On-Premise Update: CGA Offers Spending Insights, While BeerBoard Sees Volume Declines During Mother’s Day Weekend

CGA: On-Premise, 77% of Consumers Spending Same or More Than Pre-COVID-19

The latest on-premise report from market research firm CGA shows continued positive trends for consumers going to bars and restaurants.

In a survey of more than 1,600 consumers in Texas, Florida, Illinois and New York from May 7-10, 77% said they were spending the same or more at bars and restaurants compared to pre-COVID-19 levels. 67% of respondents said they visited on-premise sites for food-led occasions since venues reopened, while 22% have visited for drink-led occasions.

“Now that the U.S. is well underway with reopening, the research suggests a positive outlook for future visitations as consumers continue to make plans to visit venues for food and drink in the next two weeks,” Matthew Crompton, CGA’s client solutions director: Americas, said in a statement.

The public remains cautious though, with 28% of consumers saying they will wait for COVID-19 threats to be “completely gone” before returning to establishments. Related, take out and delivery has increased compared to six months ago, with 39% of consumers surveyed saying they have ordered more than three times in the last two weeks.

CGA took its first look at sports betting, which Crompton said “highlights some compelling evidence and insight that the channel has the potential to keep consumers in appropriate venues for longer.” Three-quarters of consumers surveyed said if they placed and won a sports bet, they would stay longer at a venue to buy another drink. Beer is the chosen drink for consumers who watch sports on TVs in on-premise venues.

BeerBoard: Open Rate Holds At 92% While Volume and Rate of Sale Fall

Open rates held firm at 92% for the sixth consecutive period, according to BeerBoard’s “On-Premise Status Report” for May 6-9.

Locations have stayed over 90% open since late January, but volume and rate of sale took hard hits this past weekend, despite the Mother’s Day holiday.

Volume fell -12.1% nationally this period, the biggest drop since early February. Each of the 10 states tracked were in the red, led by South Carolina (-20.6%) and closely followed by Georgia (-19.5%) and Tennessee (19.3%). Florida and Texas also posted double-digit declines at -15.6% and -10.6%, respectively.

Rate of sale also dropped -11.7% nationally, with all 10 states tracked posting negative returns. South Carolina led the declines (-16.4%), followed by Georgia (-14.8%), Florida (-13.1%) and Tennessee (-13.0%).