Guest blog by TiPJAR 

It was a fairly ordinary Sunday afternoon about a year ago when I took my parents out for lunch.

We headed to The Mill in Exeter, part of the St Austell Brewery estate, for what turned out to be a genuinely brilliant Sunday roast. As the bill arrived, complete with service charge, my dad leaned over to the waitress and quietly asked:

“Before we pay this, do you actually get the tip, or should we go and get cash?”

Having already introduced myself as someone from TiPJAR, the waitress and I exchanged a slightly amused look and reassured him, yes, the tips were fairly distributed to the team.

My dad is a classic baby boomer; practical, generous, and quietly sceptical of technology. But his question reflects something we hear all the time in hospitality: do digital tips really reach staff?

The answer is yes.

Tipping itself hasn’t disappeared in the digital age, it just evolved.

According to Zonal’s People vs Tech research, 92% of people say they tip when dining out. Among younger guests, that rises to 95% of Gen Z, while even 90% of baby boomers still tip.

The desire to reward good service clearly hasn’t gone anywhere. The way people pay, however, has.

While 73% of guests say they would tip with cash spontaneously, the reality is that very few people carry cash regularly anymore. Most of us have experienced that awkward moment of wanting to leave something extra but are only carrying a card or phone.

That shift creates a real challenge, and opportunity, for operators. Because if customers want to tip but can’t do so easily, your team misses out.

And when teams miss out on tips, businesses miss out too.

Integrating digital tipping as a seamless part of service removes any chance of friction.

Good tipping programmes help businesses attract and retain talent, improve motivation, reward great service and ultimately improve guest experience. Better guest experience tends to mean better reviews, repeat visits and stronger commercial performance.

At TiPJAR, we see the impact of this every day:

• 7.5% increase in revenue across managed houses from FY24 to FY25 at Wells & Co
• Honest Burgers improved retention by 30.5%
• St Austell Brewery saved £13k per month in National Insurance Contributions through a compliant tronc structure
• 280% increase in team mentions in feedback for Parogon Pub Group

TiPJAR customers who used Tap To Tip devices collectively distributed £44,000 in tips in April 2026 alone.

Historically, managing tips and troncs could be admin-heavy. Operators relied on spreadsheets, payroll workarounds or a tronc master manually handling distribution. It worked, but it was rarely seamless.

Modern systems like TiPJAR’s Supertronc™️ automate things, making tip allocation fair, transparent and fast, while helping operators stay compliant and reduce administrative burden.

For operators, the important point is this: technology is something to embrace and harness, when it comes to tipping.

In reality, tipping is already powered by technology. Operators just need to meet customers where they are.

Guests are ready to tip. Teams want fair access to tips. And operators who embrace modern tipping systems can unlock benefits that go far beyond gratuities alone, from retention and morale to stronger reviews and measurable bottom-line impact.

Great hospitality deserves to be recognised, and in 2026, the easiest way to make that happen is to make tipping effortless.

With 2026 fully underway, and millions of tourists preparing to explore the UK, the desire for meaningful travel has never been stronger. Quintessentially British pubs with rooms answer that call, blending comfort with character in a way other accommodation simply cannot. Inns, pubs with rooms, whatever you want to term them, don’t just provide a bed for the night, they welcome guests into a uniquely British experience, where comfort meets community and every visit feels personal.

In 2024, 22% of consumers stayed in a pub, showing that the demand for this accommodation offering is becoming more popular. Given that the UK forecasts 45.5 million international visitors in 2026, with overseas visitors spending £35.7 billion during their stays, this is a significant market that pub operators can target alongside the British staycationer.

What makes pubs stand out is their authentic link to local life. Unlike other types of accommodation, they offer insights that algorithms can’t replicate. And, whether it’s scenic spots that are off the beaten track, a hidden gem that many miss, or how to navigate local public transport, it’s pub teams that have the deep knowledge of the surrounding area and can offer insights that go far beyond what’s available online.

These personal touches enrich the guest experience in ways that digital platforms cannot reproduce. In fact, our research shows that 78% of consumers are likely to seek local information and recommendations during their stay. This is especially true among older guests, who place a high value on human interaction and personal advice. A third (34%) of those staying in pubs or interested in doing so are aged 55 to 64, and nearly as many (31%) are 65 or over, underscoring the importance of authentic, face-to-face engagement.

