UK Restaurant Industry Statistics & Trends for 2026

The restaurant sector is one of the most fraught yet exciting parts of the hospitality industry. It’s ever-changing. With the advent of AI, eruptive trends, and the creator economy, there’s so much this industry has to offer. In recent years, we've witnessed a huge spike in online ordering, a new focus on reducing food waste, the adoption of server handhelds, and the implementation of robots in restaurants.

2026 has already introduced plenty of exciting and messy things in the restaurant industry. In case you’re stressing about how to approach the food business, we’ve got your back. Let’s take a moment to reassess and make sure you're still on course. We've got a few resources to help you with that with these restaurant management statistics for the UK.

What are the Trends in the Restaurant Industry?

The current landscape of the restaurant industry in the UK is one where people are spoilt for choices. With changing trends, easily accessible food options, and competitive pricing, the consumers have got it all. Getting a handle on the restaurant industry trends in the UK can help paint a picture of how restaurant owners should plan and prepare for budget, staffing, training, and technology. 

For example, online ordering and delivery that started flourishing post-pandemic is still seeing massive spikes. Restaurateurs with knowledge of trends and statistics know that purchasing the necessary hardware and software to support online orders, delivery, and touchless menus will succeed over their competition. 

So we’ve compiled a list of various restaurant industry statistics and trends from reports, articles, and studies across the internet to give you a quick overview of what’s happening currently. Even though this is a non-exhaustive list, it will be helpful for restaurateurs and restaurant managers before they change up things in their restaurant.

Restaurant Economy Statistics

These statistics outline trends in the restaurant industry including big-picture perspective, restaurant sales, dining trends, labour costs, etc.

1. 50% of restaurant owners think that rising ingredient and energy costs will be the biggest challenge that restaurants face in 2026. (Toast)

2. Just over 70% are expecting moderate to significant growth for their business in 2026. (Toast)

3. 18% of restaurant owners called out increasing costs and inflation as one of the biggest factors impacting growth. (Toast)

4. The market size of the UK food-service industry is projected to exceed £85 billion by 2026. (Source)

5. Dine-in visits accounted for 68.92% of the revenue in 2025, while other delivery formats are on the rise at an 8.88% CAGR through 2031. (Source)

6. 60% of restaurant owners in the survey have concerns about labour shortages and staffing challenges in 2026. (Toast)

7. According to the Toast report, happy staff are five times more likely to stay the course. (Toast)

Restaurant Consumer Statistics

This section highlights the changing consumer habits, the recent trends in food consumption, and what to look out for when it comes to a newer audience.

1. Due to price inflation, the average consumer spend per visit has increased by 5.5% year on year in Q1 2026. (Source)

2. 52% of Brits find the restaurant more appealing if it has a cosy/local charm to it. (Source)

3. Over 40% of UK consumers have started seeking out healthier options when they’re eating out. (Source)

4. 31% of operators said they would be making improvements to the customer experience. (Toast)

5. Consumers between the ages of 25 and 30 hold a lion’s share when it comes to spending on eating out. (Source)

Restaurant Food Statistics

This section highlights how much variety your food should have, if you should tap into trends, and what the diners are looking for when it comes to food. 

1. Experiential dining is more than a trend now; 31% of Brits would like to see more of it in 2026. (Source)

2. The UK is about to see a projected growth of 7.79% CAGR through 2031 for Latin American cuisine. (Source)

3. There’s been a growing demand for healthier food options, especially plant-based items. (Source)

4. Approximately 10% of customers are willing to pay a sustainability premium on their food in 2026. (Source)

5. The Brits are craving and reimagining nostalgia with these three food items: prawn cocktail, beef and ale stew, and shepherd’s pie. (Source)

Restaurant Tech & Payment Statistics

For this article, restaurant technology trends include statistics on POS software, payment processing, guest interaction tools and feedback tools, integration of AI, and what restaurant owners are looking for in technology products.

1. 80% of restaurant owners report being at least “somewhat ready” to adopt new technologies. (Toast)

2. Eight in ten restaurant executives say their investments in AI technologies will increase in the next fiscal year. (Source)

3. AI-enabled forecasting can reduce up to 25% of food waste. Thus, improving sustainability and margins. (Source)

4. Some operators suggested fully automated restaurants, robot staff, and AI-driven ordering and personalisation. (Toast)

5. 36% of customers aim to use AI to discover newer restaurants and make reservations in 2026. (Source)

6. Over 50% of UK restaurant owners in the survey pinpointed online ordering and delivery platforms as the most influential technology trend for restaurant operations for 2026. (Toast)

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