According to the data, April's delivery and takeaway sales across Britain’s leading managed restaurant and pub groups were 34% below the levels of the same month last year, when the country was emerging from strict lockdown and venues were starting to reopen.
However, when compared to pre-pandemic levels, the appetite for delivery remains high, with sales in April 357% higher than April 2019.
Takeaway and click-and-collect sales have also increased over the last three years, though by a much more modest rate of 26%.
“While growth in sales have slowed from the peaks of Covid-19 lockdowns, these figures show how deliveries have become entrenched in consumers’ habits, as they now account for nearly a quarter of all spending with managed groups,” says Karl Chessell, CGA’s business unit director - hospitality operators and food, EMEA.
“Our Tracker also indicates that deliveries are steadily eating into the takeaway and click-and-collect sector as consumers opt for the convenience of food and drink delivered straight to their door.”
Combined sales of deliveries and takeaways were 114% higher than in April 2019. They accounted for around 24 pence in every pound spent with the managed groups participating in the Tracker.
“The fact that for every pound spent, 24p went on takeaway and delivery orders, is huge,” adds Thomas Messett, head of sales at Slurp.
“With operators facing mounting cost pressures, you can’t afford to ignore direct ordering. When you then layer in loyalty to continue to drive repeat business, you really see the power and potential of direct ordering.”
