New data from the Lumina Intelligence Eating and Drinking Out Panel reveals that the UK’s out-of-home (OOH) market has reached its highest level of participation since the pandemic. In August, penetration increased by 4.6 percentage points year-on-year to 59.5%.
This growth is attributed to improving economic conditions, better weather, and the absence of rail strikes, all of which have encouraged more frequent visits.
Although average spending per trip remains below inflation, this is due to a shift in consumer preferences towards lower-cost meal occasions, which has contributed to the sector’s recovery.
Consumers are favouring breakfast and lunch over dinner, with fewer evening occasions centred on family or treat-led dining. Instead, there has been a rise in low-tempo occasions such as winding down or taking a break from work or study.
This shift reflects a growing preference for more affordable and relaxed meals during the day, which is impacting the overall dynamics of the OOH market.
Restaurants have seen a 0.9 percentage point increase in their share of occasions, bringing them to 14.1%, equal to that of pubs and bars.
This growth has been driven in part by families dining out at lunchtime, especially during the school holidays, with pizza proving popular.
There is also a wider trend of consumers seeking venues that offer healthy food and quality ingredients, as these factors become more important with easing cost-of-living concerns.
