UK Menu Trends Market Report 2022

The UK Menu Trends report identifies consumer attitudes towards food and drink trends, eating out, and ordering takeaway in the UK. This market report covers the market size, market forecast, market segmentation and industry trends for the Menu Trends market in the UK.

Current Market Landscape

Consumer demand for takeaway food has remained high despite the reopening of sit-down restaurants. Breakfast, brunch and lunch takeaway occasions continue to see growth in participation over the past year.

• 62% of Britons ordered takeaway in the three months to October 2021.
• 79% of 16-24 year olds are far more likely than older consumers to eat in restaurants/outlets.
• 89% of 16-24 year olds order takeaway/home delivery.

However, rising inflation, including the increased cost of restaurant/takeaway food, will put pressure on household finances and will likely lead to some consumers cutting back on using foodservice. Yet, many people are still tempted out by an increasingly diverse and high quality dining scene, with on-premise participation driven by consumers making intentional and mindful choices about when they spend money on food outlets/restaurants, such as celebrating a birthday. Therefore, a restaurant that emphasises a superior quality and exclusivity in both the ingredients featured in its dishes and premium front-of-house services will appeal to special occasion diners whilst offering an acceptable reason to increase menu prices.

Future Market Trends in Menu Trends 

Younger workers have been more exposed to the impact of COVID-19 on jobs by virtue of their greater propensity to work in retail, hospitality and leisure, sectors that already tended to be lower-paid and less secure. The foodservice market is challenged to retain frequent usage among some of its most loyal customers.

We know that lower prices would encourage 16-24 year olds to eat more plant-based fast food meals, as Generation Zers lead the charge for more affordable and sustainable meal solutions. As they also have an innate taste for crispy foods (eg deep fried foods), brands that offer low-cost plant-based fast foods will continue to appeal under-25s.

Read on to discover more details or take a look at all of our UK Food and Foodservice market research.

Quickly understand

• The impact of COVID-19 on eating out, with a focus on menu trends.
• Annual changes in consumers’ preferences when eating out or ordering takeaway.
• Consumers’ perceptions of their ideal menu.
• Consumers’ behaviours when eating out or ordering takeaway.

Covered in this report

Brands: Quorn, Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, McDonald’s, Wagamama, Zizzi’s, The Real Greek, Shake Shack, Bunsik.

Expert analysis from a specialist in the field

This report, written by Trish Caddy, a leading analyst in the Foodservice sector, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.

The proportion of flexitarians continues to rise annually, with one in three meat eaters having reduced/limited meat consumption. Fuelled by greater awareness of the benefits of eating less meat, and the current yearning for variety in their diets, the latest phase of vegetarianism is also underway, and therefore one in four consumers are currently eating more dairy products than they were 12 months ago. This should prompt foodservice operators to strike a balance between vegan and vegetarian options, rather than pushing vegetarian dishes off menus.

Trish Caddy
Senior Foodservice Analyst