Irish consumers are changing when they eat as much as where. While total foodservice visits fell –3.8% in H1 2025, Meaningful Vision’s latest data reveals a clear shift in the daily rhythm of dining. These evolving daypart patterns are redefining growth opportunities across Ireland’s fast-food and café segments, from the first coffee of the morning to the last delivery of the night.
Morning: A Softer Start
Morning routines continue to weaken, with total early-day visits down –10.7% year-on-year. Breakfast and early coffee occasions slipped from 14% to 12% of total traffic, reflecting tighter commuting patterns and cost-conscious consumers cutting back on out-of-home starts to their day.
Coffee and bakery operators, traditionally the backbone of the morning trade, are feeling the impact, with coffee traffic down –8% and bakery visits falling –12%. Hybrid work habits and economic caution are reshaping demand, though leading chains such as Costa Coffee and Esquires have partially offset losses through breakfast bundles, loyalty offers, and value-led promotions that keep regular customers engaged.
Lunch: The Anchor Holds
Lunch remains the anchor of Irish foodservice, holding steady at around 31% of total visits. The midday period (12–3 p.m.) grew +4.5%, buoyed by fast-food and fast-casual formats prioritising value, speed, and convenience.
Chicken and burger chains are the standout winners here, with lunchtime traffic up +3.2% and +2.5% respectively. Combo meals, meal deals, and lunch-focused bundles have proven critical in sustaining footfall among office workers returning to hybrid routines and families seeking affordable midday meals.
Afternoon: Coffee Culture Lifts Traffic
Afternoon trade has become the growth engine of 2025, climbing from 30% to 32% of all foodservice visits. Coffee shops and bakery cafés lead this expansion, with mid-afternoon visits up +5.4%, the strongest performance of any daypart.
This “social coffee” moment is evolving beyond caffeine. Consumers now use cafés as casual meetings and workspaces, making this slot a strategic priority for operators. Coffee and sweet bakery items continue to show resilience against broader declines, supporting steady traffic even as other categories contract.
Evening: The Comeback Continues
Dinner has emerged as the comeback story of 2025, with traffic up +4.1% overall and share rising from 16% to 17%. Family-oriented and delivery-led dining are the key drivers, as pizza and chicken operators recorded strong gains (+6% and +5%, respectively).
Consumers are trading down from full-service restaurants to more affordable quick-service formats but still prioritising convenience and quality. Chains like Domino’s and Supermac’s continue to capture evening momentum through delivery growth and value-driven meal bundles, making dinner a crucial revenue stabiliser in a slower market.
Late Night: The Market Shrinks Further
The late-night occasion remains under pressure, slipping from 6% to 5% of total visits, with traffic after 9 p.m. down nearly –18% year-on-year. Reduced nightlife activity and earlier evening preferences are reshaping behaviour, pushing pubs and urban QSRs to adapt through early-evening promotions and extended delivery hours instead of late-night service.
The contraction underscores a broader social shift: consumers are dining earlier, spending less on alcohol-led outings, and favouring convenience over nightlife.
Maria Vanifatova, CEO of Meaningful Vision, observes:
“Daypart shifts tell us as much about consumer priorities as category shifts. Mornings are under pressure, but afternoon and evening slots are becoming the new battlegrounds. The Irish market is moving toward value-driven daytime consumption and family-oriented evening dining. For operators, the challenge is to match menu strategy and promotions to this new foodservice clock.”