Delivery and takeaway sales stay above pre-pandemic levels

Delivery and takeaway sales at managed restaurant and pub groups in Britain were more than double pre-pandemic levels in September, according to the latest edition of the CGA & Slerp Hospitality at Home Tracker.

Combined sales were 130% higher than in September 2019, when businesses were trading as normal, and 35% higher than in September 2020, when coronavirus restrictions were in place.

Deliveries and takeaways were worth 29% of the total sales of all businesses contributing data to the tracker, which includes Byron, Honest Burgers, Nando's, PizzaExpress and Wagamama.

The growth in delivery sales in September was five times higher than that of takeaways, showing the popularity of third-party delivery platforms, while drinks accounted for just under 10% of all sales.

However, CGA data suggests the rise is not limiting consumer spending on eating and drinking out. The September edition of the CGA Coffer Business Tracker, which follows a different group of companies, shows sales at managed pubs, restaurants and bars were up 8% on 2019.

Slerp founder JP Then said businesses whose takeaway sales were booming were offering unique menu items through their online channels, sometimes only for a limited time.

Karl Chessell, director at CGA, added: "It's particularly pleasing to see that at-home sales seem to be complementing rather than cannibalising eat-out spending, even as restaurants and pubs settle back towards normality. While the post-Covid balance of the two sectors won't be clear for a while yet, there's no reason why businesses can't thrive in both in the future."