Have you ever had the experience of going to the grocery store when you’re hungry? As we all know, it usually doesn’t end well. When you’re hungry, it’s easier to overspend and buy snacks because you’re hungry. But a new trend may help make shopping easier for consumers, even while hungry!
Food halls are becoming increasingly popular in new grocery store designs. The idea is to create in-store dining options for customers to enjoy while shopping. Like a mall’s food court or a food truck fair, the food hall concept offers customers several small, quick dining options. For example, a local market retailer in California opened a new supermarket with a Mexican-themed food hall that features 20 different food stalls, live music, and even a fine dining restaurant!
Whether it’s a big or small food hall, the idea is to create a space for customers to relax, get fresh food, and make the in-person shopping experience more attractive. For retailers, there are a lot of advantages to adding a food hall service to your store, including:
- Increased sales. Foodservice sales at grocery stores are up 8% this year, according to the Food Marketing Institute, as fresh in-store prepared sales are becoming more popular among consumers. The trend has led to the term ‘grocerant,’ which is particularly popular among younger shoppers who value freshly prepared meals and to-go options.
- More customer loyalty. The food hall concept inspires better customer loyalty. Instead of grocery shopping being a chore that has to be completed, it can be an attraction. Customers can come for a delicious meal, get a specialty coffee, read a paper or book, work on a laptop, and still do their grocery shopping all in one place. This added level of convenience and comfort for the customer will inspire more store loyalty and lead to more long-term sales.
- More private brand sales. Another advantage is that the food hall concept allows stores to showcase their private-label products. In-store dining options can be created using the store’s private brand or locally sourced products. This showcases how the customer can use the products and will boost sales of a store’s private-label goods.
Whether it’s a food hall, grocerant, or just an expanded prepared to-go counter, adding more dining options for your customers in-store is a great idea. It’s a great way to keep customers in the store longer, and as retailers know, the longer a customer is in store, the more they will spend. So consider adding more dining options to your store this year to boost your bottom line!
