London, January, 2025 – New data from Meaningful Vision, the leading market intelligence company for the hospitality sector, reveals key insights into how the UK industry performed in 2024 and what lies ahead for 2025.
Tracking over 60,000 food outlets—including quick-service restaurants, casual dining brands, fast-food operators, coffee shops, and pubs—the analysis highlights shifting consumer behaviour, evolving traffic patterns, and the growing role of promotional strategies in keeping the sector resilient.
2024 Market Performance: A Year of Contrasts
Store growth: The total number of chain-operated stores grew by 0.5%. Fast food outlets increased by 5%, while pubs and restaurants contracted by 4%.
Footfall trends: Overall traffic dipped slightly (–0.2%) compared to 2023. Restaurants faced the biggest fall (–4.2%), while Quick Service Bakeries rose +4.7% and pubs gained +2.7%. In December 2024, footfall was +1.4% higher year-on-year, driven by fast food, though pubs and restaurants still lagged –2%.
Daypart shifts: Evenings proved the weakest period, with traffic –12.3% after 3pm. Mornings were the bright spot, up +13.8% between 6–9am, and +6.6% from 9–12pm.
Prices: Inflation slowed. Price growth in restaurants and fast food eased to +5% in December 2024 (YoY), offering some relief to consumers.
Promotions: Restaurants increased promotions by 25%, with greater discount depth (+1.5 percentage points). Meal deals accounted for 40% of offers. Special price promotions rose from 66% in 2023 to 71% in 2024. Limited-Time Offers (LTOs) grew +13%, nearly 70% of which were special price deals, and their average price decreased by –19%. Notably, 20% of offers ran via apps, while 40% were reward-based.
Expert Outlook: Predictions for 2025
According to Meaningful Vision CEO Maria Vanifatova: “Although the total hospitality market declined in 2024, the second half of the year showed signs of recovery. For 2025, however, we forecast an additional –0.4% contraction. Higher inflation rates, set to return in April due to government tax changes, will likely make consumers even more cautious.”
January traditionally sees a 15% drop in footfall compared to December. In 2025, that seasonal dip may be even larger as the industry adjusts to rising costs and weaker consumer confidence.
Yet, there are reasons for optimism. Growth in Quick Service Bakeries and pub traffic has been encouraging, driven by strong performances from chains such as Greggs, Pret A Manger, and Gails. Moreover, the creative use of promotions is helping brands adapt.
Maria Vanifatova adds: “The rise in promotional strategies shows clear resilience. Restaurants leaned into special price promotions, and Limited-Time Offers grew in both volume and impact. We also saw morning footfall rising, suggesting operators may need to rethink their trading hours. Could mornings become the new evenings for dining out treats? These shifts reveal that even under economic pressure, opportunities exist for those who innovate.”
About Meaningful Vision
Meaningful Vision is a leading provider of market intelligence for the hospitality industry, delivering insights into pricing, promotions, location strategies, and traffic data across the UK, Ireland, France, and Germany. By analysing the behaviour of 10 million UK consumers and tracking over 500,000 price points annually, Meaningful Vision empowers operators and suppliers to benchmark performance against competitors and identify new avenues for growth.