Babysitting Food Eaters’ Wallets: Delivery Sales Rollo‑Coaster in Britain
What happened? In November 2023, the big managed restaurant groups (think the ones you’ll find in town halls, suburban shopping centres and somewhere between the motorway and the city) saw their delivery sales climb 4% compared to last year. But the takeaway arm of the same groups struggled, dropping 6%.
Why the switch?
Seems everyone’s turned off the “offline pick‑up” trend that used to dominate the food‑ordering scene. Instead, we’re shipping pizza, sushi, and white‑lay‑down meals straight to your kitchen, and it’s the delivery service that’s stealing the spotlight.
The Numbers Brought to the Table
- Delivery share of all orders. 61% of the orders were delivered to doorsteps – up from a slim 52% just a year ago.
- Takeaway & click‑and‑collect. 39% of the spending went into those “pick up” options.
- Year‑over‑year loyalty. The combined revenue from delivery and takeaway sales in November nudged 2% higher than in the same month last year.
- Six month streak. This is the sixth consecutive month of like‑for‑like growth for these groups.
- Not all fireworks. The overall order volume had a dip of 6% compared to last year, so while the sales number might look good, the sheer number of orders has shrunk.
Looking Back and Forward
Although this growth is steady, it isn’t bumping the figures for September and October (which were 7% and 4% respectively). So the market’s picking up a bit – it seems someone’s binge‑watching those cooking shows from all directions.
In plain English: the people on the couch are loading their food stack on the “delivery” side, while the click‑and‑collect crowd is shrinking. As always, the gods of consumer behaviour are doing their best to keep us on our toes.
What Cola‑And‑Taco Sales Look Like at Home
15p of every £1 landed on delivery or take‑away boxes in November – a headline that’s got a little more bite than a novella. Food itself snagged 90p of that pound, drinks took the other 10p. Pretty cheesy, right?
Inside the Numbers
- Delivery/Kiosk: 15p per £1 spent
- Food items: 90p per £1
- Drinks: 10p per £1
Words from the Restaurant Whisperer
“After a boom during lockdown, sales dipped, but now the ‘new normal’ is all about meals that travel straight to your couch,” says Karl Chessell, CGA by NIQ’s regional head for hospitality and food in EMEA.
He added, “Deliveries are as slick as a new smartphone, so the old take‑away chairs are a thing of the past for most folks. Yet the shelf‑value of orders is flat, and the number of orders is down. The only reason the channel’s staying alive is that restaurants are hiking their menu prices.”
In short, preventing delivery drama while keeping profit margins from squishing is going to be the big hurdle for all kitchens in 2024.
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