During the World Cup, pubs and bars faced one of the busiest trading periods of the year, with an estimated 9.3 million consumers making plans to watch the World Cup in a hospitality venue. This additional demand for a visit to the pub provided a significant opportunity for operators, so as part of our GO Technology consumer research produced in partnership with NIQ, powered by CGA intelligence, we surveyed 5,000 British consumers to find out what would get them through the door to watch the tournament, and what would keep them coming back.

With the tournament finished, and more football kicking off soon, the value now is in applying those learnings before the next big match, so businesses can be ready for the demand that live sport brings.

Make Bookings effortless 

Our research found that around a third of hospitality viewers (32%) said the ability to book a table increased their likelihood of visiting a venue. For a pub estate, giving fans a way to book ahead secures demand ahead of time rather than relying on walk-ins, and allows businesses to better plan staffing and stock requirements.

But the benefits of booking systems don’t stop there. They can also help make better use of the room itself, allocating tables based on the booking rather than on a first come, first served basis, so more of the space gets used well on a busy night. Spend can move beyond the pint too: pre-paid extras, from a reserved spot by the big screen to a food and drink package, can be booked in advance, and we’ve previously seen an average 15% uplift in basket spend from guests who pre-order.

Convenience drives spending

Our research also found that 31% of guests said they’d be drawn in by the chance to order food and drinks without leaving their seat. When guests are engrossed in the game, the last thing they want is to miss a key moment while waiting at the bar.

At-table ordering lets guests order and pay digitally from their seat, with the order sent straight to the bar or kitchen screen. Making it easy for customers to order a second round or a snack, upselling extras at the right point in the ordering journey and complete a payment from their own devices helps drive incremental spend throughout the game by eliminating that potential pain point of missing a key moment. It helps on the staff side too: less time spent taking orders means more time spent on the ones already placed, so more rounds get through during a match.

Loyalty matters on match day 

Loyalty schemes proved a real, if smaller, visit motivator too. 22% of consumers watching in pubs and bars said loyalty rewards were a reason to visit. A big communal occasion like this doesn’t come round often, and it’s a chance to turn one-off visitors into regulars, but only if the scheme is ready before guests arrive.

A loyalty scheme works because it gives a guest a reason to come back and use the rewards they’re already earning, rather than trying somewhere else. Match days are a natural moment to make that reason stronger, whether that’s double points or a bigger reward tied to the occasion, landing the incentive right when demand is highest. Loyalty schemes do more than encourage repeat visits too: they’re one of the best ways to gather guest data, from contact details to how often someone visits and what they order, and that data can then feed into marketing activity, such as offering early access to bookings for the next big event.

The pre-order opportunity 

Just over a fifth of guests, 21%, said they’d be more likely to visit a venue if they could pre-order food or drinks. It’s a small addition that can make a real difference around a big date on the calendar: guests choose their food and drink when they book, so the kitchen has a clearer picture of what’s needed before service even starts. That takes some of the guesswork out of a busy night, and some of the spend is already in place before guests arrive. It’s worth setting the menu up in good time, so it’s ready whenever the next big occasion comes around.

Personalisation still has a place 

Personalised offers were the smallest driver, at 17%, but they still matter. Every booking, order and loyalty sign-up creates a small piece of information about a guest: what they ordered, how they like to pay, how often they’ve been back. Brought together, that data can shape offers that feel relevant rather than generic, and cut out the obvious mismatches too; for example, not offering a beer discount to a cider drinker, or a burger deal to someone who only orders the veggie option. That’s the difference between a promotion sent to everyone and one that feels like it was made for the guest receiving it.

These aren’t habits that appeared for one tournament. Guests who wanted to book ahead, order from their table, and be recognised as regulars will want the same at the next big match, cup final or major sporting occasion. The operators who put these learnings into practice now will be the ones ready when it does.

To learn more about how Zonal’s connected technology could help your pub estate make the most of the opportunities live sports can bring, get in touch today.  

Accommodation has moved firmly up the agenda for pub operators. At MA Leaders in Glasgow earlier this year, it generated more conversation than almost any other topic, and for good reason. Our research shows that 41% of operators are planning to add rooms in the next 12 months. Across the UK, the sector already spans an estimated 5,700 properties and 50,000 rooms. The opportunity is there for pubs to capitalise on this demand.

But in our experience of working with pub groups that offer accommodation, the ones achieving strong returns from their rooms aren’t doing anything fundamentally different. What really sets them apart is how well their technology connects the guest journey from the moment of booking to the moment of checkout.

