times for those coming straight from work.

Many of Kitchen CUT’s smart POS integrations incorporate loyalty schemes and rewards that can be tailored to mid-week diners, early birds or those with children, further strengthening customer relationships and maximising sales opportunities.

In light of the challenges it’s facing, the hospitality industry needs to grasp each opportunity to increase profitability, including diversification to meet current trends.

With innovative technology, automation and key insights, hospitality businesses can be flexible to meet consumer demands and take advantage of ever-changing tastes; after all, the early bird catches the worm!