UK consumers are keeping a close eye on household budgets in the face of elevated food and energy costs, but restaurant meals remain a staple in their diets. The majority (58%) of UK consumers are maintaining or increasing their level of restaurant spend over last year. Sympathetic to the plight of restaurants, 67% of UK consumers are ok with restaurants raising menu prices with many saying they would cut back on other popular expenses before reducing restaurant spend. However, value and tech-driven conveniences are top of mind when making dining choices.

Ongoing support is good news for restaurant owners and operators who have been struggling with inflation, a widespread labour shortage and the threat of a recession.

How are soaring grocery costs impacting restaurant dining?
UK consumers are experiencing large increases in grocery bills and many are looking to restaurants as an alternative as they manage budgets:

• 41% say it’s cheaper or costs roughly the same to order from restaurants than buying all the ingredients needed to cook meals at home
• 21% are eating fast food more often this year because of rising food costs

How often are UK consumers ordering from restaurants?
With the pandemic gradually subsiding, UK consumers are returning to restaurant dining rooms in larger numbers this year, but takeaway and delivery have become a way of life:

• 47% of UK consumers eat in restaurant dining rooms at least once a week
• 62% order takeaway or delivery at least once a week

What would UK consumers cut back on to make ends meet?
Tighter budgets mean tougher spending choices, and UK consumers are favouring restaurants over other line items. When asked what they would cut back on before reducing restaurant spend, they pointed to:

• 36% - new clothes
• 28% - gym membership
• 24% - personal transportation (Uber, taxi, etc.)
• 22% - entertainment (movies, concerts, sports events, etc.)
• 22% - personal grooming (hair or nail salon)
• 21% - travel

What are UK consumers willing to do to help restaurants?
Aware of the challenges restaurants have experienced throughout the pandemic, UK consumers are willing to pay a little more to help them keep their doors open:

• 67% are ok with restaurants raising menu prices
• 42% are ok with restaurants automatically adding a surcharge to bills

How has technology changed UK consumer expectations and behaviours?
UK consumers have grown accustomed to new, tech-enabled ways of dining during the height of COVID and expect those experiences to continue. Three in four say that restaurant technology, both online and on-premise, makes their guest experience better:

• 63% prefer to order and pay digitally when eating in restaurant dining rooms
• 60% are more likely to eat at a restaurant if they can add themselves to a waitlist ahead of time
• 53% want to order directly from the restaurant’s website
• 45% want to receive special promotions/discounts from restaurants every week

“UK restaurants have shown an incredible resilience over the last two and a half years,” said Brendan Sweeney, CEO and Co-founder of Popmenu. “Much of that is attributed to sheer resourcefulness and implementation of new technologies, but it’s also a reflection of how important restaurants are to the people they serve. Strong support from local communities will continue, but restaurants that are prioritizing value and tech-enabled conveniences online and on-premise are poised to grab a greater share of consumer spend.”

Survey Methodology
Popmenu conducted a nationwide survey of 500 UK consumers, ages 18 and older, from 22 September to 29 September 2022. The survey was anonymous and included a representative sample of UK consumers.

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