Victorians threw their support behind their local pubs and bars over the weekend, with data from me&u showing post-lockdown sales figures were up by 24% compared to pre-lockdown.

The mobile ordering and payment platform looked at May 21/22 versus June 11/12 to make the comparison. This is an increase from the last five-day snap lockdown in February, where data showed sales figures increased by 20% (February 5/6 versus February 19/20). 

Melbourne restaurants, pubs, and cafes were allowed to reopen for seated service with a maximum of 100 people and 50 indoors from June 11. In regional Victoria, it was lifted to 150 people, with 75 indoors.

Stevan Premutico, me&u Founder and CEO, said: “Victorians are incredibly resilient and have shown time and time again that when they get locked and knocked down, they will get straight back up and into their favourite watering holes again.”

Victorians were keen to party into the night with data showing that revellers stayed out significantly later than the weekend before lockdown. Between 10 and 11pm, there were three times the number of orders than pre-lockdown despite venue capacities being at a maximum of 50 people and seated service only.

As for the top selling drinks over the weekend, Victorians favoured vodka serves, with espresso martinis coming a close second. Patrons were also looking for something to warm them up from the winter chill, with orders of mulled wine up by a whopping 300%. 

Across the last 14 months, me&u has been able to tap into extensive data across Victorian venues to analyse consumer behaviour and trends after the lockdown periods. 

Premutico (above) said: “The data shows that people crave and value hospitality more than ever after being isolated and that the industry really is the fabric and glue of this nation, bringing people together and providing comfort after tough times.”

Partners of me&u in Australia include Merivale, ALH, Rockpool Dining Group, Solotel, Moon Dog, The Portsea Hotel & Howard Smith Wharves.

Melburnians hit the shops & restaurants

Retail data shows Melburnians also went on a Queen’s Birthday shopping splurge after being released from lockdown.

NAB has revealed spending doubled during the public holiday compared with the previous locked-down weekend and was up more than 26% from the same long weekend in 2020.

Clothing sales were more than 26% up on last year’s Queen’s Birthday. Also, because socialising in private homes was banned, spending in Melbourne’s restaurants rose 58% on the period last year.

Pictured main: Elsternwick Hotel.