Delivery and takeaway sales more than a quarter below 2021
The tracker showed sales had fallen from the peaks of lockdown, when eating and drinking out was heavily restricted, for the fifth month in a row this year.
CGA business unit director hospitality operators and food EMEA Karl Chessell said: “After flourishing during the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, the delivery and takeaway sector has inevitably settled down as consumers go out to eat again.
Optimising sales
“Nevertheless, our Tracker shows the market is more than twice the size it was just three years ago, and it now accounts for a quarter of managed groups’ trading.
“As the third-party delivery market matures, optimising sales and profits in it without compromising core eat-in business is crucial.”
However, despite a post-lockdown depletion, the tracker revealed delivery and takeaway sales have remained well above pre-covid levels, with growth of 107% in May 2022 compared to May 2019.
Delivery sales were 315% higher compared to three years ago, while takeaway and click-and-collect sales were up by 22%, accounting for almost 25p in every £1 spent with participating managed groups in May when combined.
Important aspect
The Hospitality at Home Tracker, which provides monthly reports on the value and volume of sales with year-on-year comparisons, looked at data from managed groups including Azzurri Group, BrewDog, Byron, Nando’s Restaurants, PizzaExpress, TGI Fridays UK and the Restaurant Group.
Slerp founder JP Then said: “We are now getting better visibility as to what a post-pandemic new normal looks like and it’s clear takeaway and delivery are an important aspect of the channel mix, representing a quarter of revenues.
“Operators are looking closely at the margins and investing into the channels that enable them to operate effectively and provide consumers with enough bang for their buck.
“Establishing a direct online ordering channel with a unique proposition remains key to capturing discretionary consumer spend.”
