Nearly one third of visits to UK coffee shops now happen after lunchtime and this share is rising. Meaningful Vision’s data identifies the 3pm to 6pm window as the fastest growing daypart for both coffee shops and bakeries, marking a significant change in behaviour patterns where traditionally consumers have favoured morning visits.
In the past, traffic to British coffee shops, cafes, or bakeries was typically heavier during the morning. Today it accounts for just 32% of coffee shop visits, and 34% for bakeries. Lunch hours (12pm – 3pm) remain strong at 36% for both segments, but the most interesting changes are happening later in the day. Between 3pm and 6pm coffee shops now attract 28% of visits and bakeries 26%, making afternoons the most dynamic period for growth across the sector.
This shift becomes even more striking when viewed alongside categories that already excel in late-day visits. Bubble tea brands such as Mooboo, Gong cha, Chatime and T4 draw 36% of their traffic during the 3pm – 6pm slot, and a market-leading 14% after 6pm. Dessert cafés including Creams Café and Kaspa’s go further still, with 32% of visits in the late afternoon and an impressive 28% after 6pm. This is seven times higher than coffee shops and bakeries, where evening visits remain stuck at just 4%.
While cafés continue to attract a significant proportion of morning traffic, they have yet to establish themselves as evening destinations. Evidence demonstrates the popularity of alcohol is on the wane with younger consumers, who are increasingly seeking out low or no-alcohol spaces to socialise with friends, study or unwind. They look to cafe/dining culture as opposed to pubs or clubs. The implication for businesses is clear, the data highlights a strong commercial opportunity.
Capturing even a small share of evening traffic could translate into significant revenue gains for coffee chains, particularly as afternoon and early-evening visits tend to support higher-margin add-on items, such as snacks, bakery lines, and specialty drinks. Operators prepared to adjust their traditional daypart model, by extending opening hours, diversifying menus, introducing early-evening offers, or creating co-working environments, stand to unlock the sales growth currently enjoyed by dessert and bubble tea concepts.
Data on traffic performance underscores this notion. Over the past year, coffee shops grew visits by 4%, while bakeries rose by 3%, outpacing many other fast-food categories. But this rise is not uniformly spread across the entire day, morning traffic has stabilised after its post-pandemic rebound, while afternoon and early evening visits are now almost singlehandedly responsible for driving net growth in the sector.
As the UK’s café culture continues to evolve, operators are confronting some very significant and impactful changes. Maria Vanifatova, CEO of Meaningful Vision reasons: “Success will depend on how well brands can adapt to the changing rhythms of daily life.”