Rooms and F&B: two businesses or one?

Pubs with rooms occupy a genuinely distinctive space in the accommodation market, combining the desire for authentic experiences with higher quality food and drink options. That is a real commercial advantage. The problem is that many operators aren’t fully capitalising on it.

This normally takes the form of disconnected systems, and the result is familiar: guests aren’t prompted to book a table as they book their room; restaurant bills can’t be charged back to accommodation; operators lose visibility of what guests are actually spending across their stay.

With fragmented systems, a guest who stays for three nights and eats in your restaurant twice could look, in your data, like a low-frequency occasional visitor. The result is missed revenue, missed insight, and a guest experience that feels like two separate businesses operating under the same roof. The operators we’ve seen performing best have moved away from that model entirely, with property management, EPoS, table reservations, payments and loyalty all fully connected.

The revenue opportunity

Integrated tech that joins up your rooms and F&B open up additional revenue opportunities throughout the customer journey, across many different touchpoints. In-room ordering is a good example. When guests have a frictionless way to order food and drink to their room, such as an app or web ordering platform directly connected to the POS, we consistently see a £5 to £7 per head uplift compared with restaurant dining alone. In addition to this increased spend, 37% of guests say they are more likely to order food to their bedroom when the option is presented to them. Without this channel, operators are leaving that revenue on the table, or even potentially losing it to third-party delivery platforms.

The booking journey itself is another area where integration makes a measurable difference. Giving guests the option of booking a table at the same time as their room whilst they’re already in ‘buying mode’ is a great way of driving further incremental revenue. That single change keeps more guests on-property for the evening and reduces the amount of revenue missed to nearby competitors.

Direct room bookings also provide a significant opportunity for optimising revenue. OTAs have a role to play in distribution, but every direct booking is a better-margin booking and, crucially, a guest whose data you’ve captured for further marketing use. Operators with fully connected technology across their PMS, EPoS and CRM are in a far stronger position to convert future stays, target returning guests, and build a direct relationship that bypasses third-party platforms.

Removing the friction from day-to-day operations

One of the practical concerns operators raise when considering adding rooms is the staffing question: does this mean a dedicated front desk, and a separate system the bar team has to learn on top of everything else? The answer, with the right technology, is no.

With an integrated PMS and POS system, your existing bar team can handle check-in at the same EPoS terminal they use every day, in seconds, between serving other customers. No separate login. No drop in service quality during a busy shift. For multi-site pub operators managing estates without dedicated hotel infrastructure, that is a meaningful operational advantage.

Connected systems, connected data

One of the most valuable aspects of integrated F&B and accommodation tech is the breadth of loyalty and data opportunities that are unlocked. When accommodation spend, restaurant spend and bar spend all feed into a single guest profile, operators can start to understand their guests in a way that genuinely changes how they market and how they serve. Across the industry, properties using integrated guest data report 23% higher repeat visit rates. When accommodation spend, restaurant spend and bar spend all feed into a single guest profile, operators can start to understand their guests in a way that genuinely changes how they market and how they serve. Across the industry, properties using integrated guest data report 23% higher repeat visit rates. When a guest’s full stay is visible in one place, the marketing becomes more targeted, loyalty is boosted, and guests have more reasons to return for another visit.

Knowing which guests dine regularly but have never booked a room, and having a campaign ready for them, is exactly the kind of commercial intelligence that a fully connected system makes possible. Without it, that opportunity simply doesn’t exist.

To find out how Zonal’s connected technology is helping multi-site pub operators maximise revenue across rooms and F&B, speak to our team.

With rising costs, increasing regulatory changes and evolving customer expectations, pubs face mounting pressure to boost revenue and increase profitability in 2025. For Lisini Pub Company, a beloved family-run operator with four vibrant locations across Lanarkshire, innovation has been the key to success.

Lisini has a long history of delivering outstanding experiences for its guests, firmly establishing itself as one of the biggest and most successful names in Scottish hospitality. Having become a beacon for the finest food, service, entertainment, events and functions in Lanarkshire – the team have enhanced their offering by introducing guest rooms at their sites. Since launching this brilliant accommodation, the company has seen a marked increase in footfall, stronger brand loyalty, and a rise in revenue.

We spoke with Siobhan Edwards, Director of Lisini Pub Company, to discover how they have transformed their business through innovation, helping them to thrive in challenging times.

