Table of Contents
Executive Summary
-
- The market
- The eating out market maintains slow growth
-
- Figure 1: UK eating out market size and forecast fan chart, 2011-21
- Fast food venues perform strongly
- Britain’s ageing population poses a challenge for foodservice
- Wages and tipping remain thorny issues
- Companies and brands
- Many operators are expanding their estates
- Fast casual pizza and Italian-inspired options
- Breakfast and brunch menus
- Lesser-known cuisines continue to make their mark
- Fast food operators look to wider food trends
- Pay-at-table apps
- The consumer
- Cafés/coffee shops remain popular
-
- Figure 2: Restaurants visited in the last three months, April 2016
- 28% of restaurant diners eat in at least once a week
- Freshness is key for communicating quality
-
- Figure 3: Perceptions of what constitutes a ‘good quality dish’, April 2016
- Quicker service is key to boosting the use of ordering technology
- Consumers want greater transparency around service charges and tips
-
- Figure 4: Attitudes towards restaurants, April 2016
- What we think
Issues and Insights
-
- Freshness is key for communicating quality
- The facts
- The implications
- Diners show strong interest in transparency on service charges
- The facts
- The implications
- Diners are divided on digital ordering, many would be swayed by speed
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
-
- The eating out market maintains slow growth
- Fast food venues perform strongly
- Consumer spending power grew in 2015
- Britain’s ageing population poses a challenge for foodservice
- Wages and tipping remain thorny issues
Market Size and Segmentation
-
- The eating out market maintains slow growth
- Competition from retail and other leisure remains intense
- Menu innovation remains key to driving interest
- Delivery and ordering platforms boost takeaway segment
- Forecast
-
- Figure 5: UK eating out market size and forecast, 2011-21
- Figure 6: UK eating out market size and forecast fan chart, 2011-21
- The impact of the EU referendum vote
-
- Figure 7: Alternative scenarios for the eating out market, 2016-2021
- No immediate impact on consumers’ finances
- The risk of an economic slowdown
- The need to offer a compelling leisure experience
- Market segmentation
- Fast food venues perform strongly
-
- Figure 8: Eating out market*, by sector, 2011-16
- Chicken and burger bars
- Pub catering
- Ethnic Restaurants/Takeaways
- Pizza/Pasta Restaurants/Takeaways
Market Drivers
-
- Consumer spending power grows in 2015
-
- Figure 9: Selected consumer spending priorities (after bills), January 2013-January 2016
- Britain’s ageing population poses a challenge for foodservice
- Wages and tipping remain thorny issues
- 2015 fall in energy prices took pressure off operators
-
- Figure 10: Utility prices paid by non-domestic consumers (including the Climate Change Levy), 2007-15
- Figure 11: Average fuel prices at the pump for unleaded standard and diesel, 2007-16
- Healthy eating is embraced widely
- The weather can also influence custom
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
-
- Many operators are expanding their estates
- Fast casual pizza and Italian-inspired options
- Breakfast and brunch menus
- Lesser-known cuisines continue to make their mark
- Fast food operators look to wider food trends
- Pay-at-table apps
Market Share
-
- Many operators are expanding their estates
-
- Figure 12: Selected leading restaurant chains/operators, by estimated outlet numbers, 2013-16
- Subway leads the way
- Selected recent activity: acquisitions and investment
Launch Activity and Innovation
-
- Pizza and Pasta Restaurants
- Fast casual pizza and Italian-inspired options
- Sourdough and gourmet pizza options
- Breakfast and brunch menus
- Updated children’s menus
- Ethnic Restaurants and Takeaways
- ‘Wrapped’ food
- Japanese-style restaurants enhance their breakfast menus
- Lesser-known cuisines continue to make their mark
- Using menus to mark cultural events
- Burger and Chicken Restaurants
- Fast food operators look to wider food trends
- Being adventurous with types of meat
- Branching out into alcohol
- Technological developments
- Other selected launches/innovation
- Costa Coffee explores on-the-go and in-store baked
