Restaurant groups score second month of delivery and takeaway sales growth in July

It is a second successive month of growth, following an extended post-COVID fall in sales that saw the Tracker record 18 negative months in a row, as consumers returned to eating out rather than ordering deliveries and takeaways.  

Groups’ delivery and takeaway / click and collect sales were ahead by 6% and 2% respectively in July, but order volumes fell by 4% and 2%. This is an indication that trading growth is being achieved by higher menu prices, rather than by increased consumer demand.  

Combined delivery and takeaway sales accounted for 14% of restaurant groups’ total sales in July, the Tracker shows. Food and drink took shares of 91% and 9% respectively. 

Karl Chessell, CGA’s director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA, said: “After the post-lockdown slump, restaurants’ delivery and takeaway sales may be settling into a new normal of modest year-on-year growth. This is a solid performance in the context of tight spending, but the ongoing drop in volumes suggests that price rises may be leading some people to reduce the frequency of their deliveries and takeaways. Until pressures on household bills ease, it will be difficult for many groups to achieve sustained delivery and takeaway sales growth above the rate of inflation.”

The CGA Hospitality at Home Tracker is the leading source of data and insight for the delivery and takeaway market. It provides monthly reports on the value and volume of sales, with year-on-year comparisons and splits between food and drink revenue. It offers a benchmark by which brands can measure their performance, and participants receive detailed data in return for their contributions.  

Partners on the Tracker are: Azzurri Group, Big Table Group, Byron, Cote, Dishoom, Five Guys, Gaucho Grill, Giggling Squid, Honest Burgers, Island Poke, Nando’s, Pizza Express, Pizza Hut UK, Prezzo, Rosa’s Thai, TGI Fridays UK, The Restaurant Group, Tortilla, Wagamama, Wasbi and YO! Sushi. Anyone interested in joining the Tracker should contact Karen Bantoft at karen.bantoft@nielseniq.com.