What Our Data Shows
When most energy drink marketers think about retail strategy, they picture convenience stores, gyms, or college campuses. But a growing and under-explored channel – hotel lobby markets – offers a valuable opportunity to reach on-the-go adult consumers during key moments of need.
At GrabScanGo, we operate self-checkout lobby markets in hotels across the U.S., and we manage everything from sourcing and stocking to real-time sales tracking. That means we have granular visibility into what sells, when it sells, and how that correlates with guest behavior throughout the day.
We recently analyzed energy drink sales by time block – morning, afternoon, evening, and overnight – and compared that to estimated guest presence in hotels. The results offer powerful signals for brand teams, field marketers, and shopper marketing agencies.
Morning = Prime Energy Occasion
Between 5AM and 12PM, we see nearly 50% of daily energy drink sales.
This aligns perfectly with peak hotel guest activity:
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Morning commutes
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Check-outs
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Business travelers heading to meetings
Takeaway: The hotel lobby market is a highly relevant context for morning energy drink consumption. If you’re building campaigns around “start strong” or “on-the-go energy,” this channel reinforces the behavior you want to drive.
Afternoon Sales Defy the Traffic Dip
Guest presence drops significantly from 12PM to 5PM, as travelers head out for the day. But energy drink sales don’t decline at the same rate.
Guests may be purchasing earlier to consume later. Hotel staff and long-stay guests could also be fueling demand.
Takeaway: Even when foot traffic dips, energy drink relevance holds. There’s an opportunity to remind guests and staff of their next energy need.
Evenings & Late Nights: The Untapped Window
Here’s where it gets interesting. Guest presence rises sharply after 5PM and peaks overnight, but energy drink sales drop.
It’s not due to product availability – every lobby market remains open 24/7. The issue? Lack of prompts or relevance cues.
How to Close the Gap
Here are realistic, scalable tactics that brands can implement – without requiring new fixtures or added hotel labor:
1. Time-Sensitive Messaging on Checkout Screens
Use the self-checkout terminal screen to deliver simple but timely prompts like:
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“Stock up for tomorrow morning!”
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“Late night? Grab your energy boost now.”
These messages appear exactly when guests are making a decision – no additional signage or space required.
2. Cooler Door Messaging
Strategic stickers or decals placed on cooler doors can capture attention during high-traffic hours.
Examples:
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“Fuel for tomorrow starts tonight.”
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“One for now, one for later.”
This keeps your brand top-of-mind without relying on cross-merchandising.
3. Digital Receipts with Nudges
We send thousands of receipts each week. Adding a branded reminder like:
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“Don’t forget your morning energy boost!” can plant a seed for the guest’s next visit.
Why It Matters
Hotel lobby markets offer:
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Adult consumers in high-intent, transitional moments
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Guaranteed cold storage and full control of product assortment
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Data-rich environments for testing time-based messaging and placement
If you’re a brand manager, category strategist, or retail agency trying to better understand how energy drinks perform outside traditional grocery and c-store environments – this is your window in.
Let’s Talk
We partner with some of the world’s most iconic brands, offering a fully managed platform to analyze, activate, and optimize sales in hospitality settings.
Want to see how your brand could perform in hundreds of hotels across the country?
Reach out for a conversation.
