Eating

MA500

‘The retailers are coming’ – but can pubs survive?

08-Feb-2018 By Nicholas Robinson

A new generation of customers could be set to flock to the high street in search of ‘real experiences’, but retailers are stepping up their game and reacting with out-of-the-box ideas, which could outshine pubs.

What will be hot in 2018?

29-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Tapping into technology in all areas and value for money are what is set to be hot this year according to a new report.

Christmas and new year sales drop for pubs

19-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Britain’s managed pub and restaurant groups saw like-for-like sales down by 0.1% over the six week Christmas and New Year period, according to research.

39% of Brits ‘uncomfortable’ with sending food back

04-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Four in 10 people have said they are uncomfortable with sending unsatisfactory food back to the kitchen when eating out, according to new research.

Consumers demand sweet potato options

08-Nov-2017 By Michelle Perrett

Demand for sweet potato is at an all-time high among UK consumers, latest research from potato supplier Aviko has revealed.

Food trends for 2018 – what do customers want?

03-Nov-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

Diners are more willing to go solo and dine out alone, with more than three quarters of those asked in new research claiming to find eating without a partner socially acceptable.

All-day dining holds the key for business growth

30-Oct-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Pubs must tap into all-day dining to grow their business because it is a key area that consumers are driving, according to foodservice experts.

Flexitarianism: almost a third of Brits carve meat intake

15-Aug-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

More than a quarter (28%) of Brits have reduced or limited their meat consumption in the past six months, a new report shows.

On-demand eating and drinking is a thing

05-Jul-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

Technology will shake up the way pubs serve food and drink to consumers who demand their meals in an instant and even on-the-go.

Diners turn their backs on ‘fad hipster' food trends

20-Jun-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

UK diners are suffering from ‘food fatigue’, according to a poll commissioned by Bookatable.

Easter weekend 'disappointing' for pub dining sales

28-Apr-2017 By Claire Churchard

Pub sales over Easter held up relatively well compared to last year despite a 1% dip in sales, according to figures from the Coffer Peach Business Tracker.

CONSUMER TRENDS

Salads now 'more popular than fish and chips'

03-Aug-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

An onslaught of healthy options has transformed pub and restaurant menus to the extent that salads now outsell pub classic fish and chips across the eating-out sector, research has revealed.

Christmas

Bidvest Foodservice launches new Christmas range

29-Jul-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

Consumers eat out across all dining occasions more at Christmas than any other time of the year and demand more free-from options, giving operators the opportunity to make more money over the festive period.

Create a healthy food menu for kids

28-Jul-2016 By Andrew Don

Creating a children’s menu that satisfies young appetites, while keeping mum and dad happy that their cherubs are eating a balanced diet, can be tough. But the experts have a few ideas. Andrew Don reports

Consumer trends

British diners choosing to eat more meals alone

13-Apr-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

British diners are increasingly choosing to eat alone, with more than a third going a whole week without eating a meal in the company of anyone else, new research reports.

Horizons survey

YouGov poll shows customers ate out more but spent less this Christmas

27-Jan-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

The number of people eating out over Christmas rose marginally this year but average spend dropped, a poll by YouGov and Horizons has revealed.

Double pub food sales with neurogastronomy?

06-Oct-2015 By Nicholas Robinson

Encouraging diners to use more senses than just the taste buds could boost your profits. Nicholas Robinson explains how neurogastronomy can be used to enhance every diner’s experience

Punch Taverns

Punch sell-off: closure fears eased

28-Sep-2015 By Oli Gross

Punch Taverns has confirmed plans to sell 400 pubs in the next few years as part of a long-standing business plan, but has allayed fears of closures which were mistakenly reported in the national press.

Consumer trends

British diners are spending a quarter of their annual salary on eating out, claims new survey

18-Aug-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Brits spend approximately one quarter of their annual income on dining out, according to a survey by OpenTable.

More than 60% of diners want technology to play a bigger role

05-Aug-2015 By Emily Sutherland

Almost two thirds of diners (61%) think technology could play a bigger role in eating out, according to research by online restaurants, according to research by online restaurant booking service OpenTable.

Join the pub brigade

Chef recruitment may be a thorn in the sector's side, but the industry is striving for change

22-Jul-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

The eating-out sector has fared enormously well since the end of the recession. In pubs, we’ve seen a food renaissance, with chefs across the industry pushing the boundaries of casual dining and a number of sites gaining coveted Michelin stars. 

Strong Easter rescues disappointing March for eating out sector

17-Apr-2015 By James Wallin, M&C Report

Easter weekend like-for-like sales across the eating and drinking out sector were up 5.1% year-on-year, according to the latest Coffer Peach Business Tracker, but followed the first monthly drop in like-for-like sales for two year.

Trend Watch

Trend watch: buggin' out?

27-Mar-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Imagine sitting down to eat in a restaurant and being served a plate of locusts...

UK pub & restaurant sales up 5.8% year-on-year

12-Mar-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

UK pub and restaurant groups saw their 23rd consecutive month of like-for-like sales growth, continuing a trend of consistent post-recession growth.

Eating out sector sees January growth despite depressing winter weather

12-Feb-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Public appetite for eating out has remained strong despite snow and cold weather, new data reports.

Eating out sector recovering outside London, says survey

02-Feb-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Britain’s eating out sector is finally recovering in regions outside London, a new survey claims.

