Slots or Shots: The Perfect Pub According to Brits

From the classic boozer to hipster hideouts, pub culture is a part of the UK’s identity, as is fish and chips and a nice cup of tea. However, with the ever-changing shift in pub culture, some might say fruit machines, which were once a given in British pubs and bars, are on their way out. So, in 2024, what makes the perfect pub and just how widespread are the brightly flashing fruit machines?

To get a better idea, we went to the source and surveyed 1,000 UK adults who had recently visited a pub. We asked them about their attitudes towards pubs and fruit machines (also widely known as slots). Read on to discover what the Great British public says about the prerequisites for pub perfection.

Key Survey Findings:

• 80% of Brits say food is the top requirement for a pub

• Two in five Brits say family-friendly areas are a must-have for their pub visit

• 42% of Brits said quiz nights were their favourite pub activity

• 50% of respondents said they’d still play fruit machines in a pub

The Perfect Pub, According to Brits

In order to determine what makes a perfect pub, we first had to find out what matters most to pub goers. Here are a few questions we asked our respondents:

What amenities make a perfect pub?

It will probably come as no surprise that the top requirement of a perfect pub is food, with 80% agreeing that pub grub is crucial. The second-most important amenity is a beer garden (64%), as it offers the opportunity to get some fresh air and enjoy a pint with your mates under the sun.

Other top factors include the atmosphere (60%), the music (56%), beer selection (43%), Sunday roast or a carvery (37%), live music (36%) and sports on the TV (35%). Surprisingly, only 34% said that Wi-Fi contributes to a perfect pub, which perhaps means that around two-thirds of people are happy to put away their phones and have a good old chat. 

At the other end of the scale, only 18% of people said that darts make a perfect pub, and just 4% said poker nights. 

What is a must-have for you to visit a pub?

We then asked respondents what a pub absolutely must offer in order for them to pop down. The top answer was a family-friendly area, with 40% agreeing that there needs to be a suitable space for the little ones. 

Next up is locally sourced food and beverages, with 38% of people stating that this is a must-have inclusion. Notably, this is most important for boomers (almost half), whilst only a third of Gen-Z consider food when choosing an establishment. 

Outdoor events were close behind at 34%, followed by sports on the TV (29%), and accessibility (24%). Meanwhile, some of the least popular requirements include pop-up food stalls and food trucks (14%), seasonal specials (13%), interactive games and entertainment such as trivia and karaoke (13%), and collaboration with local artists for décor and events (10%). 

Right at the bottom were exclusive memberships or loyalty programmes at just 7%, which shows that we Brits feel like valued patrons even without VIP perks.

Describe what your favourite pub is like

We then asked respondents to describe their perfect pub and out of the 1,000 people that took the survey, 19 said that “Wetherspoons” was theirs. One Brit said their perfect pub was:

“A pub where the floor is covered with red-coloured rugs, some bingo and fruit machines, leather sofas, and a couple of pool tables - and finally, I'd prefer the beer selection to be as varied as it gets.”

Here’s what others had to say:

And surely the one we can all agree on:

“Cheap beer.”

Differences by age and gender

Unsurprisingly, youngsters are looking for different things in their pubs when compared to the older generation. For instance, whilst 74% of boomers and above are looking for a pub garden, only 30% of people aged Gen-Z agree. 

Meanwhile, 47% of people aged 18-24 want Wi-Fi in their pub, whereas only 29% of people aged 65+ say it’s important. However, what did surprise us is that 74% of people aged 65+ say the atmosphere is important but only 20% of people aged 18-24 agree, which means that four-fifths of Gen-Z will go to a pub regardless of the vibe.

By gender, curiously, there’s a split in what makes the perfect pub: just half of men consider music to be make or break, compared to 62% of female respondents, while just 29% of women care about the beer selection vs 57% of men. 

Britain’s favourite pub activities

Now let’s take a look at pub activities and how much they influence people’s perception of a pub’s level of perfection. 

By far the most popular pub activity, quiz nights were chosen by 42% of people who took our survey. Close behind was watching sports at 37% and enjoying live music at 34%. Meanwhile, playing pool or darts ranks highly (26%), and more than one in ten Brits love a fruit machine (11%). Interestingly, though, 24% of all respondents said they don’t participate in any activities!

Looking at age ranges, millennials seem to love watching sports, with 52% citing this as a favourite pub pull. Incidentally, only 26% of females visit the pub for sport, compared to 48% of males. What may surprise you is that bingo, surely a true classic, is enjoyed by almost 1 in 4 Gen-Z goers, but only 6% of those aged 65+ are willing to play.

As for fruit machines, the highest usage (19%) goes to Gen-X, while men are more inclined than women to enjoy this traditional pub activity (13% vs 9%). 

Brits and fruit machines

As for fruit machines, they’re a staple of British pubs, offering casual entertainment, the chance to win enough for a few rounds of drinks, and plenty of nostalgic charm. Their presence often adds a social element to a pub and they’re a must-have for many patrons who enjoy a little light gambling whilst enjoying a drink. However, let’s see what our survey respondents had to say about fruit machines in pubs…

Would you play a fruit machine in a pub?

Still, in 2024, 50% of Brits said they would play fruit machines in a pub. When we delve into the age of respondents, we see it had a significant effect on the answer; 65% (the highest score) of people aged both 25-34 and 35-44 said yes, compared to only 32% (the lowest score) of those aged 65 and over - which may come as a surprise.

What importance do fruit machines play in your pub visits?

As well as whether or not people play fruit machines in a pub, we wanted to determine the level of importance they have on the reason for visiting in the first place. None of our respondents said that it was their primary reason, although 23% said it was an enjoyable activity (but not the primary reason for visiting), 35% said they occasionally use them, and 42% said they had never used a fruit machine.

When it comes to age, 61% of people aged 65+ say they have never used a fruit machine, which is much higher than the overall average of 42%. As for people aged 18-24, which is the youngest age range, 49% said that they find fruit machines in the pub an enjoyable activity but not the primary reason for visiting.

Does your local pub have a fruit machine?

Out of the 1,000 people who took our survey, 60% said that their local pub has a fruit machine, 26% said theirs doesn’t, and 14% were unsure. Regionally, slot machines are most likely to be found in the East Midlands, where 70% of pubs feature a fruit machine. 

Closely behind, two-thirds of pubs in the North West, North East, and Yorkshire offer slots, followed by the South East (61%) and Scotland (59%). At the other end of the table, just over half of pub-goers in Northern Ireland can play in pubs; and it’s a similar story in London (53%) and the West Midlands (53%).

What do you enjoy about playing fruit machines?

Last but not least, we asked the public what they enjoy about playing fruit machines. Examples of some of the responses include:

The majority of answers were very similar to the above, with a strong focus on the chance to win a little extra pocket money, an opportunity to enjoy the social experience and the fact that they’re a fun way to pass the time. 

In conclusion, though some of the figures above may surprise you, fruit machines remain a vital part of British pubs in 2024. When asked if they’re an amenity that makes a perfect pub, fruit machines beat board games by 4% and they were twice as popular as quiz machines. With their bright colours, electronic sounds, and the potential to win a few quid, we think it’s safe to say that pub fruit machines won’t be going away any time soon. 

Of course, for those wanting to continue their love for fruit machines outside of the pub, you can always take a look at an online slots guide and enjoy the activity from the comfort of your own home.

Methodology

A survey of 1,000 UK adults who have recently visited a pub.

Survey Provider: https://www.3gem.com/ 

Conducted in August 2024.