For the modern hotel guest, three meals a day simply isn’t the norm. Today’s customers eat additional snacks at least once a day, and sometimes more. In fact, according to Technomic’s 2018 Snacking Occasion Consumer Trend Report, consumers snack an average of 2.8 times per day, and 30% say that snacking between meals is part of a healthy diet.
Compared to two years ago, 34% of consumers say they’re snacking on healthier foods. But health means something different to everyone, so it can be difficult for lodging operators to decide what will meet guest snacking needs.
Highlight healthy options
Whether it’s your hotel restaurant or a lobby market or convenience store, when considering healthier snacks, it helps to know what guests actually want. Technomic’s 2018 Snacking Occasion Consumer Trend Report notes that top purchase drivers related to health and nutrition include foods that are high in protein (52% say this is important when choosing a snack), foods that are made with just a few simple ingredients (35% say this is important when choosing a snack) and foods that are natural or additive-free (35%).
Highlighting those items on menus as well as on grab-and-go packaging can be pivotal in encouraging guests to dine with you. Options like No Antibiotics Ever (NAE) chicken from Tyson Foodservice are perfect for high-protein small plates, shareable appetizers and more. Plus, they’re available in an array of formats. Tyson Red Label® NAE Fully Cooked, Grilled Breast Strips are ideal for salads or snack wraps, and Tyson Red Label® NAE Uncooked, Golden Crispy Boneless Wings are perfect for snack-sized, shareable plates.
Adding items for all-day noshing
Busy travelers are often on-the-go, so they want something that’s convenient and easy to eat quickly at their hotel or take with them—but that doesn’t mean they want something heavy or unhealthy or to sacrifice on flavor. Grab-and-go snack boxes, as well as menu options with smaller portion sizes can help restaurants boost interest in snacks. With versatile products like Tyson Red Label® NAE Chicken, it’s easy to meet the demand for all-day snacking. For the midmorning time-frame, serve a chicken-biscuit sandwich. And for later in the day, offer options like boneless wing chicken sliders, a superfood salad bowl with grains and chicken, chicken strips with a globally-inspired dip, a grilled chicken flatbread or lettuce wraps.
Promote, promote, promote
With snacks being so common, many consumers may not think of hotel restaurants as desirable destinations for snacking; the perception that restaurants are for meals alone is quite pervasive. For lodging operators that want to increase participation in their snack offerings, it’s important to promote. Feature signage in the lobby or elevator, post about snacks on social media or send notifications to consumers who are part of your loyalty program.
All-day snacking isn’t new and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Hotel restaurants are wise to cater to consumers who are on the hunt for smaller-portioned bites to tide them over between meals. By highlighting health, focusing on convenience and promoting snacking items, guests may be more likely to think of the hotel restaurant or market rather than going off-site for their snacking needs.
This post is sponsored by Tyson Foods, Inc.