New delivery offers helped restaurants to strong at-home sales growth in February despite a sharp drop in takeaways, the latest NIQ Hospitality at Home Tracker reveals.
The Tracker, powered by CGA intelligence, reveals delivery sales rose 4.7% from the same month in 2025. The figure is well above Britain’s current rate of inflation and follows a 7.4% increase in January. February’s sales were boosted by wet weather that kept people at home in many parts of the country, and by hesitant consumer confidence that may have led some to reduce their spending on eating out.
Restaurant groups have accelerated growth by extending their delivery offers and partnerships with third party platforms. February’s total delivery sales—including at restaurants opened in the last 12 months, or ones where deliveries have been introduced for the first time—were 11.8% ahead of the same month last year.
The convenience of deliveries and the rollout of new operations have impacted takeaways, and sales in this channel have dropped sharply in recent years. Restaurants’ revenue from takeaways and click-and-collect orders fell by 11.1% on a like-for-like basis in February—an 11th negative month in a row. Takeaways generated only 4.9% of spending with restaurants during the month, while deliveries attracted 13.1%.
The NIQ Hospitality at Home Tracker shows the twin trends of growth in deliveries and downward movement in takeaways kept restaurants’ organic at-home sales virtually flat in February, rising just 0.1% on a like-for-like basis. However, the speed of delivery rollouts raised total at-home growth to 10.0%.
Karl Chessell, director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA at NIQ, said:
“At a time when restaurants’ sales and profitability are under major pressure, February’s double-digit growth in at-home sales is a positive sign. However, much of the extra revenue for some operators have come at the expense of takeaways and eat-in trading, or from newly-launched delivery operations. Consumers’ spending remains tight, and their confidence will be sapped further by any inflation that arises from the conflict in the Middle East. Trading conditions in all of restaurants’ channels are likely to remain very challenging for some time to come.”
The NIQ Hospitality at Home Tracker is the leading source of data and insight for the delivery and takeaway market. It provides monthly reports on the value and volume of sales, with year-on-year comparisons and splits between food and drink revenue. It offers a benchmark by which brands can measure their performance, and participants receive detailed data in return for their contributions.
Partners on the Tracker: Azzurri Group, Big Table Group, Bills, Bleecker St Burger, Byron, Coco di Mama, Cote, Creams Café, Dishoom, Five Guys, Gaucho Grill, Honest Burgers, HOP Vietnamese, Kricket, Megan’s, Mission Mars, Mitchells & Butlers, Mowgli, Nando’s, Pizza Express, Pizza Hut UK, Popeyes, Prezzo, Rosa’s Thai, Tasty Plc, TGI Fridays UK, Tortilla, Tossed, Wagamama, Wasabi, Wingstop, YO! Sushi and Yolk.
Anyone interested in joining the Tracker should contact Karen Bantoft at karen.bantoft@nielseniq.com.
