30 trends & market forces impacting the future of location-based entertainment

In a world where the pace of change is accelerating, the drivers of change are varied and diverse as are the signals of evolving consumer behaviors, our leisure and entertainment preferences and behaviors are also rapidly evolving. Which should location-based entertainment (LBE) and especially community leisure venues (CLVs), including family entertainment centers (FECs), be focused on?

Here's a look at some of the major current trends and shifting market forces we've been tracking to help our clients stay in prime position to capitalize on attracting guests for out-of-home leisure and entertainment at their centers in the coming years.

They're in no particular order. At the end of many, we have a link to one of our previous Leisure eNewsletter articles that discuss it in greater depth. We plan to have future articles for the ones that don't have a link.

  • An increasing percentage of adults are living in households without children. More
  • Snacking now makes up half of all food occasions. 91% of adults snack multiple times during the day. More
  • All the vacant department and other stores brought on by the retail disruption from the growth of ecommerce are about to cause an overexpansion of LBEs. More
  • Board games are making a comeback. More
  • Consumers prefer independent restaurants. More
  • More young adults are living at home. More=
  • Rising expectations. It's no longer good enough to be best in your industry. Consumers are comparing every experience to all experiences. More
  • Increasing screen time is taking time market share away from LBEs. More
  • Expanding number of CLVs is cannibalizing existing CLVs. More
  • Dining out is now the main event. Dining has become an entertainment experience. More
  • Binge-watching is the new normal. More
  • There is a migration from real world experiences to the digital world. More
  • Clean food is the new norm. More
  • It's no longer about the entertainment; it's all about the experience. More
  • The young adult market is shrinking. More
  • The rise of the conscientious consumer. More
  • Restaurant table stakes - what worked in the past is no longer good enough. More
  • Consumers are seeking plant-forward menus. More
  • The menu adoption cycle has accelerated. The sweet spot is now the adoption phase. More
  • There is a declining birth rate. Welcome to the baby bust. More
  • Repeat appeal is on the decline as consumers grow their Experiential CVs. More
  • The entertainment market is being bifurcated along economically-driven divides. More
  • Festivals are becoming growing competition to LBEs. More
  • Construction costs are increasing at a faster rate than what can be charged for entertainment and dining. More
  • College-educated women are delaying motherhood. More
  • Gentrification - an increasing CLV market share is shifting to higher socioeconomic households. More
  • Staying home is the new going out. More
  • People are experiencing time famine. More
  • The number of average restaurant visits is on the decline.
  • Consumers are seeking brands with a purpose. More
  • Participation in out-of-home arts and entertainment is on the decline.