Restaurant at-home sales jump 6.2% in November

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Credit: Getty / Luis Alvarez

Britain’s leading restaurant groups achieved like-for-like growth in delivery and takeaway sales for the 18th month in a row in November, CGA by NIQ’s latest Hospitality at Home Tracker reveals.

Sales were 6.2% ahead of November 2023 — the Tracker’s highest figure since June.

It continues a strong run of growth that was well above the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Prices Index throughout the first 11 months of 2024.

Total delivery and takeaway sales — including from sites opened in the last 12 months — rose by 14.7%.

Trading benefited from Halloween weekend celebrations and schools’ half-term holidays, both of which shifted some trading from October to November.

“The long run of real-terms growth made at-home orders a vital part of restaurants’ success in a challenging 2024,” says Karl Chessell, CGA by NIQ’s director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA.

CGA’s Hospitality at Home Tracker indicates more growth for restaurants’ takeaway and click-and-collect sales, which were up by 5.5% on a like-for-like basis in November — a fourth consecutive positive month.

Deliveries achieved slightly higher growth at 6.8%.

At-home orders continue to increase their share of restaurants’ total sales, the Tracker shows.

Deliveries and takeaways attracted around 16 pence in every pound that consumers spent with managed restaurants in November — one pence more than 12 months previously.

“The revival of takeaways after a long run of negative numbers is especially welcome, given the higher margins they can generate,” continues Chessell.

“With spending still tight for many consumers, some of the recent growth may have come at the expense of eating-out sales and cost pressures will continue to make for a tough environment for hospitality groups — but we can be confident about more strong trading for deliveries and takeaways in 2025.”