We all know that feeling you get the day after a big night out—not just the pounding headache, but the lighter wallet in your pocket, and the confusion about where all your cash could have gone.
Eventbrite set out to uncover how much an average nightlife enthusiast spends when they’re out and about—and where, specifically, that cash is going. We analyzed data from our top six metros that go big after the sun goes down. And while most cities love their drinks and late-night snacks, we found that the ticket to an event eats up the most money and is the catalyst for other nightlife spending.
Keep reading for more nightlife spending insights in New York, and see how the other cities stack up here:
San Francisco | Atlanta | Los Angeles | Chicago | Austin
New Yorkers overspend on the ticket and underspend everywhere else
45% of their nightlife dollars go to the ticket ($37), and they spend comparatively less on drinks, transportation, and late night snacks.
Go out to meet someone special
New Yorkers were the most likely of any city to cite “meeting someone special” as a reason they go out—but it’s unclear if that meant for a night or for life.
Tip: Partner with an online dating service such as Tinder or OkCupid to host singles-mingling events on your off-nights. Capture attendee info so you can keep promoting future events to them.
Ticket trends: mostly music, but food & drink and charity & causes cost more
Music events dominated the night, with 55% of all nightlife tickets falling into this category at an average paid ticket price of $34. Events classified as food & drink and charity & causes featured the most expensive average ticket price at $56.
Tip: Price your tickets close to the average for your event type to ensure you aren’t alienating people with high costs—or missing out on some major revenue.
Subways run NY
With 69% opting to take the subway, it was by far the transit of choice for NY nightlife enthusiasts, making them much more likely to ride the rails when going out than any other city.
Tip: When promoting an event, make sure it’s clear what metro stops your party is near to make it as easy as possible to get people there.
How New York drinking habits measure up
New Yorkers have three drinks in an average night, with 19% of people indulging in five or more drinks. Only 5% say they don’t have any drinks.
Tip: Try extending your happy hour to attract more thrifty drinkers. You may also consider offering a nice, non-alcoholic option you can charge a bit more for. Think Arnold Palmers, or fresh fruit spritzers.
How NY snacks: pizza, fries, and breakfast
Pizza came out on top as favorite late-night snack, with more people opting for these slices of heaven as nighttime nibbles than any other city except Chicago (another city famous for their pie).
Tip: Partner with some of NYC’s most popular pizza joints. Offer them sidewalk space just outside of your event or on your most popular nights, share discounts with your attendees, and take a slice of the pie.
Check out how the other cities stack up here:
San Francisco | Atlanta | Los Angeles | Chicago | Austin
METHODOLOGY
FOR THIS STUDY, EVENTBRITE ANALYZED DATA FROM MORE THAN 10,000 NIGHTLIFE EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE IN FEBRUARY 2014 TO DECEMBER 2014 IN SIX TOP METROPOLITAN AREAS WITH THE GREATEST TICKET VOLUME AND REPUTATION FOR NIGHTLIFE. NIGHTLIFE EVENTS WERE DEFINED AS ANY EVENT THAT STARTED AT OR AFTER 6:00 PM AND ENDED AT OR BEFORE 4:00 AM IN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES: MUSIC, FILM & MEDIA, PERFORMING & VISUAL ARTS, FASHION & BEAUTY, CHARITY & CAUSES, COMMUNITY & CULTURE, AND SEASONAL & HOLIDAY. METROPOLITANS INCLUDED IN THE STUDY: SAN FRANCISCO, NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES, ATLANTA, AUSTIN, CHICAGO. EVENTBRITE THEN SURVEYED MORE THAN 4,000 ATTENDEES OF NIGHTLIFE EVENTS TO UNDERSTAND SPENDING HABITS AND PREFERENCES AT NIGHTLIFE EVENTS.