Staying in a pub isn’t just about finding a place to sleep, it taps into the desire for authentic travel experiences and an all-round, quality night away. Pubs stand out for their food and drink offerings, with 67% of consumers ranking them as the best among all accommodation types, more than double the number who favour hotels. By offering both accommodation and F&B, pub operators can join these aspects together to create memorable experiences for their guests, and support them with integrated technology.

Integrated booking systems for both rooms and tables give guests the opportunity to book a table in the pub’s bar or restaurant whilst they’re booking their room, allowing operators to maximise the exposure of a pub’s F&B offering by marketing both arms of the business as one joint offering, as well as ensuring guests choose to eat in the pub, rather than going elsewhere to dine.

Connected systems can also offer operational improvements for pubs alongside streamlining guest experiences. One of the first touchpoints guests encounter on arrival is check-in which, when done right through an easy, frictionless journey, can help to set the tone for the rest of the stay. With integrated EPoS and PMS systems, pubs can offer their teams the ability to check-in guests at the bar through any POS, saving staff time by removing the need to swap to a different system, and giving guests more flexibility, as well as a more authentic experience on arrival.

Through this integrated technology, pubs can post any F&B bills to a room and allow guests to pay for their meals and drinks at check out. This gives guests a more seamless experience during their stay as it eliminates a stage of the customer journey that can be prone to causing frustration, with previous research showing that 77% of guests find having to wait to receive and settle the bill to be a bugbear, and further encourages engagement with the pub’s F&B offering, which is a key draw of a pub stay.

Whilst chain hotels fill a particular need for guests, pubs, whether nestled in the countryside or standing proudly on bustling high streets, offer connection, character, and a slice of heritage that turns an overnight stay into an experience. Some 39% of UK consumers already believe pubs offer a more authentic local experience than other types of accommodation, highlighting the value of these venues in today’s travel landscape.

Hospitality is at the heart of the pub experience, with 79% of guests saying friendly and welcoming staff are a key reason for choosing pub stays. This warmth and familiarity create a sense of belonging that is difficult to find in more corporate accommodation settings.

The first impression a guest has of your pub often begins long before they walk through the door. It starts with a booking, and for 53% of people, complicated booking systems are a barrier. Whether it’s a table for two or a room for the weekend, that process needs to be frictionless, as consumers have grown accustomed to intuitive platforms that anticipate their needs, and pubs can’t afford to fall behind. Integrated systems that manage availability, capture preferences, and respond in real time aren’t just ‘nice-to-have’, they’re essential. Technology isn’t replacing hospitality, it’s amplifying it.

Value matters too. Over two in five consumers believe pubs offer better value than other types of accommodation, placing them just behind camping in terms of perceived affordability. This combination of value, authenticity, and hospitality makes pubs with rooms a compelling choice for travellers seeking meaningful stays.

By embracing their role in the community and showcasing their local knowledge, friendly service, culinary offerings, and smart use of technology, pubs can position themselves not just as accommodation providers, but as curators of memorable experiences. For operators, the message is clear: lean into what makes your pub unique, not just the rooms, but the stories, the people, and the flavours that surround them.

With consumer spending squeezed and visit frequency down, finding ways to keep guests returning is a top priority for many hospitality businesses. Rising costs, increased competition, and tightened margins mean that these loyal customers – those that do visit repeatedly, and spend more when they do – are an incredibly valuable source of revenue.

But consumer loyalty is ever-shifting, and what guests want (and expect) is something that operators may not be able to easily keep track of.

Drawing on our quarterly research of over 5,000 British hospitality guests, here are four loyalty insights to help you better understand the hospitality loyalty landscape, and boost guest loyalty inside, and outside, your venues.

Connection is a key loyalty driver

Loyalty is about so much more than just collecting points on purchases, or exclusive deals. It’s also building connections with customers, and making them feel valued. In fact, 54% of consumers we’ve spoken to told us that they’d be more likely to return to a venue again when they feel personally valued by a brand during their visit.

