Menu inflation rises to 4.1%
The Menu Tracker Quarterly Report for Q4 2022 showed that coffee and sandwich shops were the main driver with 7.4% food menu inflation, followed by chain restaurants at 5%.
In comparison, total food menu inflation was only 0.9% from June to September 2022.
While new dishes were priced higher across restaurant menus compared to same-line dishes, same-line dish price inflation was higher than on new items. Operators increased the price of core dishes as a result of rising energy costs and food inflation, according to the report.
Total same-line drink inflation rose 0.6% from Q3 to Q4, with non-alcoholic drink prices seeing the highest increases in QSR channels while restaurants saw the biggest alcoholic drink price increases. Other channels kept drink price increases minimal to continue to encourage out of home occasions and prompt consumer spending.
Menu counts continued to increase as well, driven by pubs and bars. The average number of food and drink items on menus was 151 in Q4, up 2.7% from Q4, with items increasing across all channels.
QSR was the only channel not to increase total drink counts. Other channels broadened their drink ranges to offer seasonal drinks during the festive period. Restaurants launched Christmas cocktails, while coffee and sandwich shops focused on hot drinks.
Lumina Intelligence’s Menu Tracker tool tracks, compares, and analyses the pricing and menu composition of 80 major UK pub, restaurant, QSR, sandwich and coffee shop operators. For more information, please click here.
