Drinking always used to be the activity but increasingly bar visitors want more from a night out, says Dan Parkinson of creative agency Love.
Remember when the role of a cocktail bar was simple? A stylish space, a well-stocked bar and alcohol as the ultimate social glue. Those days are gone. And it’s a recurring challenge for our spirit clients at the moment – we were chatting to a whisky brand manager only the other week, whose brief was honed by the razor-sharp challenge that it feels “just impossible to get any stand-out in the on-trade at the moment”.
Today’s younger drinkers – particularly Gen Z – are rewriting the rules. They’re drinking less, going out less, and when they do, they’re looking for more. This shift is reflected in the rise of ‘competitive socialising’ – think axe throwing, virtual golf or immersive group activities. According to Mintel, 93% of Gen Zers have opted for these kinds of experiences over a night at their local bar (compared to just 60% of Boomers).
So, as more young consumers swap their Bellini for a baseball bat, how can cocktail bars adapt without losing their identity – or giving over their footprint to a bowling alley?
Connection over consumption
Let’s start by looking at what’s driving the rise
of competitive socialising. Gen Zers want high-quality, meaningful experiences. At the heart of competitive socialising is not just the fancy infrastructure (from themed crazy golf to F1 simulators) or advanced technology that allows for interactive scoring or immersion, it’s really about connection and participation.
It reflects the way younger consumers want to connect – through two-way interaction rather than spectating at a distance. While Instagrammable flower walls may have had their moment, today’s younger audiences are looking for something deeper – activities that foster exploration, immersion, play and community.
For cocktail bars, this means rethinking the experience. How can you create moments that bring people together? How can you make your space feel more interactive and engaging?
Focus on the details
In a way, cocktail bars have a tighter brief than a brand-new venue geared to large-scale competitive entertainment. As a bar, you shouldn’t have to overhaul your entire space to tap into this trend. But you can lean into the audience demand for connection and participation. For example, think about creative ideas that have impact. Could you gamify the ordering process? Involve guests in the cocktail-making process in some way? Can you create rituals in your space that encourage participation, like the viral Split the G challenge with Guinness?
It’s not about adding a dartboard or arcade game – it’s about creating simple, memorable moments that lend depth to the experience and encourage that two-way dialogue. The goal is to make your bar more than just a place to drink – it’s a place to connect, play and create memories.
Stand out by being you
To do so effectively, you need to know what makes your bar unique. What’s your story? What is your audience looking for? And how can you bring that to life in a way that feels authentic?
For some bars, this might mean creating a sense of intimacy and sophistication – a space where regulars feel like they’re part of an exclusive club. For others, it could be about fostering a more laid-back community vibe, where the bar becomes a ‘third space’ for connection and creativity.
The key is to self-critique your brand. What’s your defensible point of difference? What can you offer that no one else can? It’s about finding the angle that works for you.
Cahoots offers immersive 1940s storytelling woven into cocktails and staff performance. Nightjar rekindles a similar era, but with a more subtle take on immersive theatre – less sold by cameo actors, more just the overall vibe. Callooh Callay engages guests in playful discovery as they solve puzzles to unlock secret menus, while Swift’s aperitivo ritual encourages a drop-in vibe that feels more ‘European social café’ than late-night bar.
These bars all deliver experiences that are hard to translate into a specific Insta-moment and yet are all the more memorable as a result. But a strong look or theme still plays a huge part (even though the flower wall is no longer so prevalent). A well-designed space encourages interaction and engagement, boosting brand loyalty in the process. For bar operators, this means thinking beyond the backdrop. Spatial design is the ultimate unspeaking host – whether a U-shaped bar that encourages conversation between strangers, booths that make small groups feel at home, or lighting cues that subtly shift the energy over the course of the night.
Design becomes part of the social script – butterflies to enjoy in the moment, rather than skewer with the collector’s pin of the Insta-capture.
Make the most of brand partnerships
This applies equally to brand partnerships. Too often we see brands almost self-edit an idea for fear it won’t land with the on-trade due to infrastructure constraints. Let’s try to encourage more creativity and open the door to more innovative ideas. Why not look at brands that already have a sense of ritual at their core – ones that align with your bar’s identity? Patrón’s table-side bar trolley, Hennessy’s chocolate pairing, Monkey Shoulder’s Mixer Truck or Aperol’s… well, anything (that brand is pure social ritual). Give strong brands the freedom to experiment and see what sticks.
Our industry has always been driven by creativity and innovation. But as cost-of-living pressures rise, low and no trends grow, and attitudes toward “a good night out” evolve, cocktail bars need to keep pace.
Competitive socialising isn’t about turning bars into bowling alleys – it’s about engineering the sparks of play, ritual and connection that younger audiences crave. It’s about creating moments that matter – moments that people will remember long after the night is over. The opportunity is there for every operator: be the bar that people remember not just for what they drank, but for what they did together. And that’s something we can all deliver.