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AHDB: Meaty meals increasing popularity out of home

The out-of-home (OOH) market is struggling in the backdrop of inflationary living, making it more important than ever for foodservice establishments to stand out in terms of offerings, whether that be on price or experience, informs AHDB. When dining OOH, 80% of consumers like trying out new things, opening exciting opportunities for operators to experiment with menu offerings. So how are different cuisines and dishes currently faring and what are the opportunities for red meat going forward?

Posted on Oct 08 ,00:20

Market performance

In the last year, food spend in the OOH market has reached £49.9 billion (Worldpanel by Numerator UK, 52 w/e 7 September 2025). A 5.8% increase in average price paid is driving this as the market has strugaled in terms of transactions (packs -3.7% year-on-year).

Inflation has hit a point many consumers are unwilling, or unable, to pay, resulting in some shoppers leaving the category and the remaining shoppers eating out less frequently.

This is reflected in 73% of consumers currently being concerned about the cost of living (Sparkminds Sentiment Tracker, September 2025), and according to the AHDB/You Gov Consumer Tracker, among those whose finances have worsened in recent months, 57% are planning on reducing spend on eating out – the top combative measure (August 2025).

Consumers appear to be dropping everyday OOH occasions and prioritising occasion-led dining experiences instead.

Cuisine/meal performance OOH

According to Worldpanel by Numerator, meat-centred meals, which are typically British or American in nature (such as fried chicken, roast dinners, steak and sausages), contribute the biggest value to the market.

In the last year, 64% of GB adults have consumed a meat-centred meal OOH, with sales hitting £7.9 billion (52 w/e 15 June 2025).

Contributing less value to the market (£4 billion), because of the lower price point, but hitting the highest penetration are burgers, with 66% of GB adults consuming them in the last year. The third biggest meal is pizza at £3.1 billion with 49% penetration.

However, these top three meal choices have performed very differently in the last year, with two out of the three declining in value, showing that shoppers are trying something different.

Meat-centred meals have bucked the market trend and grown 10.6% in value, not only through price, but also purchase frequency.

Burgers and pizza have lost share of the market through shoppers dropping the meals from their repertoire and loyal shoppers eating them less often.

Other cuisines gaining share of the market are Asian and Indian. But also seeing significant growth, although smaller, is Mexican, which has been the only category to recruit new shoppers.

Cuisines to watch out for

It is important for foodservice establishments to be aware of up-and-coming cuisines to aid business innovation through understanding evolving consumer needs and gain a competitive edge by identifying growth opportunities early.

According to Lumina Intelligence, hyperlocal and authentic global cuisines continue to see an uptick in popularity, providing red meat with an opportunity to utilise these trends to gain space and stand out on menu.

Cuisine opportunities for red meat

• The ‘occasion’ remains the largest pull to the OOH market for shoppers, therefore ensure red meat meals elevate the experience for diners
• Meat-centred meals bring the highest value OOH, so ensure red meat retains its relevance and stands out on menu through exploring innovative recipes and presentation styles
• Continue to innovate red meat offerings for important meals, including burgers and pizza, tapping into a variety of price points to meet differing consumer needs
• Capitalise on creative world cuisines and communicate the flavour experience via menu descriptions
• Use and communicate British red meat’s high quality and sourcing credentials on menu to tap into quality-led consumers

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