In a market defined by brand promiscuity, success depends on recognising new guests and turning first‑time visits into second ones, fast.
The hospitality sector is experiencing a period of high volatility. Consumers are exploring a wider range of options and switching between brands with unprecedented ease. This “brand promiscuity” is especially pronounced among younger, trend-driven audiences who crave novelty, variety, and the next big thing.
For operators, this creates a paradox: interest in hospitality remains strong, but loyalty is increasingly fragile. Success depends on not only attracting new customers but having a clear, deliberate mechanism to recognise them, engage them, and convert them into returning guests.
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A market that’s active – and highly fluid
Recent data highlights how dynamic consumer behaviour has become:
- 43% of consumers eat out weekly, rising to 68% among Gen Z
- 35% of consumers drink out weekly, increasing to 57% among Gen Z
- 34% of consumers visit licensed venues weekly, rising to 50% among Gen Z
- The number of brands in consumers repertoire has grown from 9.7 to 11.3 in a year
- Among Gen Z, that repertoire has expanded from 13.0 to 15.3
- A quarter of GB consumers say they are typically one of the first to visit new eating and drinking brands, and among 18–34yearolds, this rises to just over a third.
Consumers are engaging with more brands than before, but they’re not consistently returning to the same ones. The challenge for operators is clear: visibility is high, but retention is not guaranteed.
What drives a customer to return?
Attracting new guests is essential — but converting them into returning customers is where long-term value is created.
The data shows that the experience metrics which have the strongest relationship with likelihood to revisit are:
- Food quality
- Value for money
- Service quality
These are the fundamentals — the non-negotiables. They matter more than ambience, décor, or even brand identity when it comes to getting someone back through the door.
Getting the basics right remains the strongest driver of loyalty.
The real challenge: Recognising and converting new customers
In a market where consumers are constantly rotating between brands, the venues that win are those that:
- Recognise first-time visitors
- Capture their details in a frictionless way
- Understand their preferences
- Follow up with personalised, timely communication
- Encourage a second visit — the true gateway to loyalty
Without this mechanic, new customers become one-off customers. And in a market where exploration is the norm, that’s a costly missed opportunity.
What effective conversion looks like
To turn first-time guests into returning customers, hospitality venues need systems that work quietly in the background but deliver big results. These might include:
Digital loyalty platforms: Identify first-time visits, reward repeat behaviour and personalise offers.
Smart WiFi sign-ins: A seamless way to recognise new guests and gather contact details.
QR-driven engagement: Menus, competitions, or exclusive offers accessed via QR codes.
Automated follow up journeys: A simple “thank you for visiting” message or bounce back offer can help increase the likelihood of a second visit.
Staff-led recognition: A warm welcome and a personalised goodbye still go a long way.
The hospitality winners of tomorrow
The venues that thrive in this era of brand promiscuity will be those that:
- Embrace the reality that consumers are exploring more than ever
- Use data to understand who is new and who is returning
- Build systems that convert curiosity into loyalty
- Deliver consistently on food, value, and service — the three biggest drivers of revisits
Hospitality has always been about relationships. Today, the relationship begins the moment a new customer walks through the door — and the smartest operators are the ones who make sure it doesn’t end there.
Get in touch
Connect with NIQ’s On-Premise experts today and unlock insights and recommendations to capture new guests and bring them back through the door.
