Restaurants’ At-Home Sales Flat in July as Consumers Head Out in Heatwaves

August 20, 2026 Business, Delivery, Food and Drink, Hospitality, News, Restaurants, takeaways

Britain’s top restaurant groups recorded fractional growth of 0.3% in delivery and takeaway sales in July, according to the latest NIQ Hospitality at Home Tracker.

It is the Tracker’s lowest figure since February, and the first sub-inflation growth since April. Sales were softened by successive heatwaves in many parts of Britain in July, which led many consumers to step out of home to enjoy the sunshine.

Continuing a long-term pattern, restaurants’ deliveries were substantially stronger than pick-up orders. Delivery sales rose by 4.0% from July 2025, having been partly boosted by demand from consumers watching games in the men’s football World Cup at home.

However, revenue from takeaway and click-and-collect orders slipped by 8.1% year-on-year. Growth in these channels has now been negative for 16 months in a row.

While combined like-for-like at-home sales are flat, the Tracker, powered by CGA intelligence, shows much stronger growth on a total basis. Adding in delivery or takeaway sales from new restaurants, or ones where deliveries have been added in the last year, groups’ sales rose by 9.3% year-on-year.

July’s increase means at-home orders now account for nearly a fifth of all sales. Combined deliveries and takeaways generated 19.8% of spending with restaurants in July 2026, compared to 14.4% two years ago.

Karl Chessell, Director – Hospitality Operators and Food, EMEA at NIQ, said:
“Strong topline growth in deliveries suggests positive trends for restaurants’ at-home sales. However, with takeaways sharply down, it’s clear that much of July’s extra revenue was generated by a combination of new delivery offers, higher menu prices and a short-term boost from the World Cup. Overall sector sales in 2026 have been flat at best, so there are also concerns that deliveries and takeaways are cannibalising restaurants’ more profitable eat-in trading. Real-terms growth in all these channels is likely to remain extremely difficult for the rest of the year.”