Spotlight: Meeting Consumers Where They Are

By Nick Lowery

As an avid golfer, the idea of working on my game while enjoying great food and drinks is an easy sell. I also find a special kind of joy in watching people who have never held a club attempt to hit a golf ball, even if the struggle becomes a little too real at times. Golf entertainment venues create a fun, low-pressure environment where people can experience the game with family and friends while enjoying quality food and beverage options.

These types of experiences also create a valuable opportunity to put new products directly into consumers’ hands and see how they interact with them in a real-world setting. W5 partnered with one of these venues to better understand how guests experienced new food and beverage offerings, including what they enjoyed, how the products fit into their visit, and how they contributed to the overall experience.

Approach

W5 implemented a series of taste-testing focus groups with frequent guests of the entertainment venue in two popular U.S. markets. During each focus group, W5 partnered with the venue’s head chefs to present and serve new menu items, including appetizers and entrees. Head-to-head comparisons allowed W5 to effectively compare appealing elements of each dish, from ingredients to texture to temperature, to determine a clear winner.

Additionally, downtime between dishes provided an opportunity for participants to discuss the appeal of the venue’s food and beverage offerings overall, identify category competitors, and pinpoint opportunities to elevate its offerings to provide a premium experience.

RESULTS

The research shed new light on expectations for format, flavor, and variety of food and beverage offerings. W5 researchers shared a focused strategy for delivering optimal appetizers, entrees, desserts, and drinks based on guests’ needs with guidance on specific appetizers and entrees to move forward with, based on their taste-tested appeal and performance.