All Star Lanes - How karaoke helped diversify their business model

All Star Lanes is an American-inspired bowling and competitive socialising brand based in The United Kingdom. Their theming is reflected in each aspect of their venues from their menu offerings of burgers, hot dogs, and signature unique handmade cocktails to their karaoke rooms, meticulously designed to match the overall vibe. 

All Star Lanes operate four distinct venues in London, strategically located along the central line for convenient accessibility. The two city venues, Holborn and Brick Lane, primarily attract corporate clientele hosting large parties of 50 or more, often opting to rent out the entire venue. Weekends see a diverse mix, including international travellers and pre-party groups, starting their experience with brunch at the city venues or engaging in a lively karaoke session. Their other venues, situated in Westfield shopping centres, White City, and Stratford are the perfect location for the West and East London crowd, and tend to attract more family customers.Each of their venues draws inspiration from their Americana roots. For instance their White City karaoke room exudes an art deco Miami charm from the 1930s, while their Holborn location channels a pin-up roller style reminiscent of the 1950s. This attention to detail elevates the customer experience from the moment they enter.

While bowling and karaoke are the main draws, other locations offer additional activities such as darts, shuffleboard, arcade games, and immersive experiences. Diversification has been key to their success, allowing them to brand themselves as venues offering a variety of entertainment options under one roof while maintaining a cohesive identity as London's original good time.

They continually assess customer preferences and feedback to deliver seamless experiences and leverage digital channels, including a strong website, email newsletters, and strategic partnerships, to promote their offerings effectively. Their straightforward offers and unwavering commitment to their American aesthetic contribute to their enduring appeal. Furthermore, they prioritise investing in their team to ensure exceptional customer service at every touchpoint.

The karaoke experience is designed for groups of at least four, bookings of two people are welcome. Karaoke room sessions are available for an hour with the option to book multiple sessions. Their luxury private karaoke rooms can accommodate up to 14 people, and are perfect for family occasions, company events, or birthdays. Entry for individuals under 18 is restricted before 6 p.m., after which the venues cater to personal celebrations, corporate parties, stag dos and bridal showers.

While karaoke rooms can be booked separately, All Star Lanes offer a range of packages, with the "Drink, Dine & Sing" package being the most popular. This comprehensive deal includes a cocktail, a meal, and a karaoke session at a fixed price, an idea that they came up with from the "Drink, Dine & Bowl" offer they have. For larger groups, especially corporate events, the "bottomless karaoke" option allows non-stop singing. The ultimate package, "Drink, Bowl & Sing," combines bowling perks with additional karaoke, providing customers with the complete All Star Lanes experience. The peak demand occurs at the end of the year, with karaoke rooms often booked weeks or even a month in advance.

Karaoke holds significant importance for venues like theirs, serving as a driver for business. They were interested in karaoke as an opportunity to expand their offerings beyond bowling, drawing inspiration from the growing trend of Japanese and Korean karaoke culture in the States, and wanted to emulate that experience.

By incorporating karaoke, they aimed to differentiate themselves and appeal to a broader customer base. It complemented their existing amenities like bowling, food, and drinks, adding a fun and interactive dimension to the venue. Karaoke also served as a means to prolong customer stays, enhancing the overall experience.

Singa stood out from other providers due to its impressive user-friendly interface, extensive user database, and efficient support. Users find Singa incredibly easy to use, with staff feeling comfortable navigating the system and understanding its features.

Singa offered a very smooth customer journey for them. It was important for them to adopt a platform that was easy and clear for both them and their customers, which means now they just hand customers the microphone and have them start singing.

The backend side of the service works very well for them from a corporate side and venue level. Customers can effortlessly order drinks and snacks directly from the karaoke room, enhancing the customers' experience with another tablet that All Star Lanes provides to its customers. Singa's backend functionality is robust at both corporate and venue levels. Its wide catalogue of songs in different languages is especially appreciated by international customers especially and they always feel happy finding their own languages songs in the system.

All Star Lanes opened a karaoke room for 14 people in Holborn in 2023, followed by a fourth location in Stratford with 2 karaoke rooms. The later venues contributed to a substantial 36% increase in karaoke bookings from 2022 to 2023. The introduction of karaoke rooms has had a substantial impact on their business and has translated into an increase in customers visiting their venue, notably in venues such as Stratford and Holborn.

The goal is to double these numbers in 2024, with all karaoke rooms consistently exceeding average bookings per week.

If you want to learn more about All Star Lanes or want to book a room there yourself, check out their website here.