In the US, hotel food and beverage revenue per occupied room (RevPOR) increased 2.7 percent in 2018, according to data from STR.
The increase came from all hotel classes, and beverage was the biggest winner, with RevPOR increasing by 4.2 percent.
“Beverage was the name of the game in 2018, and we can expect to see more of that in 2019,” said Veronica Andrews, director of digital data solutions, STR.
“We also found it noteworthy that beverage revenues grew across all hotel classes through hotel venue operations and hosted events in catering and banquets.”
Among F&B departments, catering and banquets also experienced significant growth with a 3.4 percent increase in revenue per available square foot.
“Innovation and creative use of public space continued to have a positive influence on hotel F&B results.”
In-room dining RevPOR was the only segment seeing a decrease, down 4.2 percent, suggesting a possible shift from traditional room service to more self-serve or communal restaurant and bar options in hotels.
