This meant pubs beat restaurant for growth for the 10th consecutive month, according to the latest CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker.
The positive figures were put down to mild weather and a flurry of Halloween trading on the final day of October.
However, sales were flat for the wider sector as managed restaurant, pub and bar groups overall saw like-for-likes up just 0.1%.
This was the third successive month of fractional rises and means growth has been above 1% for just one month of this year so far.
Sales in managed restaurants were down 1.4% year on year - the seventh negative number so far in the past eight months meaning pubs outperformed restaurants and hospitality as a whole every month of 2025.
Managed bars saw the biggest drop last month with sales down 5.9%, reflecting a steady shift towards consumers heading out earlier, curtailing footfall in late-opening bars.
Underlying demand
Elsewhere in the tracker, new openings helped managed groups achieve growth on a total sales basis.
Including sites opened by groups in the past 12 months, sales were 3% ahead of October 2024 - just below the current UK rate of inflation.
According to the tracker, this suggests underlying demand for hospitality is stable and that both operators and investors remain optimistic enough to launch new venues.
The research also looked at the capital, finding London provided slightly better growth for hospitality operators than the rest of the country.
Inside the M25, like-for-like sales were 0.5% ahead of last year while outside the motorway, they were exactly flat.
CGA by NIQ director of hospitality operators and food EMEA Karl Chessell said: “October’s dull weather was well matched to the subdued mood of hospitality.
“These latest figures show how hard it is for businesses to achieve real-terms growth at the moment and with footfall well below the levels of last year, they will be pinning hopes on strong festive trading to replenish reserves.”
Meaningful support
Chessell added: “The sector is now looking to the forthcoming Budget for support to stimulate consumer spending and ease its very heavy burden of costs.
“This support can help build a strong sector that drives long-term economic growth and job creation.”
Hopes for the Budget were echoed by RSM UK head of leisure and hospitality Saxon Moseley.
He said: “The hospitality industry continues to limp towards the Budget with another set of disappointing results, with only pubs showing signs of like-for-like growth while the wider sector struggles with low consumer confidence and subdued demand.
“Attention now turns to the autumn Budget, as operators look to the Treasury for meaningful support to offset last year’s damaging employment tax rises.
“Regardless of what’s announced, simply moving past the Budget should provide a measure of clarity that has been lacking in recent months, enabling businesses and consumers to plan for the year ahead.
“With Christmas trade vital to the industry, the timing could not be more critical.”