Tell us about Lisini Pub Company?

What started in 1969 as a single pub founded by my parents, Harry and Kathleen Hood, has evolved into one of Scotland’s most successful and respected family-run hospitality businesses. Today, we are proud to operate five locations, offering 30 hotel rooms across our estate, and generating a turnover of £15.5 million.

Based in Lanarkshire, just outside of Glasgow, our venues are located within a short drive of each other. Each venue offers its own unique menu and atmosphere, catering to a range of tastes, yet all share the same strong, community-focused, family-run ethos.

Our dedicated team, many of whom have been with us for over a decade, help create that welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere that our customers love. From food and drinks to memorable events, our venues are the perfect place to celebrate life’s important moments — whether it’s a wedding, birthday, christening, or funeral. These connections span generations, and we’re honoured to be a part of them.

How would you describe the profile of your guests?

We cater to a diverse range of guests, with each venue offering something for everyone. Take Angels, for instance – a mix of bar, nightclub, and dining destination. It’s a favourite for a younger demographic, influencers, and travellers seeking great food, vibrant nights, and a memorable atmosphere.

However, the majority of our guests are local and community-oriented, with our venues offering tailored experiences that make everyone feel at home. From classic British pub fare like hearty pies and fish & chips to fresh, customer-inspired dishes, we’re always evolving to meet our guests’ tastes. With a strong family legacy and a reputation built on integrity, we’ve earned the loyalty of customers who return time and time again.

What new opportunities have arisen since adding accommodation to your pub?

When it comes to driving revenue, offering rooms at your pub isn’t just about providing somewhere to sleep – it’s about enhancing your entire food and beverage experience too.

By adding rooms to our pubs, we’ve unlocked the opportunity to host a calendar full of exciting events, significantly boosting our bottom line. We’ve found that guests attending these events are more likely to extend their stay, ordering additional food, drinks, and treats to fully enjoy the experience.

In fact, 90% of our overnight guests tend to dine and drink on-site, creating more opportunities for additional sales and a higher spend per customer. Offering tailored packages that combine event tickets, food, drinks, and overnight stays has created multiple revenue touchpoints, ensuring our guests have a memorable experience while driving sales across the board.

Moreover, offering rooms can encourage repeat visits and foster loyalty. It may sound simple, but we’ve noticed that when guests have a positive experience at our venues, they’re more likely to return and recommend us to others. This word-of-mouth marketing, combined with the opportunity to attract bookings during peak seasons, helps not just fill rooms, but also bring in more customers to the restaurant and bar, leading to increased revenue for the business.

What else are you doing to enhance the guest experience?

We are always looking at evolution. For example, we had a very small beer garden of around 30sqm in Angels Hotel, and we have invested £250k to transform this into The Vault – a social events space which will offer private karaoke, interactive darts and its own bar. For us, it’s about looking at dead spaces and dead revenue, and doing something about it, using the space we have to enhance our offering and give customers another reason to visit – whether that’s for an experience in The Vault or an overnight stay in our growing number of rooms.

How has technology supported in enabling the growth of your business?

Running a busy group of pubs is no easy task, but Zonal’s technology has made things much easier for us. It’s not just about working smarter; it’s about working more efficiently.

Implementing a fully integrated Property Management System (PMS) has been a game changer. It has streamlined everything from reservations and guest check-ins to sales forecasting and business performance analysis. What truly sets it apart, however, is its seamless integration with our EPoS software, stock-take system, and booking platform. Everything works in harmony, eliminating the need to spend hours reconciling orders or collecting data from separate systems. This allows our team to focus on what matters most – providing an exceptional experience for our guests.

One of the things we really appreciate about Zonal is how everything is tailored to fit our unique needs. Rather than taking a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach, Zonal allows us to select the most effective technology for our specific needs. We’ve been able to bring everything into one place, and that’s made a huge difference in streamlining our operations and boosting efficiency.

At Lisini, we’re all about putting the customer at the heart of everything we do. That shared commitment to enhancing the customer journey has made our partnership with Zonal a perfect fit.

“We live and breathe pubs, and our technology has been serving the UK pub industry for decades. A well-integrated PMS system in pubs not only streamlines operations but also opens new avenues for revenue, from personalised guest experiences to smarter resource management. By leveraging data, pubs can diversify their offerings and unlock untapped potential, ensuring consistent growth and a competitive edge – something which is more important than ever in a dynamic market.”

Tim Chapman
Sales Director at Zonal