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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Opportunities
- Outlook
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OPPORTUNITIES
- Deliver on holistic health
- Bridge the gap between physical and mental wellbeing…
- …by leveraging the gut-brain axis
- Invest in gut-friendly food and drink and promote their benefits for body and mind
- Travel hub F&D operators and foodservice brands: Provide spaces for consumers to decompress
- Respond to value-seeking behaviours
- Leverage flexible offers and deals to support cash-strapped consumers…
- …and reward engaged ones
- Travel hub F&D operators: turn travel hub foodservice into an experience
- Bring a community vibe to travel hubs
- Put the spotlight on localism by tapping into smaller, emerging brands and events
- Infuse travel hubs with a holiday feel…
- …with gourmet experiences that provide escapism
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CONSUMER
- Travel hub foodservice visits
- Travel hubs are a main touchpoint with foodservice for German consumers
- Half of Germans frequent railway stations
- Graph 1: travel hubs visited in the last 12 months, 2025
- Food and drink is becoming an increasingly important engagement driver at travel hubs…
- …and a key investment focus for travel hub operating companies
- Attract holidaying drivers to boost traffic at motorway service areas
- Follow the lead of successful global examples to make service areas the highlight of the journey
- Bus station users lead in visiting frequency, with railway station users close behind…
- Graph 2: frequency of visiting specific travel hubs in the last 12 months, 2025
- …but these frequent bus and railway station users are less engaged with foodservice
- Graph 3: venues visited for buying food/drink at travel hubs in the last 12 months, by frequency of travel hub visits, 2025
- Financial wellbeing is an indicator of travel hub foodservice participation
- Graph 4: venues visited for buying food/drink at travel hubs in the last 12 months, by financial situation, 2025
- Bakeries are the top outlet for purchasing food and drink at German travel hubs
- Graph 5: venues visited for buying food/drink at travel hubs in the last 12 months, 2025
- The demand for bakeries is high, but so is the competition…
- …with a chance to balance affordability with world cuisine innovation
- 16-44s are avid F&D consumers across both travel hub foodservice and retail
- Graph 6: venues visited for buying food and drink at travel hubs in the last 12 months, by age group, 2025
- Top-selling menu items
- Hot beverages dominate food and drink sales in travel hub foodservice
- Graph 7: types of food/drink bought from restaurants/food outlets at travel hubs in the last 12 months, 2025
- Foodservice is capitalising on Germans’ love for coffee as an ‘affordable treat’…
- …but businesses need to prepare to justify higher prices
- Freshness reigns supreme
- Younger consumers are more inclined to purchase a wider variety of food and drink items…
- Graph 8: repertoire of food/drink bought from restaurants/food outlets at travel hubs in the last 12 months, 2025
- …with 16-24s showing a marked preference for snacks
- Graph 9: snacks bought from a restaurant/food outlet in a travel hub in the last 12 months, 2025
- Purchase drivers
- Affordability drives travel hub foodservice choices
- Graph 10: factors driving food/drink purchase decisions in travel hub foodservice, 2025
- Men hone in on low prices the most
- Graph 11: factors driving food/drink purchase decisions in travel hub foodservice, by gender, 2024
- Promoting speedy service alongside budget-friendliness…
- …will help expand reach
- Consistent, quality experiences will help secure repeat customers
- Target 16-44s with healthy menu options
- Hone in on healthier snack innovation that caters to the eating habits of younger generations
- Despite their niche appeal, salad bars cultivate loyal customers
- Graph 12: factors driving food/drink purchase decisions in travel hub foodservice, by foodservice venue visited for buying food/drink at travel hubs in the last 12 months, 2025
- Behaviours towards travel hub foodservice
- Value-driven behaviours are prevalent among travel hub foodservice consumers
- Graph 13: value-focused behaviours in travel hub foodservice, by financial situation, 2025
- Food and drink offer comfort to cope with travel/commuting stress
- Foodservice brands encourage self-care via a focus on indulgence and enjoyment, but physical health is often overlooked
- There is widespread demand for a wider selection of foodservice outlets at travel hubs
- Foodservice can play a role in fostering more-welcoming travel hub spaces
- Tech-enabled convenience divides consumers…
- Graph 14: behaviours towards tech-driven innovations in travel hub foodservice, 2025
- …with older consumers most reticent
- Graph 15: behaviours towards tech-driven innovations in travel hub foodservice, by age, 2025
- Tech can boost satisfaction when communicated and done well
- Don’t neglect low-tech convenience
- Cater to ‘bleisure’ travellers and ‘workationers’
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MARKET DRIVERS
- The rising cost of living continues to influence German consumers’ behaviours
- Passenger numbers are recovering from the impact of COVID-19…
- Graph 16: transport of passengers by mode of transportation, 2018-23
- …but they remain below pre-pandemic levels
- Despite return-to-office pressures, hybrid work remains firmly established
- Germans need greater support to lead healthier lifestyles
- Graph 17: perception of one’s general health – NET, 2024
- The ageing German population brings challenges and opportunities for tech-driven innovation in travel hub foodservice
- Graph 18: population structure, by age, 2022-30
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APPENDIX
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Abbreviations
- Methodology – consumer research
- Consumer research methodology
- A note on language
- TURF analysis methodology
- TURF analysis – ‘Which of the following would encourage you to buy food/drink from one restaurant/food outlet over another at travel hubs?’
69% of German travel hub foodservice consumers say buying food/drink from restaurants/food outlets helps them manage the stress of travelling/commuting. To address consumers’ focus on holistic health, brands need to step up their efforts to better align physical and mental wellbeing. Focusing on the gut-brain axis through gut-friendly, fibre-rich and fermented foods that support digestion and ease stress will find appeal.
The lingering cost-of-living crisis continues to influence consumer behaviour. High prices have made 70% of travel hub foodservice consumers avoid buying food/drink from travel hub foodservice outlets. With affordability key to engagement, brands can increase price flexibility through discounts during quieter periods or end-of-day sales. Moreover, mix-and match meal deals and multi-outlet loyalty programmes can cater to the adventurous behaviours of younger, highly engaged travel hub F&D consumers.
Travel hub foodservice operators are well-placed to capitalise on the high demand (67%) for a wider range of restaurants/food outlets at travel hubs to enrich foodservice experiences. With localism on the rise, they can immerse visitors in the local culture through emerging local brands or street food outlets. Alternatively, they can transport them to faraway destinations with gourmet concepts that evoke a holiday feel.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Travel hub foodservice visits, including the role of financial wellbeing in participation and the most popular outlets
- Top-selling menu items, including repertoire of items bought and the rising popularity of snacks among younger generations
- Purchase drivers for travel hub foodservice, such as low prices, friendly customer service and a wide range of menu items
- Behaviours towards travel hub foodservice, including interest in meal deals to go, the role of food and drink from restaurants/food outlets in managing travelling/commuting stress, and ease with service robots at restaurants/food outlets
Travel hub foodservice consumers are highly value-driven, and cutbacks are prevalent amidst lingering cost-of-living pressures. To respond, brands can increase price flexibility with discounts during quieter periods or end-of-day sales.
Eliana Riera-McInnes, Foodservice Research Analyst
Market Definitions
This Report examines consumer attitudes towards travel hub foodservice. Mintel’s definition includes food and drink sold through the foodservice channel and direct to consumers at travel hubs including motorway service areas, railways stations, bus/coach stations and airport terminals.
This Report includes travel hub retail stores that sell packaged food and drink as a means of comparison.
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