Earlier this year, Waitrose decided to bring its first official 'Supper Club' dining experience to its new store in Haywards Heath. Part of a joint effort with three Waitrose Cookery Schools, the unique concept allowed shoppers to enjoy a restaurant-quality meal while grabbing their groceries.
The Waitrose Supper Club involved transforming the mezzanine level of the Haywards Heath store into a gourmet restaurant for eight evenings between April and May. Each night, about 50 diners were treated to a three course dinner crafted by chefs from the Waitrose Cookery Schools. The supermarket even provided music and ambient lighting to complete the restaurant experience. As Karen Himsworth of the Waitrose Cookery Schools explained, "We realize a supermarket might not spring to mind when people are thinking about dining out in the evening, but we want that to change."
Supermarket Dining Concepts
Waitrose's New 'Supper Club' Brings High-End Dining to the Supermarket
Trend Themes
1. Supermarket Dining - Supermarket chains are creating unique dining experiences by turning their stores into gourmet restaurants, providing a new alternative to traditional dining out.
2. Grocery-restaurant Collaborations - Grocery stores are partnering with restaurants to create pop-up dining experiences, offering both convenience and a gourmet option for shoppers.
3. In-store Entertainment - Supermarkets are incorporating live music and ambiance lighting to create a restaurant-like dining experience within their stores.
Industry Implications
1. Food Retail - Food retailers are investing in creating dining experiences within their stores to attract customers and differentiate from competitors.
2. Hospitality - Grocery store-restaurant collaborations are disrupting traditional dining and creating new opportunities for the hospitality industry.
3. Entertainment - Supermarkets that provide in-store dining experiences are adding a new dimension of entertainment and leisure to grocery shopping.