Food & Beverage Impact: Restaurant as a Revenue Driver

In today’s competitive golf landscape, clubs are constantly looking for new ways to grow revenue, enhance member loyalty, and elevate the player experience. While much attention goes to greenskeeping, facilities, and events, a critical and often underestimated driver of growth lies beyond the 18th green: the restaurant.

At Players 1st, our research continues to show that food and beverage satisfaction is not just about filling plates; it’s about filling revenue gaps. The better the dining experience, the greater the financial return. In fact, restaurant satisfaction now stands out as one of the most actionable levers for increasing per-player revenue and maximizing the value of every guest visit.

Satisfaction Equals Revenue

Players 1st analyzed over 130,000 guest survey responses from 2022–2023 in the United States, and the message is clear: golfers who rate your restaurant highly are significantly more likely to dine there. A 10-point increase in food and beverage satisfaction leads to a 9% increase in the number of green fee players who visit the restaurant after their round.

Let’s break that down.

Take a club hosting 50,000 annual rounds, a realistic figure for many U.S. sunbelt facilities. If the club improves its restaurant satisfaction score by 10 points, it could potentially draw in 4,500 more diners annually (50,000 x 9%). At an average spend of $30 per diner, that’s a potential revenue gain of $135,000, without adding a single new tee time.

The math is simple, but the takeaway is profound: guest satisfaction directly drives bottom-line growth.

The More They Like it, the More They Spend

But increased visits are just one side of the story. New data from over 38,000 guest players reveals that golfers who are more satisfied with the restaurant also spend more per visit.

According to the data:

• Promoters, golfers who rate their experience highly and are likely to recommend the club, spend 23% more in the restaurant than detractors.
• On the other hand, detractors, or those least satisfied, spend only about 77% of what promoters spend.

This means that customer satisfaction doesn’t just influence whether guests show up for a meal; it impacts how much they spend once they’re there.

And the effect compounds: for every 10-point increase in restaurant satisfaction, there is an associated 3.2% increase in average spending per guest.

These aren't just impressive figures; they represent predictable, scalable revenue opportunities that any club can tap into.

Trust, Taste, and the Business Case for Delight

So why do happier guests spend more?

It turns out that golfers, like all diners, reward trust and consistency. They want meals that are flavorful, fresh, and delivered with care. When that expectation is met, they’re not only more satisfied, they’re more willing to indulge, order more, and return.

And it’s not just about the meal. It’s about the entire dining atmosphere, from the service and menu to the ambiance and attention to detail. A good experience earns trust. A great one earns loyalty and spending.

From Touchpoint to Performance Driver

Food and beverage shouldn’t be treated as a secondary revenue stream. Instead, it should be integrated into a club’s strategic experience model. Every guest interaction from arrival to post-round dining is a touchpoint that shapes perception. According to our surveys, the restaurant consistently emerges as one of the most emotionally resonant parts of the journey.

By investing in the dining experience, clubs reinforce their brand promise and turn what is often an afterthought into a powerful engine of both satisfaction and growth. Happy diners are not just complimentary, they're more committed, more generous, and more likely to come back.

So how do clubs improve restaurant satisfaction without breaking the bank?

The first step is understanding what guests actually want; that’s where the Players 1st dashboard comes in. By tracking feedback, identifying weak points, and benchmarking against peer facilities, clubs can make targeted improvements that actually move the needle. Sometimes it’s a refreshed menu. Other times, it’s quicker service, better table management, or even creative theme nights that bring in more foot traffic.

The opportunities are as varied as the guests themselves, but the goal remains the same: elevate the experience to unlock value.

Executing Excellence: Lessons from a Top Performer

Improving restaurant satisfaction is one thing, but executing it in practice is another. While many clubs claim to deliver high-quality food and exceptional service, how do those claims translate into action? What do top-performing operations actually do differently?

To help answer that, we turned to one of the best in the business: Christina Green, Director of Food & Beverage at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois. As a consistent top performer in our national F&B benchmark measured across more than 200 U.S. clubs, Christina’s team has mastered the details that turn first-time diners into returning guests.

What makes her approach exceptional? We distilled her strategies into four key pillars:

1. Communication Is Everything

According to Christina, communication isn’t a nice-to-have: it’s essential. Golfers at TPC Deere Run are informed of the day’s offerings before they tee off, through touchpoints like the tee sheet, pro shop conversations, and signage. Guests never step onto the course wondering when or where they can grab their next bite.

Communication extends internally as well. Christina’s team holds weekly meetings with other departments to ensure staff across the facility are aligned on daily menus, item availability, and service updates. This cross-functional coordination helps create a seamless guest experience across all touchpoints.

2. Consistency Builds Trust

Golfers may come and go throughout the day, but Christina’s goal remains constant: deliver the same high standard of service, no matter the hour. Whether it’s a busy morning or a quiet afternoon, her team ensures every guest receives the full experience.

This consistency is particularly crucial when it comes to course-specific amenities, ike halfway huts or turn stations. For Christina, offering a full experience isn’t tied to green fee prices; it’s about treating every guest with equal care.

3. Know Who You’re Serving

For Christina, flexibility is fundamental. Her team tailors their offerings based on guest demographics, events, and on-site needs. When hosting family-friendly tournaments or community events, they pivot away from their standard grill menu to offer budget-friendly, event-specific menus that better serve the audience.

This adaptability doesn’t just drive revenue; it prevents missed opportunities by capturing diners who might otherwise leave the property.

4. Turn Feedback into Fuel

TPC Deere Run has actively used the Players 1st Guest Survey since 2019, not only to identify areas of improvement, but also to motivate and celebrate staff. Christina’s team leverages the platform’s comment dashboard to highlight positive feedback and share it with the team—a simple gesture that reinforces high performance and strengthens morale.