Delivery and takeaway growth slows but sales remain strong

The latest edition of the Tracker shows that Britain’s managed restaurant and pub groups’ combined delivery and takeaway sales in February were 131% higher than in February 2019.

Growth has been powered by delivery orders, which were nearly four times higher than three years ago. Eat-at-home sales accounted for around 26 pence in every pound spent with managed restaurant and pub groups in February 2022.

However, February’s sales were 17% lower than in February 2021, when national lockdowns were in place and restaurants, pubs and bars were closed. The removal of Covid-19 restrictions has led some consumers to eat out this year instead of ordering in as they did in early 2021.

“As restrictions end and restaurants and pubs recover their eating-out sales, it’s not surprising to see a drop in deliveries and takeaways from the heights of last year’s lockdown,” says Karl Chessell, CGA’s director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA.

“However, the ordering-in habits that consumers have established during the last two years are not going to disappear. People have grown accustomed to the convenience of hospitality at home, and this is now an established part of their repertoire of eating occasions, allowing them to enjoy their favourite food both in restaurant and at home.”