About 45% of consumers plan to visit on-premise establishments for Halloween, according to a survey conducted by on-premise marketing research firm CGA from October 22-25.
CGA noted that most of the consumers who said they’re not going out for Halloween (49%) typically don’t go to on-premise establishments to celebrate the holiday, as opposed to those with concerns about COVID-19 (13%).
For those hitting the on-premise for Halloween, the top choices for where they plan to celebrate are casual dining chains (34%), independently owned restaurants (31%) and neighborhood bars (30%).
Meanwhile, CGA’s survey found that a “slightly lower’ number of consumers surveyed said they plan to go out for “Black Wednesday,” the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, with 39% saying they plan to go to bars or restaurants. The majority of consumers surveyed who said they don’t plan to go out for Black Wednesday (63%) said they don’t typically celebrate the occasion. However, in urban cities, three-in-five consumers said they would go out for Black Wednesday.
CGA’s latest consumer survey also explored whether staffing challenges in the on-premise were affecting experiences. The answer, CGA found, was that about 50% of consumers noted that staffing challenges have negatively impacted their on-premise experiences. Nevertheless, 31% of consumers surveyed said they would be willing to pay more for food and drinks to support restaurants and/or bar staff. Additionally, 61% of consumers surveyed said they have noticed staffing challenges in on-premise bars and restaurants during their most recent visits.
More than half (52%) of consumers said they would be willing to support bar and restaurant staff by paying a higher tip. Additionally, two-in five consumers said they either agree or strongly agree with disclosing staff wages and benefits to explain additional charges. And a third of consumers said they would be more likely to visit on-premise venues that disclose staff wages and benefits, which CGA said resonates more with younger consumers.