Global Food & Beverage Consultants 

Britain’s coastal towns depend on seasonal tourism, but too many workers are trapped in insecure contracts, unpredictable hours and repeated cycles of financial instability. Hospitality needs flexibility, particularly in destinations shaped by short trading peaks, but flexibility cannot become a permanent poverty trap. Seasonal demand should not mean disposable workers, and affordable holidays should not be subsidised through insecure livelihoods.

For all the noise about cost pressures, labour shortages and macroeconomic uncertainty, London remains one of the most sought-after restaurant markets in the world. The data does not lie The evidence is not anecdotal. Earlier this week, Propel reported on Shaftesbury’s latest results, and the numbers are instructive. Nearly 400 food and beverage units are trading across its West End estates, with limited space available. In 2025 alone, 37 food and beverage lettings and renewa

A £10.72 tub of crisps in a Dubai minibar sparked a closer look at the data behind minibar decline, the price gouging question, and how leading hotel brands are responding with smart vending and delivery partnerships.

Guests do not travel to the Maldives for the restaurants, yet in a captive island environment F&B makes or breaks the experience. Six structural shifts are reshaping how ultra-luxury properties approach their F&B programmes.

A quiet arms race is underway in the world's luxury residential markets, and it is not about square footage or views. It is about the clubhouse, where F&B has become the primary differentiator most developers still treat as an afterthought.

The hospitality industry has spent a decade searching for a technological silver bullet. Yet the guest experience has not improved. The problem is not that technology has failed, but that the industry reached for it before understanding what was broken.

The British pub has survived plagues, wars, recessions and the invention of the sofa. But survival in 2026 is no longer sufficient. Six observable shifts are separating the pubs that lead from those that lag.

Something structural is happening in European foodservice. Operators of every size are concluding that producing food from scratch in every kitchen, every day, is no longer viable at scale. The response is central production, and the gap between success and failure is almost entirely execution.

James Hacon reflects on family travel, children’s dining and hotel experience design, drawing on stays at Auchrannie Resort, Royal Caribbean, Great Wolf Lodge and others to explore why family-centred hospitality is a commercial strategy, not an afterthought.

At Nova SBE's Female Empowerment Workshop in Lisbon, Think Hospitality Consulting joined global hospitality leaders and researchers to explore the future of leadership, inclusion and organisational culture across hospitality and tourism. Founder & Managing Partner James Hacon opened the event with a keynote examining outdated leadership models, operational realities within hospitality and why the industry must move from awareness to meaningful action.

At Restaurant Marketer & Innovator, James Hacon sat down with Markus Thesleff to explore the realities of building and scaling multi-concept hospitality brands in today’s market. From the rise of Los Mochis and the reinvention of heritage concepts to international expansion, experiential dining and hospitality as entertainment, the conversation unpacked why the future of hospitality belongs to brands capable of creating culture, emotional connection and unforgettable experie

At Restaurant Marketer & Innovator, Michael Ingemann sat down with Duncan Stirling to explore why experiential hospitality continues to outperform in an attention-driven world. From immersive storytelling and nostalgia-led concepts to “world building”, absurdity and customer psychology, the conversation unpacked how brands including Cahoots, Mr Fogg's and Bunga 90 are creating emotionally memorable experiences that go far beyond food and drink.

At this year’s Restaurant Marketer & Innovator, Heleri Rande hosted a forward-looking discussion exploring one of hospitality’s fastest growing movements: the convergence of wellness, community and social experience. Joined by leaders from across hospitality, lifestyle and wellness-led concepts, the panel unpacked how changing consumer behaviour is transforming what people now expect from restaurants, bars, clubs, hotels and social spaces. The discussion featured: Chris Mille

, explored the global hospitality trends redefining restaurants, hotels and consumer behaviour. Drawing on projects across Europe, the Middle East and beyond, the session unpacked how authenticity, experience-led dining, AI, wellbeing and emotional connection are reshaping the future of hospitality.

At Restaurant Marketer & Innovator, James Hacon, Managing Partner at Think Hospitality, explored the strategy behind Tigermilk’s expansion from Paris to London. From localisation and customer psychology to cocktails, design and operational discipline, the conversation revealed what it really takes to successfully internationalise a restaurant brand in today’s competitive hospitality market.

Last week was International Women’s Day, and today is Mother’s Day. I see a lot of posts about empowering women into leadership positions for International Women’s Day, but not so much around Mother’s Day, which I guess is because people see it as a day of saying thank you to their own mums. Wrongly, within our business culture there is a massive link between motherhood and succeeding. I am a huge believer in not having two versions of yourself. We are ultimately all just one

James Hacon prepares to take on Hospitality Rides Vietnam, a 400km charity cycling challenge through mountainous terrain, raising funds for the Licensed Trade Charity and Only A Pavement Away while reflecting on teamwork, resilience and hospitality’s ability to look after its own.

Hospitality is one of the most rewarding asset classes, but also one of the most complex. From luxury hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants to members’ clubs and mixed-use developments, Think Hospitality Consulting explores why hospitality investments challenge even the most sophisticated HNW individuals and family offices, and how specialist advisory makes the difference.

Hospitality is entering a structural reset. By 2026, the brands that win will be those designed for changing appetite, attention and control, prioritising clarity, human service and intentional simplicity over noise and novelty.

Capital is returning to the restaurant sector, but it is more disciplined, more thematic and more selective than ever. We explore the transactions, platform strategies and global expansion trends shaping hospitality investment into 2026.