- Pret A Manger looks into vegetarian food
- Vita Mojo looks to offer perfectly tailored meals
- The Bunyadi offers naked dining
Brand Research
-
- What you need to know
- Brand map
-
- Figure 13: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, April 2016
- Key brand metrics
-
- Figure 14: Key metrics for selected brands, April 2016
- YO! Sushi stands out for innovation
-
- Figure 15: Attitudes, by brand, April 2016
- Greggs and Harvester suffer from some unfavourable associations…
-
- Figure 16: Brand personality – macro image, April 2016
- …but Harvester is viewed favourably as a family brand
-
- Figure 17: Brand personality – micro image, April 2016
- Greggs seen as convenient but generic
-
- Figure 18: User profile of Greggs, April 2016
- YO! Sushi is perceived as an innovative brand
-
- Figure 19: User profile of YO! Sushi, April 2016
- Wagamama enjoys high levels of ‘excellent’ user reviews
-
- Figure 20: User profile of Wagamama, April 2016
- Pret A Manger has forged a strong reputation
-
- Figure 21: User profile of Pret A Manger, April 2016
- EAT has the lowest user share of the selected brands citing ‘excellent’ experiences
-
- Figure 22: User profile of EAT, April 2016
- Harvester is viewed as a family brand but one in need of refreshing
-
- Figure 23: User profile of Harvester, April 2016
- Côte is not a widely known brand
-
- Figure 24: User profile of Côte, April 2016
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
-
- Cafés/coffee shops remain popular
- 28% of restaurant diners eat in at least once a week
- Freshness is key for communicating quality
- Quicker service is key to increasing the use of ordering technology
- Consumers want greater transparency around service charges and tips
Venues Visited
-
- Cafés/coffee shops remain popular
-
- Figure 25: Fast food restaurants visited in the last three months, April 2016
-
- Figure 26: Fast food restaurants visited in the last three months, 2014-16
- Sandwich shops are more geared towards takeaways
- Dining out remains more popular than takeaways
-
- Figure 27: Restaurants visited in the last three months, April 2016
- Little annual change in restaurant usage
-
- Figure 28: Restaurants visited to eat in, 2013-16
-
- Figure 29: Restaurants visited for takeaway/home delivery, 2013-16
Frequency of Eating Out
-
- 28% of restaurant diners eat in at least once a week
-
- Figure 30: Frequency of eating out or ordering takeaways/home deliveries, April 2016
- Little annual change in frequency of eating out
-
- Figure 31: Frequency of dining out and ordering takeaway/home delivery, 2013-16
Defining a ‘Good Quality Dish’
-
- Freshness is key for communicating quality…
-
- Figure 32: Perceptions of what constitutes a ‘good quality dish’, April 2016
- Showing the work can communicate freshness
- …as is being handmade, authenticity and local sourcing
- Focusing on the ingredients can elevate a dish
- The appeal of British
- Seasonality resonates
Use of Technology for Ordering
-
- Quicker service is key to increasing the use of ordering technology
- High openness to digital ordering among under-45s
- Quicker service the main appeal of digital ordering
-
- Figure 33: Enticements to use digital platforms when ordering food/drink, April 2016
- Customising orders appeals to under-35s
- Health factors can also play a part
- Customer service could also be improved with technology
Attitudes towards Restaurants
-
- Consumers want greater transparency around service charges and tips
-
- Figure 34: Attitudes towards restaurants, April 2016
- Tips included in the dish price appeals to many
- Healthier options also resonate with many consumers
- Suggestions welcome
- High expectations for foodservice operator to take responsibility
- Potential for dine-in venues to mine on-the-go consumption and snacks
- High interest in on-the-go from favourite brands
- Snacking holds potential for restaurants
- Technology and themed event innovation
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
-
- Abbreviations
- Brand research
- Brand map
Appendix – Market Size and Segmentation
-
-
- Figure 35: Best- and worst-case forecasts for the eating out market, by value, 2016-21
- Forecast Methodology
-
Back to top