JDW launches menu upgrade
Food sales now drive around half of turnover at JD Wetherspoon's 655 pubs.
Announcing the company's annual results, Wetherspoon's finance director Jim Clark said that while food alone accounts for around 25 per cent of the £28,200 average weekly sales notched up by their pubs, "everyone who eats also orders wine or something else to drink, and when you factor it all in, sales related to food are close to 50 per cent of our turnover".
The company also revealed plans to invest further in the food offer as it converts more pubs to no-smoking. With 35 smoke-free outlets now trading, there are plans to increase the number to 50 by the end of the year.
The typical cost of a conversion is between £50,000 and £60,000, most of which is accounted for by improvements to the pub kitchen to cope with increased food sales.
The experience so far has been that drinks trade drops immediately when a pub converts and smokers desert, with food sales then growing and gradually improving.
"We know it will take time to build up new trade at no-smoking pubs," said chief executive John Hutson (pictured), "and as we get better at that we will consider stepping up the pace of conversion."
To help drive increased food sales, no-smoking pubs are also seeing enhanced menus, with dishes such as paella and venison casserole on offer. A branded Lavazza coffee menu is also being rolled out across the estate.
Wetherspoon's well-established food club formats also continue to perform well, with the steak club having seen volumes increase sales by 60 per cent across the last year.
