Maximizing Guest Engagement: How Time of Day Impacts the Taproom Experience

Guest engagement can make or break the taproom experience, and recent data reveals fascinating trends in how staff interactions vary throughout the week and on weekends. Across all days, engagement peaks during lunchtime, with staff delivering consistently high levels of service to early-day visitors. However, as the day progresses, patterns begin to shift—weekday evenings see engagement drop slightly, while weekends maintain a higher baseline but lean more toward moderate interactions during busy periods. These findings not only highlight when taprooms are excelling but also uncover opportunities to fine-tune strategies, ensuring guests feel valued no matter when they walk through the door.

WATCH: Secret Hopper Success Stories

Learn how leading breweries are using Secret Hopper taproom data to see greater success.

How Party Size Impacts Taproom Spending

Does the solo guest or larger party spend more money in your taproom? Is your staff offering each group the same level of engagement? How can you use this data to create more memorable and profitable experiences for all?

Andrew CoplonOctober 2, 2024party size, taproom experience, taproom engagement, experience, taproom spending

Monitor These 2 Taproom Metrics Now

Over the years, Secret Hopper has explored taproom data extensively, examining everything from the significance of the initial greeting to how age impacts spending habits. Two consistent themes have emerged in nearly all our studies: the importance of education and engagement. We understand you’re busy and don’t have time to continually review hundreds of data points, share them with your team, and implement training to maximize them. Don’t worry—if you only have time to monitor two metrics, focus on tip percentage and average tab size.

Andrew CoplonSeptember 12, 2024taproom data, KPIs, taproom experience, engagement, education, hospitality, taproom success

The Art of Timing: How Speed of Services Influences Taproom Experiences

How does the speed at which a beer is served impact a guest’s taproom experience? Faster isn’t always better. The right level of engagement with guests doesn’t necessarily correspond directly with speed—other factors should also be considered. When a guest chooses to visit your taproom, they do so with intention. Understanding that intention and their goals can help you provide the experience they seek.

The Hospitality Factor of Taprooms

You’re in the hospitality business. Relationships, baby. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. You’re peddling experiences.

When we first launched Secret Hopper in 2017, most of us weren’t using the word “experience,” let alone “hospitality.” However, times are changing. You’re not just hoping someone chooses you over the nearby brewery; you want them to choose your taproom over any other social activity.

Andrew CoplonJuly 17, 2024third space, taproom experience, hospitality, industry trends, experience, brewery

3 Things that Don't Matter to Taproom Guests

These things might not matter to guests, but they can significantly impact your taproom. Sometimes, subtle aspects can unconsciously enhance a guest’s experience, leading to more memorable visits. Why should you care? When guests have a better experience, they are likely to spend more.

The Convenience Factor: How Proximity Influences Taproom Visits

Pretend you arrive at the end of your street. Whether you go right or left, you end up at a brewery with a quality atmosphere, quality beer, and quality staff. Everything else being the same, but the brewery to the right is a half mile closer. Where do you end up most often? For me, it’s nearly always to the right.

Taproom Guests Say "Yes" to Flights

In the past, we have looked at the likelihood of taproom staff encouraging a flight. This study continues with that data and also pairs it with the guests’ actions of ordering one. It’s all about building positive habits. By training your team to regularly encourage flights, you’ll consistently see higher tabs. Sure, it may take a little bit longer, but the effort put into better educating your guests on your offerings will help deepen relationships and contribute to everyone's success.

Standing Out in a Crowded Market: What Separates Successful Taprooms from the Rest of the Pack

In this webinar, we are joined by Jeremy Carney from Central Coast Analytics to analyze the behaviors that set top-performing taprooms apart. From staff behaviors to design elements, our study will pinpoint the top five habits of successful taprooms and offer insight into how you can implement these strategies in your business.

Why I Spent $80 on Strawberries

Why I spent $80 on strawberries.

$2.19. That’s what my local grocery store is currently charging for a pound of strawberries. This past Sunday, on Mother’s Day, we made a family trip and together picked about 20 pounds. If we had simply gone and cleared out Aldi, I would’ve walked out with a full cart of strawberries for only $44. So, why on Earth would I agree to make the 20-minute drive, do all the picking, and pay nearly double? Experience.

Drinking Habits by Generation: Gen Xers and Boomers

When are Gen Xers and Boomers going out to breweries and how can we use this information to better market to them?

Andrew CoplonMay 1, 2024gen x, boomers, taproom experience, craft beer, breweries, taprooms, taproom trends, generations

Drinking Habits by Generation: 26-40-Year-Olds

When are Millennials going out to breweries and how can we use this information to better market to them?

Andrew CoplonApril 11, 2024millennials, gen z, generations, taproom experience, trivia, taproom trends, drinking habits

Why Beer Flights Matter

Flights SUCK! They’re no fun to pour, can back up your line on a Saturday afternoon, and they take way too long to explain. What a waste of effort and time.

But wait! Is your brewery looking to attract new customers? Does your brewery like helping each guest find the perfect beer? Are you a taproom owner/manager/employee that wants to make more money?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, then flights may be the answer.

Andrew CoplonFebruary 25, 2024gen z, millennials, taproom experience, beer flights, beer education, hospitality, brewery finance

Flight + To Go Trends: 2018-2022

Join us for a deep dive into flight and to go beer trends from 2018 to 2022.

Why Every Taproom Visit Needs a "Hello" and "Thank You"

Beginning a taproom visit with a “hello” and ending it with “thank you'“ can increase how much a guest spends and help build deeper relationships.

Andrew CoplonSeptember 27, 2023hospitality, customer service, taproom staff, taproom experience

Top 5 Characteristics of High Engagement Taproom Visits

When working with breweries nationwide, we collect data that helps better the level of service and build more meaningful connections. Through this, we wanted to see what the top contributing factors to experiences where taproom staff truly wow the guest. Upon analyzing these high engagement experiences, we discovered 5 behaviors that are found in over 96% of the these visits.

Andrew CoplonSeptember 13, 2023taproom experience, taproom staff, customer experience, hospitality, brewery

"Hi, my name is...": The Value of Introducing Yourself to Taproom Guests

Eminem may not have known it, but he was onto something. Introducing yourself to your audience goes a long way and can help build deeper connections. Not only does it have the potential to propel you to a (controversially) successful career writing hit songs like “Lose Yourself” and “Without Me,” but offering your name will put you on the path to higher tabs, greater tips, and a busier taproom.

Andrew CoplonAugust 30, 2023hospitality, engagement, introduction, taproom staff, taproom experience

The Need for Human Connection in Taprooms

Your taproom is an experience. In a country with nearly 10,000 breweries, and growing competition for the consumers’ dollars, you can’t just be generic. You need to be the sound of a human pressing down on keys.

Andrew CoplonJuly 4, 2023human interaction, human connection, taproom experience, engagement

Don’t Say Trivia: An Interactive Event Planning Workshop

Join us for an interactive workshop designed to help you generate new and creative events to host in your taproom.

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