This emphasis on connection is further backed by our recent GO Technology research People vs Tech in 2026, where human interaction has become increasingly important for guests during their visits to hospitality venues. Just under half of respondents (48%) said that human interactions are the most critical factor during their visits to hospitality – a rise of 19% since we last asked this question in 2023.

But how do venues deliver this connection that makes consumers feel personally valued? It’s the small touches that resonate the most – a birthday treat, personalised messages and offers on items guests like the most, giving them a choice in where to sit, or even just remembering them when they visit.

All of these little touches come together to help deliver a more memorable experience for guests which, ultimately, drive brand advocacy and keep them coming back for more.

Consistency is key!

Loyalty is hard earned, but even once it’s established, it can be fickle. 61% of consumers say that encountering problems during a visit would lead them to visit less (or even never visit again), meaning that it’s important to get the fundamentals of good hospitality right every time, alongside delivering memorable experiences.

This is especially true during the current cost-of-living crisis. Previous research has uncovered that since the start of the cost-of-living crisis, 16% of guests are less loyal to hospitality brands, however 52% have higher expectations of the brands they are loyal to.

Greater emphasis should therefore be placed on staff training, helping to ensure that your teams are delivering a consistent level of service that matches guest expectations.

Competition can trump loyalty

Whilst guests may love what you do, they are shopping around for a better offer. 1-in-3 guests told us that they are likely to switch their loyalty to another hospitality brand if they spot something better. This propensity to switch is slightly higher for restaurants, with 34% of guests likely to switch to a different restaurant brand compared to 29% for pubs and 30% for bars.

What’s particularly important to note here, is that more frequent users of hospitality are also the most likely to switch up who they’re loyal to. 41% of those that eat and drink out weekly say they are very or somewhat likely to choose a different venue, 17 percentage points higher than the 24% of those who go out less frequently.

These frequent users of hospitality are also the most lucrative, so securing their loyalty through a combination of delivering on hospitality fundamentals, and giving them memorable experiences, will be key.

Loyalty schemes are a powerful loyalty lever to pull, but beware of barriers…

47% of guests say that value for money is a key factor in their loyalty to hospitality brands, and with 90% of consumers open to joining a loyalty scheme, a loyalty scheme can be a great way of helping to enhance the value of your offering.

Currently, 58% of guests believe that loyalty schemes represent good value for money, and 47% have joined more loyalty schemes to save money since the cost-of-living crisis began.

But what types of loyalty schemes are popular with guests? Unsurprisingly, schemes focused on monetary rewards are the most popular, however there is demand for additional benefits that can increase engagement:

Which of these loyalty schemes do you find most appealing?

1. Member-only prices (49%)
2. Collecting points for purchases (39%)
3. Cashback (37%)
4. Deals on regularly-bought products (29%)
5. Stamp cards (14%)
6. Chance to win prizes (13%)
7. Personalised offers (12%)
8. Deals on products in a different sector (9%)
9. Digital receipts (8%)
10. Subscription schemes (8%)

Despite consumers’ willingness to engage with loyalty schemes, barriers to entry do still exist for many.

A not insignificant 38% are put off by upfront membership costs, whilst a further 29% don’t want to be locked into subscriptions, and 22% feel that they wouldn’t get enough value out of signing up to a scheme. This apprehension around upfront costs can be a barrier for many operators where running an associated scheme will have costs associated with it, so it’s important to ensure that communications around the value any loyalty schemes offer are clear and compelling.

What loyalty offers to your venue in 2026

So, now that we’ve seen the insights, what are the main benefits a focus on guest loyalty can bring to your business?

Increased customer retention – Loyalty programmes encourage repeat business.

Increased share of wallet – Loyal guests spend more with you over time compared to the occasional visitor!

Valuable customer insights – Customer loyalty is also a great way to feed further marketing activity, providing valuable insights into customer preferences and behaviours, and helping you to tailor your offering to further build and enhance loyalty.

Click here to learn more about Zonal’s loyalty platform and how it could help you increase repeat visits and drive revenue!

Zonal partner, Grateful, is a next-gen tronc management and earnings platform built for hospitality to deliver unrivalled transparency for teams and ensure effortless compliance with regulations for operators across the UK. To coincide with the Government’s current consultation on tipping legislation, Grateful has written this insightful guest blog to outline what hospitality operators need to know and how they can contribute to the consultation document.

