Fast food traffic rises 0.9% as restaurant trips slump, research finds
Chicken restaurants recorded the strongest footfall growth at 5.9% YoY, followed by coffee shops at 3.6% and bakery and sandwich shops at 2.6%
Register to get 1 free article
Reveal the article below by registering for our email newsletter.
Want unlimited access? View Plans
Already have an account? Sign in
British consumers are increasingly choosing fast-food outlets over traditional pub and restaurant meals as inflation reshapes discretionary spending, according to new findings from Meaningful Vision.
The hospitality industry market intelligence data provider said that full-year data from its research shows that restaurant and pub visits fell by 6.8% last year, while fast-food traffic rose by 0.9% over the same period.
The industry’s growth in 2025 was primarily driven by physical expansion, with outlet numbers rising by nearly 2%.
Despite the resilience of the fast-food sector, it warned that demand remains fragile, however. On a like-for-like basis, stripping out the impact of new openings, fast-food visits actually declined by 1%.
The report also revealed that performance varied significantly across the fast-food landscape.
Chicken restaurants recorded the strongest footfall growth at 5.9% YoY, followed by coffee shops at 3.6% and bakery and sandwich shops at 2.6%.
Conversely, burger chain visits fell by 2.9%, and ethnic fast-food formats declined by 1.6% due to intensified competition.
The cost of fast food has outpaced broader retail inflation. While Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show food and beverage prices rose by 4.5% YoY to December 2025, the fast-food segment saw a 7.7% increase over the same period.
This is largely attributed to a high cost base where labour typically accounts for up to 35% of operating expenses.
Maria Vanifatova, CEO and founder of Meaningful Vision, said: “Rising inflation has fundamentally changed how people eat out. Restaurants and pubs are facing higher costs, which leaves them with little choice but to push prices up to protect margins—leading to more consumers switching to fast-food and fast-casual options that feel like better value.
“The growth of Popeyes and Wingstop is indicative of new concepts entering the market. Premium brands have digital in their DNA and are engaging with Gen Z audiences, which we believe is a long-term trend that will continue through 2027.”
