It’s time to rethink food and beverage as a strategic driver of revenue, relevance, and guest loyalty
By Wayne West III
Early in my career, I spent a lot of time in food and beverage. I worked nearly every position and every shift. I was fortunate to have mentors who did not just teach the mechanics of the business, but the value behind it. They made it clear that food and beverage was not there to fill space. It was there to perform.
I learned how to market to guests already in the building. I learned how to position a restaurant so it felt like a choice, not a convenience. Most importantly, I learned that when you get it right, the guest responds. They spend more. They stay engaged. They come back.
That lesson still applies, but it is not being applied consistently across our industry.
There was a time when hotel restaurants and bars mattered more than they do today. They were part of the reason people chose a hotel. They were part of the local community. Over time, we lost ground. Independent restaurants became more relevant, more creative, and more aggressive in going after the guest. At the same time, the growth of Select Service hotels lowered the overall focus on F&B.
The result is what we see now: F&B outlets that are underutilized, under marketed, and under managed.
The operating environment has also become more difficult. Food costs are up. Labor is harder to manage and more expensive. Guests have more options, and they expect more from every dining decision they make. That combination has pushed many operators to treat F&B as something to contain rather than something to build.
If anything, the environment today requires more discipline and more attention, not less. Food and beverage should be managed with the same level of focus as rooms revenue. It has a direct impact on performance, and it is one of the few areas where we can still create a clear point of differentiation.
When it is done right, F&B drives preference. Guests choose your hotel because the experience is better, not just because the room is available. This outcome shows up in occupancy, in rate, and in repeat business. It is not theoretical. It is measurable. And it starts with relevance.
If the offering does not match the guest desires, the guest will leave the building to dine. That decision is made quickly, and once it is made, the revenue is gone. Operators must understand who their guest is and build an offering that fits. That includes the menu, the price point, and the experience.
It also requires visibility. Too many guests walk through a hotel without a clear understanding of what is available to them. That is a failure at the property level. Team members should be talking about the outlet. The space should feel active and inviting. The messaging should be clear. None of that requires a major investment, but it does require attention.
Execution matters just as much. A limited menu that is done well will outperform a broad menu that is inconsistent. Purchasing has to be controlled. Waste has to be managed. Pricing has to reflect cost and value. These are the same disciplines we apply in other parts of the operation, and they apply here too.
There are better tools available today to support this. Data can tell us what is selling and what is not. It can help us adjust menus, pricing, and purchasing in real time. Technology can make it easier for guests to engage, whether through mobile ordering or more personalized recommendations. These tools are useful, but they do not replace management; they support it.
The other factor is people. In a labor-constrained environment, you cannot afford to be in a constant cycle of turnover. Training, engagement, and accountability matter. A well-run outlet starts with a team that understands expectations and is capable of delivering on them consistently.
Most properties do not need to rebuild their F&B from the ground up. They need to manage it differently and make it an important part of the business plan annually. That may mean repositioning the concept. It may mean simplifying the menu. It may mean creating a better connection between the outlet and the guest. In most cases, the opportunity is already there.
At Newport Hospitality Group, we see this as a clear call to action. Operators need to take a hard look at their food and beverage performance. Not just the revenue, but the utilization, the visibility, and the execution. If the outlet is not contributing in a meaningful way, it needs to be addressed.
Food and beverage is not just an amenity. It is a business unit and it should be expected to perform.