When Do Hotel Guests Buy Energy Drinks?

Hour-by-Hour Hotel Retail Insights from Self-Checkout Markets

Energy drinks are no longer just a convenience store play – they’re a major share of wallet in hotel lobby markets, especially during key moments of the day. At GrabScanGo, we operate 24/7 self-checkout markets in hotels across the U.S., and our time-stamped sales data reveals when hotel guests are most likely to grab an energy drink over anything else.

Here’s what we found when analyzing energy drink sales as a percentage of all product sales throughout the day:

1. Early Morning Surge (4AM-8AM)

This is the most explosive period by far. Energy drink sales jump from just 3% at 3AM to over 15% by 6AM, making them one of the most dominant product categories during early-morning hours.

Takeaway: These are your peak hours – make sure energy drinks are highly visible and stocked in grab-and-go zones for travelers heading out early or shift workers starting their day.

2. Mid-Morning to Late Morning Decline (8AM-11AM)

After peaking around 6-7AM, energy drink share begins a steady decline, but still holds strong at 8-11% of total sales through mid-morning.

Opportunity: While coffee takes the spotlight, there’s still meaningful energy drink demand. Cross-merchandising with protein bars or healthy snacks can help drive combos.

3. Lunch & Afternoon Hold (12PM-5PM)

From noon to 5PM, energy drinks account for a consistent 4-6% of all product sales. This reflects a reliable “second wind” audience: road trippers, conference attendees, late check-ins, or traveling staff.

Strategy: Keep SKUs refreshed, consider afternoon promotions, and place near salty snacks for post-lunch tie-ins.

4. Evening & Late-Night Taper (6PM-11PM)

Sales taper off as the day winds down, dropping to ~2% by 11PM. That said, some guests still opt for an energy drink over other categories even late at night – especially business travelers prepping for early departures.

Tip: Cooler-door stickers like “Power Up for Tomorrow” or checkout screen prompts can help catch these last-minute grabs.

5. What This Means for Brands & Operators

Action Plan

• Front-load inventory for early mornings (4-8AM)

• Try pairing promos: Energy drink + protein bar in afternoon

• Use cooler graphics to prompt evening purchases

• Rotate flavors and limited-time offerings to keep selection fresh

Want Product Consumption Data?

This post just scratches the surface. GrabScanGo operates self-checkout markets in hotels across the U.S. – giving us access to rich, hourly, SKU-level sales data across multiple product categories.

If you’re a brand, distributor, or category manager looking to:

• Understand guest buying behavior by time of day

• Identify which products outperform in hotel settings

• Compare performance across metro areas or hotel types

Reach out to us to explore the full dataset or request a custom report. Let’s turn hotel market insights into your competitive advantage.