UK Fast Food Industry Trends and Insights
- The UK fast food market is projected to reach £40.5bn in 2025, with a 5.7% year-on-year growth rate that outpaces inflation. This highlights the enduring appeal of affordable indulgence, particularly among younger consumers who are driving demand for chicken shops and global flavours like burritos and tacos.
- Younger consumers are reshaping the market, prompting brands to modernise their offerings to meet evolving preferences. This includes embracing diverse cuisines and innovative menu options to stay relevant in a competitive landscape.
- Inflation poses significant challenges for fast food operators, increasing costs and pressuring pricing strategies. As a result, some low-income consumers are cutting back or opting for at-home dining alternatives, impacting overall market accessibility.
- Rising scrutiny around health-focused menus and environmental impact adds complexity for operators. Brands must navigate these concerns to maintain consumer trust and loyalty, balancing indulgence with healthier, sustainable food options.
- Despite these challenges, the UK fast food market offers strong growth opportunities through hybrid hospitality, automation, and exciting collaborations. Forward-thinking brands that transform their spaces into lifestyle-driven hubs and prioritise inclusive, sustainable dining experiences will remain culturally relevant and build a loyal customer base.
Key Topics Analysed in the Report
- Evolving consumer preferences: examines how the demand for affordable indulgence and global flavours is reshaping the UK fast food market
- The impact of inflation and cost pressures: explores strategies brands can use to maintain customer loyalty during economic challenges
- Hybrid hospitality and automation opportunities: offers solutions to balance technology and customer satisfaction
- Cultural relevance and inclusivity in fast food spaces: explores how brands can create lifestyle-driven environments that attract diverse groups and build stronger customer loyalty
- Health and sustainability as key brand differentiators: how fast food brands can stand out with nutritious, eco-conscious offerings in a competitive market
| Report Attributes | Details |
|---|---|
| Published Date | August 2025 |
| Report Author | Trish Caddy, Associate Director – Foodservice |
| Data Range | 2019 – 2030 |
| Measurement Metrics | Revenue in £ |
| Country Focus | United Kingdom (UK) |
| Consumer Data | 2,000 internet users aged 16+, June 2025 |
| Number of Pages | 73 |
| Market Segmentation | Burger Outlets, Fish and Chip Shops, Pizza Outlets, Chicken Shops, Chinese/Japanese Outlets, Sandwich Shops/Delis, Kebab Shops, and Burrito/Taco Shops |
| Leading Companies in the UK Fast Food Industry | McDonald’s, Subway, Domino’s, KFC, Burger King, Papa John’s, Pepe’s Piri Piri, Chopstix, Five Guys, Taco Bell, German Doner Kebab, Leon, Tortilla, Itsu, Popeyes, Wingstop, Wendy’s, Dave’s Hot Chicken, Boss Pizza, The Sushi Co. |
Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis
This report was written by Trish Caddy. Trish currently writes a range of UK foodservice reports and has been called upon by some of UK’s leading media to comment on key insights and trends shaping the UK eating-out market. Prior to joining Mintel, Trish worked as a chef in London.
Credit card lending continues to rise steadily, with consumers leaning on credit card use to ease pressures on household finances during ongoing economic uncertainty.