When the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act came into force in 2024, it changed the landscape for hospitality businesses overnight. Allocation processes became more formalised, transparency moved from good practice to legal expectation, and record-keeping climbed higher on the operational agenda. At Grateful, we worked closely with operators across the industry to help them adapt. And now, before the dust has fully settled, the Government is consulting again.

This time, the focus is on strengthening the law further by introducing a mandatory duty for employers to consult workers on tipping policies, when creating or updating them, and at least every three years thereafter. Employers would also be required to provide an anonymised written summary of the views expressed.
On the surface, that might sound manageable. In practice, anyone who works in hospitality will immediately recognise the complexity.

The Real-World Challenge
Hospitality is not a typical employment environment. Teams are large, shifts are variable, staff turnover can be high, and many businesses operate across multiple sites and brands. When the original tipping legislation landed, there was genuine friction across the industry, something Grateful saw first-hand when supporting clients through implementation. In part, the friction arose because the statutory guidance didn’t always reflect how hospitality businesses actually operate. Some examples were unclear. In one instance, guidance even contradicted existing legislation.

The current consultation is an opportunity to correct that. The Government is asking not just about the new duty to consult, but about how the existing Code of Practice has worked in real life, on fair distribution, transparency, and the record-keeping burden. These are not abstract policy questions. They go to the heart of daily operations, and at Grateful, we hear about these challenges from operators regularly.

Achieving meaningful consultation across a dispersed, shift-based workforce raises questions that don’t have simple answers. How do you include seasonal workers? What about agency or casual staff, where guidance is still unclear? How do you ensure representative input from across all departments, rather than just hearing from the most vocal people in the room? These are exactly the kinds of practical challenges policymakers need to understand.

The Wider Picture
There are also stronger voices entering the debate. Trade unions have indicated they believe the proposed duty doesn’t go far enough, with some calling for formal collective bargaining over tipping policies. There are also calls to reconsider the burden placed on workers within the employment tribunal process.
Whether you agree with those positions or not, the direction of travel is clear: policy is being shaped right now, through active input. If hospitality businesses remain silent, their perspective risks being left out of the final framework entirely. Grateful has been vocal on this point — operators cannot afford to sit this one out.

Why This Matters
It would be easy to treat this as another regulatory task to file away. That would be a mistake. The legislation will proceed regardless of whether operators respond. The Code of Practice will be drafted. The requirements will come into force, likely in October. The only variable is whether hospitality businesses have a hand in shaping what that looks like.

The consultation invites responses from employers, workers and customers. Everyone in hospitality occupies at least two of those roles. That combined perspective is genuinely valuable, and real, practical examples from the ground will carry real weight. Grateful’s own whitepaper on the consultation, developed following our February 2026 webinar, outlines the key issues in detail and is available for any operator who wants to understand the full picture before responding.

Policymakers need to understand how distribution models work across multi-site groups. They need to know where previous guidance has created confusion. They need to hear from all parts of the business, not just the loudest voices.

What to Do Now
There is no immediate operational change required at this stage. But now is the time to read the consultation document, reflect on how your business has experienced the tipping legislation over the past eighteen months, and think through how formal consultation would actually work across your sites. Grateful is here to support operators through that process.

To find out more about the UK Government Consultation on Tipping, visit: Make Work Pay: strengthening the law on tipping – GOV.UK. Responses must be submitted by Wednesday 1 April 2026 and can be sent by email to tipping@businessandtrade.gov.uk or via the Government’s online platform. You can respond as an individual, as a business, or from multiple perspectives, what matters is that your voice is included.

Tipping sits at the intersection of compliance, culture and commercial reality. Getting the framework right requires input from those who live it every day. At Grateful, we believe this consultation is one of the most important opportunities the hospitality industry has had to shape its own regulatory future. The question is whether the industry will take it.

Katie Linstead is Head of Services & Compliance at Grateful, a tronc and tipping specialist supporting hospitality businesses across the UK.

This article is for general information purposes and does not constitute legal advice.