Pubs prove popular for Christmas Day meals

26-Jan-2015 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

One in six adults in the UK ate out on Christmas Day this year, equating to eight million meals with a third of consumers choosing to eat in a pub.

Waiting for food to arrive biggest frustration, survey claims

22-Oct-2014 By Noli Dinkovski

Food not arriving quickly enough is the biggest frustration faced by diners when going out for a meal, a survey has found.

Gourmet hotdogs 'a fad'

21-Jul-2014 By John Harrington

Gourmet hotdogs, juice bars and bubble tea bars are “short lived” crazes, although street food is starting to have a greater influence across the wider UK restaurant sector, according to the new Menu & Food Trends Report from Allegra Foodservice.

Hosts plans to boost summer holiday trade

14-Jul-2014 By Alex Reed

Licensees are planning a range of events and promotions to attract families during the summer holidays.

Dining venue choice affected by dietary concerns

24-Jan-2014 By Lesley Foottit

Dietary concerns are influencing where consumers choose to eat out, according to foodservice consultancy Horizons.

Investment in Waitrose Good Food Guide likely

06-Sep-2013 By Lesley Foottit

The Good Food Guide could see investment in the future following its acquisition by Waitrose, according to its editor.

Eating out market to grow to £90bn, managed pubs to be 'main winners'

05-Aug-2013 By Mark Wingett

The total UK foodservice and hospitality market will achieve 1.8% sales growth in 2013, reaching a total of £79.7bn, and is set for further positive growth over the next five years adding over £10bn in value to reach £90bn by 2018, representing compound...

Young diners boost the eating out market

22-Jul-2013 By John Harrington

The decline in Britain’s eating out market has slowed as the sector is bolstered by under 34-year-olds, the most frequent users of eating out venues, according to new research from Horizons.

Pubs urged to cash in on bank holiday potential

24-May-2013 By Noli Dinkovski

Pubs should brace themselves for a busy bank holiday weekend, if figures from a customer survey are anything to go by.

Managed pubs dominating the eating out market

15-Mar-2013 By Lesley Foottit

Managed pubs are enjoying the strongest growth in the UK’s eating-out sector, according to foodservice consultancy Horizons.

Consumers cut back on eating-out over Christmas

28-Jan-2013 By Mark Wingett

Fewer people enjoyed meals out over the festive period, according to the results of a new online YouGov survey for foodservice analysts Horizons.

Pub chef opinion: Pioneering quality food in the west

08-Nov-2012 By Josh Eggleton

Perhaps it goes without saying, but I love to cook. So it will come as no surprise that eating out is one of my favourite pastimes. Not only is eating good food in good company enjoyable, but I always find something to learn.

The Big Interview: Elizabeth Carter, the Good Food Guide

04-Sep-2012 By Lesley Foottit

It seems that fate had a hand in where Elizabeth Carter is today. After three-and-a-half years in Majorca she returned to England and the next day leafed through a magazine where there was a job advertised for an inspector for Egon Ronay. It was only...

Eating-out market forecast to rise to £65bn by 2017

14-Aug-2012 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Turnover across the UK’s informal eating-out market is set to grow by 3% to reach £52bn in 2012 and is forecast to rise to £65bn by 2017, according to the latest research by Allegra.

Consumers eating out more but spending less per visit

24-Jul-2012

Consumers are eating out more often although they are spending less per visit, says new research from foodservice consultancy Horizons.

Treat kids well and grow your business

13-Jun-2012 By Tim Abbott

When deciding to go out to eat with the family, it’s not as easy in practice as many people may think. Not only do you have to bring all the usual clobber for the kids — you need to go somewhere where a) the food is good and b) somewhere the kids can...

Discount vouchers remain popular for eating out

05-Jan-2012 By Michelle Perrett

Two-thirds of people have used a discount voucher when eating out, although just 18% say they go out more often as a result of the vouchers, according to new survey from Deloitte.

Pub and restaurant sales up 2.1% in November

19-Dec-2011 By Mark Wingett

Sales across the UK’s eating and drinking out sector continued to prove resilient in November, up 2.1% on the previous the year, the sixth consecutive month of positive trading.

Peach takes on 15th pub

10-Oct-2011 By Lesley Foottit

Peach Pub Company, the Midlands based group, has taken on its 15th site after eyeing it up for “years”.

Decline in eating out market

29-Jul-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Consumers have cut back on the number of times they eat out, according to the latest research by foodservice consultancy Horizons.

Pub diners looking for local meat

29-Nov-2010 By Lesley Foottit

Consumers like to eat locally sourced meat when dining out and are more forgiving of strange shapes or trims of meat when it is local. The findings...

Pub chains report strong September

19-Oct-2010 By Ewan Turney

The British public is continuing to go out to eat and drink — and the country's biggest pub and restaurant chains are benefiting. Top pub, bar and...

'Pubs wasting time on discount vouchers'

07-Sep-2010 By Ewan Turney

Pubs and restaurants issuing discount vouchers could be wasting their time, according to a new study revealing that only 17% of customers take...

Christmas proves profitable for leading pub operators

18-Jan-2010 By Hamish Champ

The UK's leading pub operators had a bumper Christmas, according to the latest survey tracking the fortunes of the licensed sector. According to the...