PERSPECTIVE
HOW CHANGES IN F & B OFFERINGS HAVE IMPACTED REVENUE AND PROFITABILITY
Contributed by ROBERT MANDELBAUM AND ED STACY , CBRE
The 2020 COVID-influenced lodging industry recession resulted in some noticeable changes to the way hotels provide food and beverage ( F & B ) service .
• Social distancing regulations forced operators to be creative in the way they served food and beverages to guests .
• Rising wage rates and sharp increases in the cost of food and beverage products compelled hotel managers to find ways to control costs .
• The inability of hotels to attract employees to fill the positions eliminated during the recession required creative solutions to improve productivity and offer more with less .
• These factors resulted in the following hotel food and beverage trends during the subsequent recovery period :
• The increased offering of kiosks and grab-and-go venues .
• The closing of traditional three-meal-aday restaurants .
• A reduction in the menus , number of seats , and hours of remaining F & B venues .
• Reductions in in-room dining and mini-
32 hotelsmag . com Jan / Feb 2024