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“Footfall” at restaurants – the number of diners visiting venues – has only dipped slightly. It fell 5 per cent in the first six months of this year compared with 2024, according to Meaningful Vision, a research company. But these numbers are being propped up almost entirely by premium fast food chains, such as Wingstop…

“In fact, pizza was the only type of fast food to post a drop in new store openings over the first half of 2025, according to data from hospitality industry analysts Meaningful Vision, falling by 0.6pc.”

“A lack of differentiation in the pizza segment has made brands dependent on offers, explains Meaningful Vision CEO Maria Vanifatova. “Around 20% of all pizza menus are meal deals, compared with an average of 17% across the sector.” The rise of aggregator apps such as Uber Eats and Deliveroo has piled on pressure, as competitor…

“New store openings have slowed across the eating-out sector this year, with the number of openings in the first half of 2025 at +1% growth, compared to 2.5% in H1 2024, according to new data from Meaningful Vision.”

“This poultry proliferation is not just anecdotal. Maria Vanifatova, who runs the food service industry consultancy Meaningful Vision, keeps track of openings and footfall. She says the number of chicken restaurants has grown by about one third since 2021 (from 1,485 to 1,904) while the wider fast-food industry is up about 20 per cent (from…

“Gamification is becoming key to customer engagement,” Maria Vanifatova, CEO and founder of data analytics firm Meaningful Vision, told the QSR Media UK Redcat Conference and Awards 2025 in London on 16 June. “When people interact with an app regularly, they’re more likely to stay connected to the brand.”

“Visits to quick-service restaurants dropped by 0.2% in Q1, whilst like-for-like sales fell by 2% in the same quarter, signalling tough times ahead for the industry, an expert revealed. Ahead of the upcoming QSR Media UK Redcat Conference & Awards, Maria Vanifatova, CEO of Meaningful Vision, shared her thoughts on shifting consumer habits, intensifying competition,…

“Greggs now has 50 drive-thrus (which, it pains me to report, it spells the American way), up from 34 a year ago. Yes, it is a tiny percentage of its 2,638 shops, but about one in 20 of all its new outlets are now drive-through. Of the 1,570 UK McDonald’s, an amazing 1,080 have drive-through.…

“The number of promotions on offer at fast-food restaurants, bakeries and coffee shops between April and June this year jumped by a third from the same period last year. This is according to data from Meaningful Vision, which tracks the sector. “The use of promotions is growing as a key tool to generate additional traffic,…

“The number of new openings in the restaurant, pub and bakery sectors has risen year on year in the first two months of the year, while footfall has declined, according to new data. The growth rate of new openings across restaurants, pubs and bakeries rose 1% in January and February compared to the same months…

“What’s going on? Last year, according to Meaningful Vision, a research company that monitors restaurants, JD Wetherspoon overtook Starbucks to become Britain’s fifth biggest breakfast provider. Let that sink in. A pub chain with fewer than 800 outlets, whose main business is selling beer, is outcompeting a coffee chain with more than 1,200 branches. The…

“While the number of casual dining outlets fell 4 per cent in 2024, quick service restaurant outlets rose by 5 per cent over the same period, boosted by a 12 per cent increase of chicken chains, according to Meaningful Vision.”

“The number of discounts increased by 25% in 2024 and the discounts were steeper,” says Maria Vanifatova from food service industry insights firm Meaningful Vision. “This year some food delivery services are even offering up to 35% off”. says.”

“Publicans are hoping that December will be a bright spot on a clouded horizon, although the worry over a shortage of popular stout Guinness looms. Pubs nationwide are expecting 234mn visits across the month – up 10 per cent from a year ago, according to industry intelligence Meaningful Vision. The footfall has steadily increased since…

“The number of fast food stores in the UK has grown 2.8 per cent in the year to October, while casual dining outlets declined by 4 per cent, according to data provider Meaningful Vision. Chicken shops were the biggest driver of growth with a 7 per cent increase, the research company said, backed by bullish…