UK’s QSR market to reach $44.01b by 2029
The market is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 5.25%.
The United Kingdom (UK) Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) market size is estimated at $34.07b in 2024 and is expected to reach $44.01b by 2029, reaching a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.25% during the forecast period from 2024 to 2029, according to Mordor Intelligence.
Ice cream is the fastest-growing segment by cuisine type, with a projected CAGR of 6.35% in 2024 to 2029, attributed to increasing experiments with ice cream flavours for both consumers and brands, along with a high rate of seasonal consumption.
Some popular ice cream outlets are Ginger's Comfort Emporium, Gelupo, Callestick Farm, Baskin Robbins, and Dunkin' Donuts.
Burger is the largest segment by cuisine type with a value share of 30.86% in 2023, due to inclusion and innovation as the two drivers that have kept burgers a primary fast-food choice in the country, with an increasing number of operators including them in their menus.
Meat-based cuisines, including chicken wings, chicken nuggets, and chicken lollipops, are also popular in the country, which observed an incline of 18.9% in sales value in 2022 compared to 2019, owing to the high meat consumption in the country.
For instance, in the UK, poultry meat consumption per capita reached 32.7 kg in 2020. Consumers prefer fast-food chains like McDonald's, KFC, and Subway.
Moreover, popular QSR dishes preferred by the Brits include burgers (costing $4.5 per 250 gm), French fries ($3 per 250 gm), onion rings ($3.4 per 250 gm), pizza ($8.5 per 300 gm), chicken nuggets (around $3.5 per 300 gm), and garlic bread (around $4.5 per 100 gm).
The average order value in the QSR market increased by 10.02% from 2017 to 2022, attributed to the inflation rate increasing by an average of 3 to 4% from 2017 to 2022 and the increased number of orders per year, which was more than 63,432 per outlet in 2022.
The number of QSRs increased by around 10% from 2017 to 2022 in the UK, due to the rising number of franchisee establishments and companies increasing their footprint. As of January 2023, there were around 1,382 McDonald's outlets, 517 Burger King outlets, and 1,005 KFC outlets.
By location, standalone restaurants acquired more than 72.35% of the value share in 2022.
Standalone eateries can be found in a range of locations, including metropolitan districts, suburban strip malls, and rural regions. They typically offer a limited menu, such as burgers, sandwiches, and salads.
