Why the little details matter so much in F&B

The little things are the big things

I ran a poll on LinkedIn last week.

Price or quality; what's more important to F&B consumers?

92% said quality. Just 8% said price.

I wasn't surprised. But it's worth letting that sink in.

We spend so much energy worrying about whether we can charge £15 for a burger. Meanwhile, our guests are telling us loud and clear: get the quality right and the price takes care of itself.

The question is, what does "quality" actually mean?

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I think it’s about the details.

I was once helped an operator prepare for a new site opening. This individual had worked operations for one of the world's most famous chefs. Michelin stars, very impressive to be honest.

The team were discussing checkbacks. How quickly should we return to the table? What do we say?

His response was curt.

"This is not Nandos. We don't check back. We have absolute faith in our food and our seasoning."

Now, that level of confidence might not translate directly to golf club F&B. But the principle fascinated me.

"Is everything ok?" is apologetic. It's checking the kitchen hasn't messed up.

"How is everything? Can I get you anything else?" is hospitality. It's focused entirely on the guest.

One checks for problems. The other checks for opportunities.

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This is what I mean when I talk about the thousand decisions.

Your checkback. Your greeting. The way food arrives at the table. The state of your toilets. The music. The lighting. The warmth of the room. How the bill is presented. How your team says goodbye.

Every single touchpoint is a decision. And every decision either adds to the experience or takes away from it.

Most club F&B has never actually decided on these things. They've just... accumulated.

...

Your members aren't comparing your prices to Wetherspoons. They're comparing your experience to everywhere else they spend money.

92% of them are telling you: quality matters more than price.

The question is, are you delivering quality in every detail?

Or has it just... happened?

Have a great weekend.

Tony

If you'd like dedicated time to work through your club's F&B challenges, book a Power Hour Strategy Call. One hour, focused on your situation, with benchmarking, guidance, and a clear action plan to take away. £245 + VAT.