Trish Caddy
Associate Director – Foodservice
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Opportunities for the Fast Food Restaurants market
- Expanding UK’s fast food appeal through health, service & cultural engagement
- Market dynamics and outlook
- The UK fast food market is experiencing healthy growth rates
- Market predictions for UK fast food restaurants
- UK fast food market set for £10.8bn growth by 2030 despite global uncertainty
- Graph 1: forecast for the value of fast food outlets and restaurants market, at current prices, 2019-30
- UK fast food sees a mix of dominance and disruption as Subway & McDonald’s lead, while GDK, Pepe’s, and Popeyes drive rapid growth
- Graph 2: leading fast food restaurant chains, by outlet numbers, 2023-25
- Graph 3: selected fast food restaurant chains, by outlet numbers, 2023-25
- UK fast food thrives on value, automation, and indulgence trends as inflation, tech, and changing consumer habits shape the market
- What consumers want and why
- The price-value perception gap in healthy vs indulgent food limits healthy fast food’s mass appeal
- Why the fast food market needs hybrid hospitality, not pure automation
- Fast food as cultural space from quick bites to identity-building platforms
- Innovation and marketing
- UK fast food innovation and marketing drive growth through NPD, collaborations, and omnichannel strategies
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MARKET DYNAMICS
- Market size
- The UK fast food market grows at 5.7% CAGR from 2019 to 2025
- Graph 4: market size for value of fast food outlets or restaurants, 2019-25
- UK fast food restaurant growth is outpacing the UK’s expected 2025 inflation rate…
- … driven by big brands expanding, improving operations, and rolling out loyalty and innovation strategies
- Market forecast
- Forecast – note on US trade disruption
- The evolving US-UK trade landscape presents both challenges and opportunities for the UK’s fast food market
- UK fast food market set for £10.8bn growth by 2030 despite global uncertainty
- Graph 5: forecast for the value of fast food outlets and restaurants market, at current prices, 2019-30
- UK fast food’s edge in a tougher market
- Market share
- Subway and McDonald’s remain UK’s largest fast food chains by store count…
- Graph 6: leading fast food restaurant chains, by outlet numbers, 2021-25
- …but GDK and Pepe’s show fastest growth
- Scaling emerging brands today requires aggressive expansion, smart tech investments, and bold new formats
- Graph 7: selected fast food restaurant chains, by outlet numbers, 2023-25
- Ambitious fledgling fast food brands heat up UK expansion with aggressive rollout plans
- Newcomers set to shake up the UK fast food market with bold growth plans and premium propositions in kebab and chicken segments
- Market drivers
- Affordable indulgence in inflationary times
- Graph 8: frequency of fast food dining during the month of July, 2023-25
- UK restaurants & cafes inflation slows after peak in 2023
- Graph 9: CPIH annual rate 11.1.1 – Restaurants & Cafes
- Discretionary spending across generations and financial situations…
- Graph 10: discretionary spending priorities for a £30 treat, by financial situation, 2025
- Graph 11: discretionary spending priorities for a £30 treat, by generation, 2025
- …shows the need for tailored offers to capture this spending in a competitive market
- Fast food brands navigate rising costs, stricter rules, shifting diets and new ways to stay relevant in a changing cultural landscape
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WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- Fast food purchase methods
- Changes in fast food purchase methods
- Graph 12: changes in purchase methods done in the last 12 months at a fast food outlet, 2023-25
- With dine-in and takeaway habits now stable, future growth in fast food will focus on improving takeaway convenience, like drive-throughs
- Shifts in ordering reflect value-driven, convenience-first behaviours in fast food consumption
- Types of fast food outlet used
- UK fast food preferences continue to shift in 2025
- Graph 13: types of fast food outlets used in the last 12 months, 2023-25
- Younger consumers drive chicken shop boom…
- …as fast-growing brands like Popeyes, Lucky B’s, and Dave’s Hot Chicken scale across the UK
- Graph 14: usage of chicken shops in the last 12 months, by generation, 2025
- Younger Brits shape a more diverse fast food landscape, with 16-44s driving demand for pizza, chicken, burritos, and sandwich brands
- Graph 15: types of fast food outlets used in the last 12 months, by age, 2025
- Service preferences
- Blended tech-and-human service is preferred fast food experience in the UK