The latest GO Technology report from leading hospitality tech provider Zonal, in partnership with NielsenIQ, reveals a growing consumer demand for a better balance between human connection and digital solutions. Whilst the role technology plays in a seamless visit is recognised, the importance of personal interaction is rising – highlighting the need for operators to blend the two, with a well-trained team of staff.

More than half of people (52%) now acknowledge technology has a key role to play in the best hospitality experiences, for example, and the report shows that those who do embrace technology tend to higher value guests, spending an average of £17 extra per month than those who prefer human-led experiences.

Nevertheless, 48% of consumers say human interaction is the most critical factor in a great hospitality experience, which is a marked increase since Zonal published a similar report three years ago and asked the same question. The research therefore demonstrates how striking the perfect balance between tech and personal service is more vital than ever.

Digital solutions can help to make people’s visits more convenient and keep them coming back—which in turn frees up staff to give their attention to less tech-focused guests who value the contact. In fact, when asked about their most wanted improvements in venues – around a quarter of consumers flagged staff training (26%) and staff numbers (24%), given they are such a visible part of the hospitality journey.

The report also looked to find out how much consumer preferences around paying the bill have changed in three years. The insight shows that, while there has been a surge in other payment methods, reports of the death of cash have, thus far at least, been greatly exaggerated:

1. Contactless cards remain dominant – 39% are using them more than three years ago, with only 4% never using them.
2. Cash use continues to fall – 43% use cash less often but older consumers still rely on it, especially for tipping.
3. Mobile payments are growing, but slower than cards – 31% increased usage since 2023, driven mainly by Gen Z (94%).
4. App and QR payments show signs of plateauing – 21% use them more, while 16% use them less than three years ago.
5. ‘Pay and go’ tech adoption is slow – Only 18% are using it more, 41% have never tried it, with strong uptake among Gen Z (80%) compared to Boomers (25%).

Tim Chapman, Chief Commercial Officer, Zonal, said: “This new research puts human interaction at the heart of the guest journey, with nearly half of consumers thinking interactions with staff are what deliver the best experiences. At the same time, technology does have an important role to play in supporting the delivery of these experiences – with 52% of consumers recognising its contribution to delivering high-quality experiences in hospitality. We know that technology plays a recognised role in helping operators deliver great guest experiences by enabling teams to spend more time with customers. This perfect blend of human interaction and seamless, accessible technology – removing friction and enhancing convenience – is what guests now expect.”

Karl Chessell, Director – Hospitality Operators and Food, EMEA, NIQ, said: “In a tough trading environment, this research is a useful reminder of the importance of both human interactions and digital solutions in hospitality. It shows how technology has become deeply embedded in consumers’ eating and drinking out habits, but it also highlights the enduring love for the personal touches that make pubs, bars and restaurants such special places.

Ultimately of course, this is not a zero-sum game. Very few people want their visits to be completely free of either personal contact or technology. Instead, operators need to identify the best places to deploy tech and spot the moments where personal connections are best. Flexibility is crucial too, and it’s the venues that can cater for all preferences—especially at the ordering, paying and tipping stages—that will be best placed to succeed in the years ahead.”

St Austell Brewery is shaping a modern pubs-with-rooms model built on great people, thoughtful accommodation and a seamless tech ecosystem. We spoke to Kes Osborne, Head of Operational Excellence at St Austell Brewery, to explore how support from Zonal’s technology is helping the business deliver smoother guest experiences and gain the insight it needs to serve guests year-round.

St Austell Brewery’s Strategy

Stretching from Bath and Bristol, down through Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall to waterfront hotspots like St Ives and Lyme Regis, St Austell Brewery’s 160+ pub estate blends city centre energy with coastal escapes and rural hideaways. Guests get a true taste of the South West, with dramatic sea views, countryside walks, locally sourced produce and award-winning beers.

“I think our locations and our team make us stand out. We’ve probably got some of the best locations in the South West, right on the coast, on beaches and in the most popular towns.” says Osborne.

The locations matter, but the people are the key. St Austell Brewery invests heavily in training and progression so teams can build long-term careers, a culture Osborne has lived firsthand on his journey from GM to Area Manager and now Head of Operational Excellence. That peoplefirst approach underpins the consistent guest experience across a varied estate.

