British Restaurant Delivery Orders Increase in May

Britain's top-managed restaurant groups saw a remarkable surge in delivery sales in May, as reported by CGA by NIQ's latest Hospitality at Home Tracker. This surge represents the highest year-on-year growth in delivery sales for 2024.

In May, delivery sales saw an 11.3% increase compared to the same month in 2023 on a like-for-like basis. This shift can be attributed to the persistent cool and damp weather across Britain, which led consumers to choose the convenience of home-delivered meals over dining out.

Despite this growth in deliveries, takeaway and click-and-collect sales saw a slight decline of 2.0%, as consumers increasingly prefer the ease of delivery platforms over pick-up options. Overall, combined delivery and takeaway sales were up by 6.2%, an improvement from April's growth of 4.5%. This trend marks the twelfth consecutive month of year-on-year growth for restaurants' at-home sales, significantly surpassing Britain's current inflation rate.

The Hospitality at Home Tracker highlights that deliveries accounted for nearly 11 pence of every pound spent at restaurants in May, while takeaways constituted four pence. Food orders dominated the at-home market with a 91.1% share, leaving drinks with an 8.9% portion.

Karl Chessell, CGA's Business Unit Director for Hospitality Operators and Food in EMEA commented on the trend, stating, "Twelve months of year-on-year growth in a row marks an excellent recovery for restaurants' at-home sales after the post-Covid drop in orders. While May's positive trading was boosted by the mixed weather that caused some consumers to stay home, it could also be a sign that people are becoming freer with their spending. The easing of inflation and interest in the Euro 2024 football tournament should help to sustain momentum into the summer. We can be cautiously optimistic for solid growth in both deliveries and eat-in sales over the rest of the year."