- Graph 16: preferred customer service type for in-person fast food orders, 2025
- Younger consumers embrace tech-driven service in fast food, while Boomers still prefer fully human-led formats
- UK older consumers prefer people-led service…
- …younger groups lean into tech-human hybrids
- Graph 17: preferred customer service type for in-person fast food orders, by age, 2025
- Purchase drivers
- UK consumers prioritise quality despite financial pressures
- Graph 18: consumer priorities when choosing a fast food outlet or takeaway, 2025
- Health matters more to fast food consumers aged 25-34, and parents, pointing to rising concern over nutrition in everyday choices
- Healthy vs indulgent trade-offs
- Desire to indulge remains the biggest barrier to healthier fast food, with taste, price and access also limiting demand for better options
- Graph 19: reasons why consumers don’t prioritise a fast food outlet’s healthiness when choosing where to eat or order takeaway, 2025
- The rise of nutrition-focused menus empowering diners to make healthier, informed choices
- Cost remains the biggest barrier to healthy fast food in cities, while rural consumers face issues with access
- Graph 20: reasons why consumers don’t prioritise a fast food outlet’s healthiness when choosing where to eat or order takeaway, by area, 2025
- Attitudes towards fast food as cultural space
- UK fast food outlets as social hubs
- Graph 21: attitudes towards fast food restaurants as cultural space, 2025
- Fast food outlets serve as social and cultural hubs for men, but brands need to close the engagement gap to connect with women
- Speed matters but fast food consumers still value the human touch
- Graph 22: attitudes towards speed of service at fast food outlets, by preferred customer service type for in-person fast food orders, 2025
- Fast food outlets are convenient places to meet up with friends/family – CHAID
- Fast food outlets serve as family-friendly community spaces
- A Family Connect zone, where dining meets fun for the whole family – Mintel Spark
- Fast food brands are seen as lifestyle spaces by many, but there’s room to go further
- A drop zone retrofitted into a fast food outlet – Mintel Spark
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INNOVATION AND MARKETING TRENDS
- Greggs gains ground as McDonald’s dominates on volume, while premium brands trade on value
- Graph 23: how leading UK fast food brands balance transaction value, customer numbers, and total spend, 2023-25
- Competitive strategies
- Innovation, customer value, and cultural relevance…
- …define the competitive strategies of the UK fast food industry
- KFC tests growth beyond chicken as its UK speciality drinks pilot takes flight
- LEON expands grocery line to offer ‘Naturally Fast Food’ at Home
- Launch activity and innovation
- Tortilla x Tubby Tom’s launched BBQ Burnt Ends Burrito in the UK for a limited time
- Boojum and Zambrero drive UK Mexican fast food as one in five under-45s visit burrito or taco shops, showing growing demand for global flavours
- New brands target health-conscious diners with fresher, better ingredients and bold growth plans in UK fast food
- The Steamhouse and Gurt Wings tap merch and lifestyle appeal as fast food brands explore new ways to connect with trend-driven UK consumers
- Advertising and marketing activity
- Big brands refocus UK ad spend as chicken grows, drinks diversify and the Whopper signals a beef comeback
- Graph 24: above-the-line advertising expenditure, by selected fast food brands, 2023-25
- McDonald’s turns up the heat with McSpicy x Frank’s RedHot as spicy chicken leads 2025 spend surge in fast food’s flavour race
- Big Arch blends beef nostalgia with chicken momentum as McDonald’s ramps up 2025 ad spend to satisfy shifting tastes and bigger cravings
- Burger King’s ‘Arch Nemesis’ OOH stunt reclaims beef territory with comedic repeat rivalry, reinforcing Whopper dominance
- KFC’s ‘Brace Thy Tongue’ campaign showcases the Zinger Drip burger, highlighting the thrilling pain-pleasure paradox of spicy food.
- Subway hijacks IKEA’s Oxford Street launch with cheeky ‘Meatbäll Marinara’ stunt, claiming the ‘biggest balls’ on the block
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APPENDIX
- Market forecast data and methodology
- Market size: value of the UK fast food market
- Market forecast and prediction intervals (value)
- Forecast methodology
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Abbreviations and terms
- Consumer research methodology
- CHAID analysis methodology
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
- Snoop SpendMapper methodology
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