Understand the Guests

With such a broad estate, St Austell Brewery serves everyone from coastal tourists, families, business travellers and rural explorers, a mix that brings a pronounced seasonal rhythm through the booming summer period and quieter shoulder months. The challenge is to maintain consistency across all sites while navigating these peaks and dips, and to do it in a way that deepens the guest relationships.

This is where Zonal’s integrated technology has become increasingly important. As guest behaviour becomes more fluid and expectations more personalised, St Austell Brewery is using Zonal’s EPoS and PMS data, combined with HDI insights, to build a clearer picture of who is visiting, how they move across the estate and what they value at different points in their journey. By connecting room bookings with food and drink behaviour, the team can move beyond intuition to data-led decisions, from pricing, staffing and menus. The result is a more responsive, year-round operation that feels consistent and personal, no matter the location or season.

Why Accommodation Matters

Accommodation has long been part of St Austell Brewery’s identity, from its earliest recorded site, The Seven Stars Inn, through to today’s estate of 29 pubs with rooms and 501 bedrooms. Rather than an add-on, it continues to be a defining feature of how the business brings its South West experience to life.

“The real value of having rooms sits in the depth of the connection it creates. Guests stay longer, return more often and give teams the chance to genuinely understand the purpose of their visit.” Says Osborne. These interactions shape the guest experience and strengthen the sense of place each pub embodies.

Accommodation also plays a strategic role, helping to balance out seasonal peaks and troughs. “Having people sleeping in your pubs in January is Gold.” Osborne notes, adding that a stable room base helps retain skilled people on consistent contracts, so sites can deliver at pace when peak season returns.

Running rooms at scale does bring challenges. Seasonal demand requires multi-skilled teams, and remote locations can make recruitment and logistics tougher. St Austell Brewery’s response to this is to invest where it counts, and to structure sites so housekeeping, reception and F&B operate as one cohesive unit.

Technology Transformation

Behind the scenes, Zonal’s technology supports both guest experience and operational control. St Austell Brewery has long used Zonal tills, later extending its PMS platform across the estate.

“The whole onboarding team were really professional and handled the onboarding process with ease,” says Osborne. “They made it very quick and seamless when it came to creating a unified tech stack that integrated with our current systems.”

That integration now gives teams a single view of rooms and F&B. Practical benefits show up every day through simplified operations, streamlined billing and an easy check-in and check-out process. “Having accommodation and food and drink in one place is an absolute nobrainer.” Says Osborne. “It’s easier to use, it’s easier to take payments, and it’s easier to check people in.” With fewer workarounds and less confusion, teams spend more time on human hospitality, warm welcomes, good recommendations and the little touches that make a stay memorable.

Before implementing Zonal’s technology, a significant share of reporting was a manual and time-consuming process. Today, St Austell Brewery feeds Zonal data into Power BI alongside internal metrics, putting accommodation and F&B performance into one place. That shift enables cleaner tracking, sharper forecasting and quicker responses to what the numbers say, vital for seasonal businesses trying to plan staffing, purchasing and pricing with confidence. Just as importantly, reliable reporting reduces “noise” across the operation, resulting in fewer queries, fewer system-related complaints and more time with the guests.

Connecting Data to the Guest Journey

What makes the approach distinctive is that data is used to strengthen relationships, not replace them. By mapping out how guests interact with different touchpoints, from the initial booking right through to checking out, St Austell Brewery can deliver experiences that feel natural. Technology reinforces the human side of hospitality by giving teams context through a developing loyalty initiative and frequent offers, understanding who is visiting, why they have come and how to look after them.

Advice to Operators

The most effective tech strategy starts with an understanding of what will improve the guest journey and improve day-to-day operations. Choosing Zonal technology will reduce manual, time-consuming tasks and drive operational efficiency to allow staff to focus on providing a real authentic experience for its guests.

“When running pubs-with-rooms, it’s about making sure you’ve got the right technology to market to your audience and the systems in place to offer seamless service when they are here,” says Osborne. “Above all, treating accommodation as the engine of a year-round business that supports staff retention and community relationships in the winter, will let operators deliver at pace when the peak season returns.”