The month of November opens the season for Christmas dinners, meetings that have gone from being held among work colleagues to being essential also among friends and family, and in which Spaniards will spend an average of 60 euros per cover.
The data managed by the Spanish Hospitality Association point to an average consumer spending on Christmas dinners of between 50 and 60 euros, despite the containment of citizens due to the effects of inflation. The increase in prices has “resulted” in the available spending of customers, who now plan more when going out to eat and opt, in the opinion of Hospitality of Spain, for menus with “more affordable” products and prices.
Despite inflation, the custom of celebrating Christmas dinners has become “established” and more and more groups of friends and business colleagues are choosing these dates to meet in bars and restaurants. For restaurants, in the case of establishments with rooms for dinners and Christmas meals, this event represents a boost in their cash, with an increase in turnover of up to 50% compared to previous months.
However, despite this increase in income caused by Christmas dinners, the increase in costs also affects the loss of profitability margin of hospitality businesses in these weeks, as pointed out by the hospitality industry.
In general, the situation of hoteliers during the third quarter of the year is one of “pessimism”, since, after two positive quarters, hoteliers foresee a drop in consumption and turnover, according to the Hospitality Confidence Indicator 2023 report, of Hospitality of Spain.
The increase in production and input costs takes its toll on the sector, with a large part of business owners who have had to make changes to adapt to the rise in prices, among which is buying the same product, but an option cheaper, according to the study.
Until November 8, group reservations, that is, more than six people, account for 35% of the reservations made for December, according to data recorded by the reservation platform TheFork (ElTenedor). Furthermore, on December 15, 16 and 17 this percentage increases to 60%, doubling group reservations.
The weekend before Christmas is the weekend preferred by consumers to organize their Christmas dinners and meals in groups, accompanied by the December long weekend itself and the days between December 20 and 26.
According to data from TheFork, if the average number of people is usually 3.5 people per reservation, in the month of December it rises to 5.2, and on the days with the highest number of group reservations the average rises to 8 people per reservation.
After dinner and lunch, the work groups and friends continue the celebration in the leisure venues, from where they have assured that the rate of reservations is also maintained despite inflation, according to the spokesperson for the Federation of Businessmen of Nightlife and Entertainment, Spain at Night, Vicente Pizcueta.
During this Christmas event, consumer spending will not decline in nightlife, although they will have to cut back on some consumption, according to Pizcueta. Like hoteliers, nightlife has emphasized that business owners are seeing their production costs increase without affecting their services.
Regarding the Christmas dinners, the spokesperson for Spain at Night has highlighted that, during these meetings, the average age of consumers increases, as users who “normally” do not usually participate in nightlife attend. He has also highlighted the “irruption” of the “company afternoon”, a new trend that is increasingly leading consumers to occupy terraces and establishments during the afternoon.
Christmas dinners have changed in recent years from being a date for co-workers to an already established celebration also among friends and family and, for which this year, the Spanish have put inflation aside and give free rein to Christmas menus. and nightlife.
