It showed sales were 176% higher than in August 2019, and 70% higher than in August last year, when restaurants and pubs were trading under Covid restrictions.
While year-on-year growth has slowed since the first quarter of 2021 – when the sector was completely closed for eating-in – deliveries and takeaways accounted for 27% of managed operators’ total sales in last month.
Deliveries outweigh takeaways
The Tracker showed growth in delivery sales was more than five times the size of takeaways for 2021 versus 2020. It also indicated drinks accounted for 10% of all order sales in August – a sign of its growing importance in the delivery and takeaway sector.
Meanwhile, the separate Coffer CGA Business Tracker, with a different cohort of contributing companies, has revealed managed restaurants, pubs and bars grew sales by 5% versus August 2019.
“Businesses have seen the potential of embracing a multi-channel strategy – online and on-premise together – which is directly impacting how they’re thinking about growing their businesses moving forward,” said JP Then, founder of Slerp.
Robust trading
He added: “It’s affecting everything from retail footprints and site layouts to who they need to hire in head office to manage their digital channels. The most progressive businesses are seeing digital as a core part of their growth strategy, not just incremental revenue for right now.”
CGA business unit director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA, Karl Chessell, said: “Deliveries and takeaways were a big factor in groups’ robust trading in August, and while their share of sales has dropped since the return of eating out, it’s clear they remain a powerful part of the sales mix.
“Lingering safety concerns about going out and large numbers of people staying close to home for holidays will both have boosted the market in the short term. In the longer run, the convenience and quality of deliveries that people experienced during the pandemic has helped to build a substantial new market that is here to stay.”
