Food and drink menus top list of complaints on hotel reviews

Food and drinks are still not up to scratch in UK hotels as the quality of F&B menus top the list of guest’s complaints, according to a survey from audit firm EY.

The survey, which focused on the business practices of 200 hotels in the UK, also found that just 10% of operators monitor reviews left online on sites such as Tripadvisor on a weekly or monthly basis.

“Changing consumer trends have increased the appetite for better quality, variety and choice in food and drink over the last few years,” Christian Mole, EY’s UK head of hospitality and leisure, said.

“It’s clear from the survey that customer satisfaction is the key to profitability and growth but there is still a long way to go.”

According to the results just under one fifth of UK general managers (19%) revealed that food and drink were the biggest issue for guests. More than 60% of hotel operators that responded to the survey claimed they have changed their F&B offering within the last two years, and of those, over three quarters (77%) reported an increase in profits.

The survey also looked at the impact of online reviews and how this affects bookings. 90% of respondents surveyed said they actively monitor online reviews.

“Management are taking this seriously by engaging directly with guests via social media, reviewing and discussing feedback with teams and by promptly responding to customer issues.”

A survey conducted by industry body the British Hospitality Association (BHA) in 2017 found that around 85% of hospitality businesses have been given unfair reviews designed to blackmail management or damage their reputations.

The figure had risen by 20% since BHA’s last survey in 2015.