---

A not-so-happy anniversary

We're coming up on an anniversary that no one is looking to celebrate - the fifth anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic's arrival in the U.S. It is a time most of us would like to forget. However, it has undeniably affected our lives, from how we shop to how much toilet paper we always keep on hand. One very serious consequence of the pandemic is its psychological impact, especially among children in their formative years during the height of the pandemic.

In a recent article for Nation's Restaurant News, Lisa Miller discussed her research findings on children's (and therefore their parents') attitude towards dining out since the pandemic, and the news is somewhat bleak.

Mille postulates that the radical shift from dining out to ordering out (and staying in), either through delivery services or curbside pickup, has profoundly affected how children view in-restaurant dining. When families returned to the restaurant, for these children the experience was at best unusual and at worst frightening or stressful. It can be challenging to dine out with young children at the best of times, so if the children are leery of dining out, their parents will most likely give in to their wishes. Miller's research found that 39% of parents have determined it "just isn't worth it anymore" to eat out. This distressing trend adds to the other woes many restaurants are experiencing, such as labor issues and increasing food costs.

Perhaps you think it's a good thing your LBE isn't in the restaurant business (side note: you actually are). But don't start celebrating yet. The takeaway isn't that children are uncomfortable in restaurants but that children who didn't experience typical out-of-home social interactions and activities at location-based entertainment centers in their formative years due to the pandemic find it difficult to adapt to them later in life. Formative years are usually considered from birth to 8 years old, so the children affected by the pandemic's restrictions would now be between the ages of 5 and 13, a target age for children and family entertainment centers (FECs).

What is the solution? Miller suggests creating "experiences so irresistible, so craveable that kids are begging to go…elevate the experience…make it joyful. Joy isn't just a bonus; it's a key to staying competitive."

While it will take some time to fully understand COVID's impact on society, especially children and young adults, we do know what entices guests to LBEs, including FECs. Here are a few of the key ingredients to a successful LBE:

• Providing your guests with high-quality food and beverage (you ARE a restaurant!). Many newer social gaming venues have raised the bar for food and beverages with trend-forward, foodie-worthy offerings, raising LBE and FEC customer expectations.
• Creating a comfortable environment both in terms of acoustics and quality finishes.
• Removing any barriers to entry, be it technological (a slow or hard-to-navigate website) or physical (poor wayfinding, pinch points at entry or exit, long waits for food or attractions).
• Hiring and training staff to provide consistent and friendly service

Oh, and by the way, your venue is a restaurant in addition to the entertainment you offer, but regular restaurants are starting to compete with you directly - see the article in this issue.

Subscribe to monthly Leisure eNewsletter

---