The experiential journey at the heart of today’s pub dining

With the pub market having evolved to meet the changing expectations of today’s ever-more discerning customers, Gary Johnson, National Executive Chef for ALH Group which operates more than 340 hotels nationally, shares his insights into why the neighbourhood pub is thriving as a go-to destination, community social hub and sanctuary. 

Gary begins by emphasising that with food having become a key attraction of today’s pubs, the dining footprint within each venue is much larger than in the past. “Today we like to say that the whole pub with the exception of the Designated Outdoor Smoking Area (DOSA) is activated for dining. In the public bar you’ll usually have tabletops which are more suited to handheld food or shared dishes like pizzas and dude food platters.

“I think probably the lasting effect of Covid is reduced menus, which have kind of stuck with us now – but menus were way too big before anyway, so it’s nice to have them a little smaller and to be able to move more seasonally. We’re having more chef’s suggestions on blackboards, featuring more local produce, and we tend to find the chefs especially in regional areas are now much closer to producers, there’s a better connection there –  that may have been borne from logistics of not being able to supply products right around the country, but in any case it’s quite a welcome development, in that especially on weekends some of our regular pubs have become culinary destinations.”

A corollary to this is a culture of menus more aligned with their customer demographic: “It might be as simple as Korean fried chicken with a Korean beer in an area which perhaps has a higher Korean population - we’re seeing menus now that are more tailored, because we have better access to demographic data; but having said that, the local pub remains a social hub and sanctuary to the broader community, so we cater to customers across the board.

There’s also an increasing tendency to ‘zone’ different areas in pubs, especially across different day parts: “With a lot more people working from home, we’re seeing some who’ll go down to the local pub for business meetings rather than at home; they might have a coffee and a small snack, come in for morning tea on a Tuesday and be back later in the week for dinner with the family, then on the weekends be together with friends watching a sporting event and having a few jars on a Sunday afternoon. We’re seeing a lot more of this kind of patronage, especially in our more established inner city pubs.

Playing a pivotal role in the community

“Today’s successful pub has to have something for every generation and budget, from coffee to craft beers to cocktails after dark. I like to use the term ‘experiential’ – and with that comes more of a connection to the community. That might be exemplified as cooking classes with lunch, it could be bourbon and backgammon competitions, trivia nights or live music on a Sunday arvo – it’s about connecting with and getting to know more about our community. We all have that favourite pub we can walk to from home or reach in a short Uber ride, and that’s being extended further to local clubs and private groups – the pub today is playing a more pivotal role in the community.

“The other thing we're seeing is a decline in some of our vegan menu choices. Needless to say we are still featuring those options on the menu, but we find the flexitarians are probably pushing demand more than the vegans. There’s, dare I say, a wilting of plant based foods – people are becoming a little wary of the highly processed plant based offerings, so we try to keep it real. We prefer to use actual vegetables or good quality vegan ingredients with clever techniques so we can really retain the flavours and offer something that has plenty of protein and a good flavour balance as well, rather than what I call ‘Frankenstein food’ which is food with lots of numbers (additives).”

Gary says one of the emerging trends is the growth in demand for share plates. “These have been around for a while, but there’s more interest now in smaller share plates – so we’re offering smaller tapas, antipasto, around the five to ten dollar mark to serve with a couple of beers. And that may be the prelude into dinner, or it could be served at an afternoon meeting where you want something savoury to go with your libation rather than coffee and cake.”

Looking further ahead, he sees potential for more dinners and events showcasing local producers, winemakers and the like – “these are coming back into vogue now, it’s all about celebrating the great products we have here in Australia, with a definite local focus as well. Sustainability is very high on the agenda for many of our customers and people are much more aware of what they’re eating. So naturally that feeds into our choice of produce – we need to ensure it’s carefully grown, nurtured and sustainable. We look at sustainably harvested seafood, one crop fields, regionally sourced produce, that kind of thing.” 

Social media has given industry a wake-up call

With many menus today focused on ‘Instagrammability’, Gary acknowledges the importance of social media but adds, “we’ve got to be very careful in that space. It’s no secret that people eat with their eyes first, and our data shows about 70 per cent of Australians today are looking online to see what’s on offer before they go in to a venue. We will begin to explore the metaverse more with our websites – I think the next level of advancement is likely to be a virtual walkthrough of the venue on the website, so you can see what awaits you when you go in to the physical space.

“More generally, social media has given the industry a bit of a wake-up call, a reminder that what you serve your customers needs to look like what’s in the photo. And that has to guide the way you build menus – you need to keep the food real. It’s one thing to create dishes that might look good on Instagram but you need to bear in mind the need to replicate them day in, day out in the actual venue.

Younger generation has more interest in alcohol-free

On the beverage side of the operation, liquor pricing remains important, and non-alcoholic beverages are gaining ground. “In the pub market we can’t forget about the older generation: the price of a schooner is still a sensitive area in these current economic times and we can’t be seen to be putting prices up another dollar or two just because there’s a CPI increase. It’s a question of balance. For the younger generation there’s more interest in the alcohol-free area – they come in groups and typically take turns to choose someone to be designated driver for the others – and there’s some really good products in that space. Those who do enjoy an alcoholic drink tend to pick something a little more premium – such as Blue Label Scotch, for which we’ve noticed a rise in sales over the past month.

“Behind our bars you'll see the price per drink hanging on some of the premium beverages - people then treat themselves, because stepping up to a more premium choice doesn’t usually cost that much more per serve. Usually we’ll feature a rum, gin or vodka – several of our pubs specialise in those areas and may have up to 100 bottles to choose from.

“You have to be careful that you have the right people working in those places, and it’s always handy if you have someone really passionate about the spirit. And this is again where it comes back to the experiential – it’s about taking the customer on a journey. I think that is at the heart of the experience – if pubs are going to be a true sanctuary then we need to be welcoming of all people, all the time.”