Restaurant spending was up 12.6 per cent year-on-year, while pubs reported an 11.6 per cent boost in the run up to the Rugby World Cup.
The findings follow a report from Horizons, which found that while the average cost of a three-course meal in a restaurant has fallen in the past year, diners are spending more on add-ons such as side dishes and sauces.
While meal-deals are now offered at 61 per cent of operators, there has been a 45 per cent rise in the number of side dishes offered on menus – significantly boosting consumer spend.
Cost of eating out falls but spending rises
The outlook for hospitality looks positive in the run up to Christmas, with nearly a third of consumers surveyed by Barclaycard saying they had more money than they were expecting to a year ago, while almost three in five felt more confident making 'discretionary' purchases such as eating out.
Chris Wood, chief operating officer at Barclaycard, said: “We’ve seen sustained increases in many categories of spending on the back of average earnings increasing at their strongest level in nearly six years, sustained low inflation and growing consumer confidence.
“Looking ahead to the last quarter, a majority of consumers say they feel positive about their finances and plan to spend more on non-essentials, meaning it could be a good end to the year for many retailers.”