Restaurants on the High-Speed Delivery Express
Delivery Sales Burst Past the Pandemic‑Ban, Up 17.1% YoY
After a rough patch when the world went back to eating on the side of the street, the UK’s top restaurant groups are finally getting in the driver’s seat again. According to the CGA by NIQ Hospitality at Home Tracker, June’s like‑for‑like delivery sales jumped 17.1% compared to last year, and the previous month was no slouch either, at 11.3%.
Why the Surge? Weather, Football, and a Dash of “Home is Where the Wi‑Fi Is”
- Rainy afternoons have turned many Brits into “sit‑at‑home” munchers; they’d rather sip a cuppa than brave a temperate drizzle.
- Euro 24 is a double‑ticket to deliciousness: night‑time games dovetail with a perfect window to order in pizza or tapas.
- Takeaway convenience is fading—pick‑ups are one less excuse to leave a July view.
Takeaways Fade, Deliveries Rise
While pick‑up orders dipped 1.1% in June, the combined total of deliveries, takeaways, and click‑and‑collect grew 9.7%—13 straight months of growth, beating inflation by over four‑times. Deliveries alone accounted for £0.112 per pound spent at restaurants during June, with takeaways pulling in £0.044.
What the Numbers Tell Us
“After the pandemic roller‑coaster, we’re finally back on an ascending curve,” said Karl Chessell, director at CGA. He added that third‑party platforms are now the heavyweights of the delivery arena, and all restaurants need to keep a keen eye on these relationships or risk getting left on the curb.
For brands hunting a gold‑standard, the CGA by NIQ Hospitality at Home Tracker is the go‑to. It offers monthly data, year‑on‑year breaks, and a granular look at food versus drink revenue—so every business can benchmark its performance and, in return, share the insights with the wider foodie community.
