From afternoons spent with pals in beer gardens, to long evenings watching the sunset while sipping on a sundowner, summer is nearly here!
63% of Brits visit the pub more often during this key trading period. Come rain or shine, the summer brings plenty of opportunities for venues to tap into their sunny side and draw the crowds in, from hosting special events to making the most of your outdoor spaces, and serving great food and drinks.
We’ve pulled together our top trends and tips to help make summer 2025 another sip-tacular success for your venue.
All About the Experience
6 in 10 customers say they would rather spend money on making memories than on buying material possessions.
With the appetite for memorable, sociable experiences higher than ever, offering customers unique experiences is key. The on-trade is the perfect place for consumers to celebrate occasions, explore new flavours and innovative cocktails, or immerse themselves in activities with friends.
Top Tip: Think about how the overall experience can be enhanced for customers visiting your venue. Whether it's through hosting events or entertainment, crafting unique or seasonal serves or simply delivering exceptional customer service, a great, memorable experience can encourage repeat visits and longer dwell time.
From Noon to Night
Customers are preferring to head out earlier in the day, with mid-afternoon and early evening visits seeing an increase.
- 56% of customers prefer to visit the on-trade in the early evening, between 5pm – 8pm
- 29% prefer to visit mid-afternoon, between 2pm – 5pm
- 27% prefer to visit for lunch, between 12pm – 2pm
Beer, cider and wine are the most popular choices for these earlier drinking occasions. Prosecco captures 22% of lunchtime drinking occasions, rising to 29% for mid-afternoon.
Top Tip: Consider how you can maximise drink sales for all categories throughout the day by drawing attention to them on your menu, creating seasonal serves or bringing in special promotions to draw people in during quieter times. The summer is a great chance to bring your spirits into play earlier in the day by spotlighting your spritzes.
All in Moderation
As people seek healthier lifestyle choices, there is a growing demand for mindful drinking and inclusive social experiences, leading to a growth in the low and no alcohol category.
- 8 in 10 on-trade customers say they try to take care of their physical and mental wellbeing.
- 30% of on-trade alcohol drinkers have cut down their intake compared to last year.
Low and no alcohol beer continues to be the most popular choice, but low and no alcohol spirits have gained +18% volume year-on-year in the on-trade, featuring in alcohol-free cocktails.
Top Tip: Create a dedicated section for low and no drinks in your menu and make sure they are visible on your bar. Ensure your range is diverse to cater to all tastes and highlight any additional benefits of these drinks, such as vitamins and minerals.
Beer Garden Bevs
With their perceived value for money, draught beer and cider continue to capture the majority of drinks served in the on-trade.
- Beer is the #1 category consumers are opting for when out in the on-trade
- 1 in 5 consumers believe ‘large serve size’ is a sign of good value
World lagers, stout and no and low alcohol beers are the most popular serves in the category. In cider, apple continues to dominate as the most popular sub-category, with premium draught apple cider gaining 1.7% volume share.
Top Tip: Consider updating your beer and cider taps for the summer to include crisp, refreshing options. Ensure your range is diverse to include premium options or specialty beers for those looking to treat themselves.
Grape Minds
With drinks-led occasions increasing and by-the-glass offerings becoming more important, customers are leaning towards familiar styles, with the top varietals gaining even more market share.
- Italian Pinot Grigio gained 31.5% volume share
- New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc gained 8.6% volume share
- French Merlot gained 14.5% volume share
- Argentinian Malbec gained 8.4% volume share
Top Tip: While customers will gravitate towards what they know and love, ensuring your staff are trained and confident talking to guests about the wines on your list can help encourage trade ups. In menu, spotlight wines of a similar style to the favourites on your menu, which can motivate customers to try something new.
Discover our interactive page for more on 2025's key summer insights.
About the author
Mary McCarron
Mary looks after the majority of Matthew Clark's digital marketing comms. After a couple of years working in tech, she found her way back to the hospitality industry and can now be found talking all things cocktails, spirits, beer, softs and more across our website, social media, and other digital channels.
