Hospitality off to a flying start!

Frankie Neale • 20 April 2021

Hospitality is off to the post-lockdown flying start that the trade had hoped for, with those businesses now open again for outside trading recording a very strong first week’s trading.

Industry analyst CGA reported that drinks sales were the star performer, as consumers went in search of that all-important first pint or cocktail. Despite icy weather conditions on the first trading day, like-for-like drinks sales were up nearly 115% in outlets that were able to open, compared with the equivalent day in 2019.

CGA’s figures show that just under a quarter of the UK’s licensed premises, around 21,000 in total, had opened by the Thursday of the first week. Pubs dominated, with many being much better placed than restaurants to be able to open under the outside-only rules.

Plenty of venues had taken high levels of bookings well before the April 12 reopening date, demonstrating the strength of pent-up demand to get out post-lockdown. However, media headlines suggesting there were no tables to be had anywhere will have deterred some other potential customers.

Research for hospitality bookings specialist TheFork suggest that bookings were up 88% for the month compared to the last time the sector could trade normally. It’s a great start and one that brings the limited capacity available from outdoor only trading rules to the front of operators’ minds.

The challenge is how to safely maximise the potential of this limited trading area to capitalise on the pent-up demand. Below we look at some ideas to consider:

Promote bookings

Use the venue’s website, social media and email database to communicate the booking policy. A pre-booked table that stays empty is the worst of both worlds, so consider taking a deposit when bookings are made online to encourage take-up of reservations.

Encourage walk-ins

If the venue offers walk-ins, make sure people know about it. If consumers are under the impression they always need to book, they may not even try. Consider keeping a proportion of tables for walk-ins, and promote this via the website, apps and social media. With our pub & bar EPOS you can create bookings directly on the EPOS on the fly, so can still have all your track and trace data in one place.

Maximise covers

If tables are regularly getting fully booked, look to maximise the covers at each table. This can be done by specifying a minimum number of covers for bookings, or prioritising booking requests with more covers. At the same time operators also need to prevent too many customers using one table. With our EPOS' built-in booking system you can specify the minimum and maximum covers available for online bookings.

Turnaround tables

With demand for tables in pubs and bars outstripping supply, turning around tables as quickly as possible can make a big difference to the bottom line. Consider having a fixed or a maximum booking duration, which can be specified on the booking form, to make sure as many customers as possible can enjoy their return to the pub, and discourage customers taking up a table when they’ve finished eating and drinking.

Set a minimum spend

At the busiest times, specifying a minimum spend, especially if used in combination with the maximum stay, can ensure that the business is making what it needs from each table

No operator wants to be putting too many obstacles in the way of customers enjoying themselves. There’s a balance to be struck, and as restrictions are lifted and more trading space opens, it will be possible to be more flexible. Until then a few sensible steps to make the most of the opportunity that’s presenting itself will ultimately benefit venues and customers, as more people can get out for that long-awaited pint in the sun.

If you don’t already have the systems in place to make the most use of your available space, contact our team to see how we can help.

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a bartender makes a cocktail while two other barstaff and two guests watch

How to make sure your venue is ready for Christmas

by Matt Hall • 10 September 2025

There’s no such thing as ‘too early to think about Christmas’ when you work in hospitality. And after a bruising year that’s brought major challenges for the industry, December is more important than ever for many businesses. When it comes to crafting the perfect festive atmosphere, you’re the experts there – we’re simply here to show you how getting things like your tech systems, menus, staffing, and gift cards sorted now, means you’ll make the most of Christmas and manage your venue more effectively. Optimise your offerings and boost profit margins No doubt you’ll want to capture the spirit of the season with a festive menu. Roast meats and Christmas puddings are a must, but don’t forget a vegan option too. Whatever you choose, make sure your dishes balance popularity and profitability. Recipe management tools let you input ingredient costs and amounts, so you get precise costs for every item on your menu. It then automatically calculates GP so you can easily set the right prices both for individual items and festive set menus. This works really well for food, but also for cocktails, and festive drinks you might make on-site, such as mulled wine or cider. Using technology to manage bookings When it comes to Christmas bookings, balance is key. You want more bums on seats, but you don’t want to overwhelm your kitchen and Front-of-House staff – especially when bookings around Christmas tend to be larger. A flexible booking system helps you maintain control. Those office Christmas lunches often have ten or twenty guests, so it helps to keep them separate from your usual bookings. Asking for pre-orders and prepayments makes it much easier to manage those big complicated bookings. Email links go out to organisers so everything can be booked and paid for in advance. This guarantees your cash flow ahead of time and means your kitchen can prepare and ensure the right amount of stock. You can also create custom drink packages to upsell during the booking process.