UK Fast Food Restaurants Market Report 2024

This report offers an in-depth review of the UK fast food industry. Know what drives visitation to restaurants and how to respond to changing consumer perceptions with the data-backed analysis offered. Accelerate your insight strategy today.

UK Fast Food Market – Current Landscape

There’s a rise in Britons dining out, up from 24% in 2021 to 47% in 2024, post-pandemic. Takeaway orders fell to 72% in 2024, but convenience remains crucial. Fast food outlets thrive by offering dine-in, delivery, drive-through, and click-and-collect options to suit various preferences.

Younger fast food consumers aged 16-44 prefer fresh options like salads and sushi, providing chains with an opportunity to attract them with healthy choices. Salad chains like The Salad Project and Urban Greens are gaining traction in London, hinting at potential for salad concepts in the UK market.

British consumers are more flexible in their fast food habits, moving away from traditional evening dining. Morning and afternoon fast food occasions have increased post-pandemic, suggesting a broader role for fast food in daily diets. This opens up opportunities for operators to expand menus and target new customer segments.

Fast food apps are more popular among younger age groups, with 48% of tech-savvy 16-34 year-olds using them compared to only 12% of the less digitally inclined 55+ group. German Doner Kebab’s app gained 270,000 downloads by December 2023, showing the trend towards mobile ordering. User-friendly apps like GDK’s cater to the rising mobile tech reliance for tasks such as food ordering.

UK Fast Food Market Report – What’s Inside?

Key Topics Analysed in the Report

• Changes in consumer attitudes towards fast food, including spending habits, and demand for different food categories and times of day.
• Analysis of key players’ strategies, including expansion plans, menu innovations, pricing strategies, and marketing initiatives.
• The impact of inflation, cost of living pressures and economic outlook on consumer spending and fast food industry performance.
• Consumer attitudes towards the fast food sector, as well as industry initiatives and challenges in this area.
• Competitive strategies employed by Chick-fil-A, Chipotle, McDonald’s, Burger King, and Tortilla in the UK.
• Brand research on McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King, Taco Bell, and Leon in the UK.

Report Scope

In this Report, Mintel analyses consumers’ decision-making process with regards to fast food outlets.

Although fast food outlets are often characterised by the takeaway nature of the food and drink, a significant proportion also offer an eat-in facility. In many leisure and retail park locations a drive-through facility accompanies the main restaurant. Home delivery is a new growth strategy for this market.

The main meal items are served hot, usually from a counter, with the emphasis on speed of service and consistency of product. The format of each brand is typically standardised, with the consumer being able to expect the same offering and standards throughout the country.

Although small in number by comparison, some outlets in this market, including selected McDonald’s restaurants, offer a more sophisticated eat-in facility including the option of table service.

The market size comprises categories including burger and chicken shops, kebab shops, fish and chip shops, pizza outlets, sandwich shops (eg Subway), noodle bars, burrito/taco shops and traditional British cafés.

Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis

This report was written by Trish Caddy. Trish Caddy currently writes a range of UK foodservice reports and has been called upon by some of the UK’s leading media to comment on key insights and trends shaping the UK eating-out market. Before joining Mintel, Trish worked as a chef in London.

UK consumers want affordable, quality fast food. To attract and keep customers, restaurants should focus on fresh, diverse menus, a welcoming atmosphere, and efficient, personalised service.

Trish Caddy
Associate Director, Foodservice