Travel hubs, office workers power £24.9b UK food-to-go market
Food-to-go accounts for 24.1% of the wider eating-out market.
The UK food-to-go market is valued at £24.9b and is forecast to grow by 3.4% in 2026, according to Lumina Intelligence.
Food-to-go accounts for 24.1% of the wider eating-out market, up 0.2 percentage points year-on-year.
Growth is being supported by a return to offices and recovering passenger volumes across rail and air travel.
Consumer behaviour is expected to split by income: lower earners are likely to increasingly turn to packed meals to manage costs, whilst higher earners, with greater financial confidence, are more willing to spend on premium food-to-go options.
As inflation continues to ease, market growth is expected to moderate to a 2.7% compound annual growth rate between 2026 and 2029.
A more stable economic backdrop and gradual wage increases are expected to support demand, with tourism and travel remaining key drivers.
Food-to-go is forecast to outperform the wider eating-out sector, which is expected to grow at 2.3%.
Consumers are placing greater importance on quality and health when choosing food-to-go, whilst quick-service restaurants remain the most popular lunch channel because of their convenience.
At the same time, demand is growing for specific cuisines and standout food items, pushing food-to-go beyond a purely functional meal purchase and towards a more experience-led category.
Premium, restaurant-style offerings are expected to gain ground as consumers increasingly view food-to-go as an opportunity for enjoyment during a busy day rather than just a quick solution.
Growth is expected to be concentrated around travel hubs, particularly air and rail locations, as passenger numbers recover.
Operators are also expanding through smaller-format concepts positioned in high-footfall locations.
Convenience stores continue to lead in scale, but coffee shops, sandwich and bakery specialists, and travel-focused outlets are seeing stronger growth in turnover per outlet.
