By Cristina Martin Cristina, Marketing Manager at BentoBox
BentoBox, the leading hospitality platform that empowers restaurants through their own website, has released its 2019 Year in Review, highlighting the latest digital trends for the hospitality industry. The following insights were gathered from over 5,000 restaurants, 100,000 menu items, 117,000 online transactions, and 511 million website visits. With customers in all 50 states and 27 countries, BentoBox delivers a holistic view of the restaurant world and what to expect in 2020.
Restaurants are presenting healthier and more sustainable menu items to guests. CBD also continues to go more mainstream in restaurants. Here are a few highlights:
- 130% increase in plant-based, meat alternatives
- 109% increase in spirit-free cocktail options
- 70% more CBD menu options
Restaurants are pushing the bounds of what they offer guests through eCommerce. More than just a meal, restaurants are expanding into lifestyle brands that meet the needs of their local community and their superfans from afar. Some topline items:
- Most popular item being sold on a restaurant website: Ichiran Ramen Kit
- Most expensive item sold on a restaurant website: $718 Ultimate Meat Collection from Duke’s Premium Meats
- 150% increase in restaurants offering food, bev and DIY kits for sale
- 4x more shirts for sale than hats
More than ever, consumers turn to restaurants for celebrations and gatherings. Be it a national holiday, or a gift just because, here are some of the ways customers revel with restaurants:
- Thanksgiving is the top holiday for restaurant catering orders
- Most popular holiday for reservations: Mother’s Day
- Holiday with most last-minute reservations: Valentine’s Day
- Top reasons for gift card giving: 1. Birthdays 2. Holiday Gifting 3. Thank Yous 4. Anniversaries 5. Just Because
In terms of website traffic, customers are using their mobile devices more than ever to visit their favorite restaurants online. In 2020, not having a mobile-friendly restaurant website is no longer an option. Here are the latest stats:
- 65% of restaurant website visitors come from mobile devices (35% from desktop)
- 12% increase since 2018
For the full report, check out BentoBox’s 2019 Year in Review, and see what’s next for your restaurant in 2020.
Cristina Martin is the Marketing Manager at BentoBox, a platform that empowers restaurants to own their presence, profits and relationships, directly through their website.
