Prices will be reduced across its pubs on Thursday 17 September to highlight what the pubco described as the tax disparity between pubs, restaurants and supermarkets.
In Scotland, in line with licensing rules, the discount will apply to food and non-alcoholic drinks only.
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JDW said a customer spending £10 on food and drink would pay £9.25 on the day.
The pubco said the campaign was designed to show the impact of a permanent VAT reduction for hospitality.
Pubs, bars and restaurants pay 20% VAT on food and drink sales, while supermarkets pay no VAT on most food and can use that saving to sell alcohol at lower prices, JDW said.
Tax disparity
JDW founder and chairman Tim Martin said: “The biggest threat to the hospitality industry is the vast disparity in tax treatment among pubs, restaurants and supermarkets.
“Supermarkets pay zero VAT in respect of food sales, whereas pubs, bars and restaurants pay 20%. This tax benefit allows supermarkets to subsidise the selling price of beer.”
Martin said pubs had been under pressure “for decades” because of tax disadvantages compared with supermarkets.
He added: “A VAT cut to 12.5% is needed to ensure that pubs, bars and restaurants do not continue to close, but instead thrive, invest and create new jobs.
“Customers coming to Wetherspoon’s pubs on Thursday 17 September will find the price of their food and drinks to be lower than normal.
“We call on the chancellor to create tax equality between the hospitality industry and supermarkets.”
VAT campaign
JDW, which has taken part in Tax Equality Day for several years, is also backing the wider VAT’s the Problem campaign, which is calling for a fairer VAT rate for hospitality.
The campaign has been supported by operators and trade bodies across the sector, amid continued pressure from labour, energy and food costs.
The latest Tax Equality Day follows a busy period for JDW, which is set to open 12 pubs before Christmas and was recently forecast to grow sales from £2.15bn in 2025 to £2.24bn in 2026.
