The open rate of bars and restaurants has hit its highest point since on-premise research firm BeerBoard began tracking the pandemic’s effect on the hospitality industry two years ago.
“After two consecutive periods at 94%, the open rate (locations open and pouring beer) ticked up to 95% on the weekend,” the company reported. “This now becomes the highest average since we started tracking this data back in May of 2020.”
The average number of taps nationwide was steady at 20 per location during BeerBoard’s April 7-10 survey, as well as the two prior surveys, March 24-27 and March 10-13. Compared to the same weekend in 2021, the average number of taps has increased +11.1%.
Of the 11 states BeerBoard tracks, the average number of taps was flat in eight. Nevada increased +4.8%, while New York (-4.8%) and California (-4.3%) declined. California (+22.2%) and Illinois (+20%) posted the largest increases in average number of taps compared to the same weekend in 2021.
Nationwide, slightly less than three-quarters (74%) of taps are pouring, a -1.3% decline from the previous survey. At 80%, Nevada reported the highest percentage of pouring taps, followed by Florida, Minnesota and California (76% for all). Tennessee (69%) posted the lowest percentage.
“Coming off two periods of growth, volume saw a slight decrease for -3.5% for the period,” BeerBoard wrote. “Nationally, volume was +6.9% when compared to the same period in 2021.”
Only two states – Georgia (+9.3%) and Florida (+2.1%) – recorded an increase in volume compared to the last survey. Minnesota (-9.4%) posted the steepest decline, followed by Michigan (-8.8%), New York (-5.8%), South Carolina (-5.2%), Illinois (-4.3%), Tennessee (-3.7%), Nevada (-3.6%), Texas (-2.1%), and California (-1.7%).
Compared to the same weekend in 2021, California (+37.9%) led the way in increased volume per location. The Golden State had longer and stricter pandemic policies in place than most other states, so its on-premise channel took longer to bounce back. Both Illinois (+20.8%) and New York (+14.2%) had similar policies and posted some of the highest growth compared to last year, followed by Nevada (+15.5%), Minnesota (+13.4%) and Georgia (+13.6%). Michigan (+9.6%), South Carolina (+7.8%), and Florida (+6.2%) posted mid- to high-single digit growth in volume change. Texas (-9%) and Tennessee (-6.3%) recorded declines compared to the same weekend in 2021.
Nationwide, rate of sale “lost the entirety of its gain from the two weekends prior,” BeerBoard wrote. Rate of sale declined -3.9% from the last survey, but increased +5% compared to last year. Only Georgia (+10.2%) and Florida (+0.5%) increased rate of sale, while Michigan (-8.1%) and Minnesota (-7.3%) posted the steepest declines.
Craft beer’s share of volume (34.3%) and tap handles (56.7%) was flat compared to the last survey, while imports (16.3% of total volume) took 0.2% of volume share from domestics, which accounted for 49.5% of volume. Imports accounted for 16% of taps, and domestics accounted for 27.3%.