Looking at the entire market for out-of-home eating, which includes quick service restaurants as well as retail take-away food and other food eaten off-premises, NPD recorded a growth in spending over 2016, reflected in the reported increase in visits to foodservice vendors over the first three quarters of the year. Figures from the Office for National Statistics also support this, with spending in restaurants based on current prices in the 3rd quarter of 2016 rising to over 20 million British pounds, while figures based on chained linked volume measured around 18.8 million.
Eating out in pubs appears to be an ongoing trend, as suggested by Green King’s most recent survey, which showed that in Britain pubs are more popular for eating in than restaurants, particularly among older generations. Openings of food-led licensed premises have typically been higher across all types of urban locations in recent years, compared to pubs and other drink-led sites that have experienced more closures. However, it is millennials who tend to keep up with dining out trends, recognising more of the latest casual dining brands and with a higher willingness to try out a wider range of places to eat.
