The Impact of Menu Types on Taproom Spending
It’s been a weird few years for menus. Not too long ago, it wasn’t uncommon to visit a brewery and use only one time of menu. However, in 2023, nearly 40% of taproom visits include a guest having access to multiple menu types. Why do menus matter? A menu is a vital educational tool in your taproom and has the power to increase customer spending.
Let’s begin with a discussion of physical menus. Looking at over 6300 unique taproom visits from 2017 to 2022, we see that guests spend 35.1% more when offered a physical menu ($48.11 vs $35.62). The average tab in our data set includes 1.9 guests and includes tip. From 2021-2022, as we see more types of menus introduced, we see guests spend 25.1% more when offered a physical menu ($57.43 vs $45.92). While the impact of a physical menu dips 10%, it is nice to see an increase in the overall spend.
Diving into a data set of 1150 unique taproom visits from 2021 and 2022, we look at the following menu types:
Paper/Physical Menu
QR Code/Menu on Phone
TV Menu
Wall Menu
61.7% of these visits include only 1 menu type. Taprooms with just wall menus lead the pack at 29.2%, followed by 18.7% just paper/physical menus. 8.1% of breweries just offer QR code/menu on phone, and 5.7% offer only a TV menu.
In these single menu cases, we see the following average spends:
Guests spend an impressive 42.8% more when using just a paper/physical menu, vs only having access to a wall menu. Interestingly enough, experiences including only one type of menu are once again most likely to only include wall menus.
Looking at the entire data set of 1150 visits, including both taproom visits with either one or multiple menu types, we see the following overall frequencies. We see a wall menu the most common, present in 57% of visits. A TV menu is only present, whether alone or one of multiple options, in 15.9% of visits.
Now let’s dive into the 38.3% taproom visits that include more than one type of menu. For this data set, 72% of visits that include more than one type of menu include a paper/physical menu. The exact same percentage is true for visits that include a wall menu. A TV menu is only found present on 26.6% of taproom visits that include multiple types of menus.
When looking at visits that offer one or more menu types, we see the highest average spend when the experience includes a QR code/menu on phone, at $57.35. Our stand-alone menu champion, paper/physical menus, help generate an average spend of $55.87 when included among multiple menu options. This is fascinating as paper/physical menus are the only menu type that is more effective as a single option vs being include among other menu options.
Wall and TV menus both see an increased average spend when bundled with other menu types.
So, should you scrap all menu options but paper/physical menus? Maybe, maybe not.
Every taproom is unique, and outside of the data discussed here, there are additional factors that dictate which menu types(s) are best for your ordering experience. As brewery owners and managers, only you and your team know the ideal menu experience based on your taproom design and guests’ needs.
In nearly every situation it is beneficial to offer guests multiple menu options. The data shared here can offer insight into what you should consider. It is your responsibility to provide your guests with information about your beers in a visible and easy to read manner that allows them to make informed decisions.
Key Takeaways:
Experiences that include only wall menus see the lowest average spend. By adding a second type of menu to taprooms with only wall menus, a brewery can expect to see higher tabs. It is also recommended to add a second menu type if a taproom currently only offers TV menus.
Experiences featuring multiple menu types see the highest average spend when a QR code/menu on phone is included.
Experiences that include only a paper/physical menu see the highest average spend.
While menus can help maximize the ordering process, your staff still plays a vital role in building relationships with your guests. Guests spend 30% more when they receive a high level of engagement from your staff.
Note: Secret Hopper did not collect data on the type of menu used prior to 2021.