Fast food restaurants in the United Kingdom (UK) - statistics  &  facts

Quick service restaurants (QSRs), or limited service restaurants (LSRs), are establishments that generally offer meals at lower prices and with faster service. Additionally, they tend to offer limited menus as well as limited table service. Outside of the industry, they are more commonly referred to as fast food restaurants. Fast food restaurants in the United Kingdom may not be as widespread as fast food restaurants in the United States, however, the industry has seen relatively steady growth over the past decade in the UK. That being said, in 2021 the market size of the fast food and takeaway industry in the UK dipped to 18.9 billion British pounds as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The previous year, 2020, saw approximately 2,067 restaurant closures in the UK as a result of lockdown measures related to the pandemic.

What are the leading fast food brands in the UK?

According to a September 2021 survey of the most popular dining brands in the UK, Greggs had the highest rating among the British public with 70 percent of Brits having a positive opinion of the brand. In 2020, the number of Greggs' in the UK totaled 2,078. Between 2015 and 2020, the number of Greggs establishments increased by 380. McDonald's and Subway were also ranked among the most popular brands in the UK. In 2020, the number of McDonald’s restaurants in Europe, by country, varied considerably. The UK had a total of 1,334 McDonald’s establishments, the third highest of any country in Europe. The number of Subway stores in Europe also varied by country in 2021. As of November that year, the United Kingdom boasted the highest number of Subway restaurants in Europe with 2,209 locations. Meanwhile, Germany came in second with 654 establishments.

How often do Brits eat at fast food restaurants?

The fast food buying frequency in Great Britain remained relatively stable from July 2019 to January 2022. As of January 2022, approximately 12 percent of Brits reported that they ate fast food once a week. Meanwhile, half of Brits reported that they never ate fast food. One reason that there is a reluctance among many to eat fast food is its low nutritional value. According to a survey published in early 2021, the average number of times per month people in selected European countries ate junk food did not exceed six times per month. Out of the European countries that took part in the survey, the UK came out on top as the country that ate the most junk food, with an average of 5.69 times per month. The European city in which consumers ate the most junk food per month in 2021 was Belfast at 7.45 times per month. When it came to the public's opinion of quick service restaurants Great Britain, a December 2021 survey determined that most Brits had a neither favorable nor unfavorable opinion of QSR chains, with 35 percent of respondents stating that this was the case.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Feb 9, 2022

Key insights

Market size of the fast food and takeaway industry in the UK
21.3bn GBP
Most popular dining brand in the UK
Greggs
Share of the British public buying fast food once a week
13%
Get more insights

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Market size of the fast food and takeaway industry in the United Kingdom from 2013 to 2022, with a forecast for 2023 (in billion British pounds)

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Market size of the fast food and takeaway industry in the UK 2013-2023

Most popular dining brands in the United Kingdom (UK) as of the fourth quarter of 2022

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Most popular dining brands in the UK Q4 2022

Most popular type of takeaway cuisines in Great Britain as of January 2021

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Leading types of takeaway food in Great Britain 2021

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