More Food, More Profit: The Data Behind Taproom Spending Habits
According to a February 2025 Craft Beer Professionals poll, 26% of breweries operate their own kitchen. Coming in close behind, 22% rely on food trucks, while another 22% offer guests a menu of basic snacks (i.e. “would you like a bag of chips?”). No matter the approach, one thing is clear—offering food at your brewery takes effort, but it leads to higher tabs, longer visits, and more reasons for guests to return.
In this article, we analyze data from 1,258 unique taproom visits between November 16, 2022, and February 27, 2024. We characterize "food visits" as those where a guest spends over $10 on food items, typically at places offering more than just snacks. This threshold was chosen based on average menu pricing, where $10 often represents a full meal or a substantial food purchase rather than just a small snack. We’ll contrast these “food visits” with those where food spending is minimal or nonexistent.
TL;DR: Offering food at your brewery is a must. Running your own kitchen may not be feasible for everyone, but providing some kind of food option enhances the guest experience.
Higher-Spending Food Guests Spend Significantly More Overall
Guests who spend more than $10 on food have an average total spend of $76.87, compared to $42.13 for those spending less than $10 on food. This represents a $34.73 difference in total spend, indicating that higher food spending correlates with a significantly higher overall check—82% higher.
While these numbers reflect total tab size, we also see that spending per person is higher. The economic impact per person is $40.02 for guests spending over $10 on food, compared to $25.37 for those spending less. This results in an additional $14.65 per person in revenue, with food representing 38% of the tab.
But Andrew, are they drinking more beer? Yes! As food spending increases, beer spending also sees a slight rise, from $41.82 for low food spenders to $47.93 for high food spenders. This suggests that guests purchasing more food aren’t replacing their beer purchases but rather adding to their total check. Using a $7 per pint price point, the average guest who also buys food has 6.8 beers on their tab, compared to 6 beers for tabs without meaningful food purchases. Additionally, the average tab in this study represents 2.9 guests.
While food significantly increases tab size, unfortunately we don’t see those guests that purchase more food, tip greater percentages. Those who spend more on food tip a lower percentage (20.1%) than those who spend less on food (24.2%). However, with higher tabs, your staff will make an overall larger tip for these parties.
Guests spending more than $10 on food stay an average of 2.1 hours, compared to 1.8 hours for low food spenders. This additional 18 minutes per visit could lead to more purchases over time. With a captive audience, you can take advantage of upsell opportunities to increase the tab size.
“Ok, I get it. We probably should have food. What should we do after reading this?”
If you currently don’t have any food options, brainstorm what items you could offer. We recommend walking through this exercise. Consider this: a full kitchen > food truck > snacks > no food.
If you have food, how is your staff trained to sell it? Just like finding authentic ways to beer to go, encouraging food should be part of your team’s talking points.
“Today’s food specials are….”
“That stout pairs exceptional well with __________.”
“The burger pairs wonderfully with __________.”
“On Tuesday’s we offer a pint and a burger for $15.”
“Not thirsty, take a look at our appetizers.”
“One of my favorite things to eat is the __________.” (Be sure to let your staff taste it so they can describe it).
“Did you know that our tacos were just ranked best in the city?” (Count me in!)
You know we preach motivating your staff. Selling more food not only increases tab size and thus tip size but also creates an opportunity for incentives. Consider rewarding your team for selling more food—for example, offering a prize or recognition to whoever sells the most [fill in the blank food item] in February.
So, how does this data compare to our data from January 1, 2021 to November 14, 2022?
From 2021-2022 data, guests spending over $10 on food had a total spend of $73.81 vs. $40.00 for those under $10. That number has risen to $76.87 for high food spenders and $42.13 for low spenders. The total spend has increased slightly over time, suggesting inflation, pricing adjustments, or stronger upselling strategies at breweries.
We’re especially excited about this one. In our prior study, guests spending under $10 on food stayed an average of 1.4 hours in a taproom, while those spending over $10 stayed 1.7 hours per visit. The current data set shows an increase in time spent for both segments—those not significantly spending on food now stay 1.8 hours per visit, while those spending over $10 stay 2.1 hours, a 17% increase.
Takeaway: People are spending more time in the brewery, possibly due to a more engaging taproom experience, expanded food offerings, or a shift in guest behavior toward longer stays. Experience, experience, experience!
Offering food at your brewery requires effort, but the numbers speak for themselves—it leads to higher tabs, longer visits, and more reasons for guests to return. Whether you operate a kitchen, partner with food trucks, or provide a curated snack selection, having a food option enhances the guest experience and increases revenue.
The data shows that guests who spend more on food also stay longer and spend significantly more overall—without reducing their beer purchases. While higher food spenders tend to tip a lower percentage, their larger tabs still result in bigger tips for your staff.
If you’re not offering food yet, now is the time to brainstorm solutions. If you already have food, make sure your staff is trained to sell it effectively. A simple recommendation or pairing suggestion can make a big difference. And don’t forget—motivating your team through incentives can drive even greater success.
Bottom line: A great taproom experience goes beyond beer. Make food part of your strategy, and you’ll see the benefits in guest satisfaction, revenue, and retention.
The data was collected from a set of 1258 unique taproom visits from November 16, 2022 to February 27, 2024. Each tab represents 2 guests and includes tax and tip.