Subjects: Every celebration is a stress test, behind the bar and beyond: why supporting hospitality workers’ well-being matters more than ever, how promotions and loyalty are reshaping the foodservice market in 2025, when is a pub not a pub
Authors: Olivia FitzGerald, Ian Hall, Maria Vanifatova, Phil Mellows
Every celebration is a stress test by Olivia FitzGerald
In a year where UK consumers are trimming their dining budgets, our new State of the Nation report reveals a compelling contradiction. While nearly half of Brits are cutting back on general dining out, only 6% are willing to compromise when it comes to birthdays and celebrations. For operators, this presents both a golden opportunity and a serious risk.
Despite cost pressures, special occasion dining has proven resilient, even immune, to cutbacks, with one in four guests ignoring prices entirely when booking for a celebration. In an environment where a £2 increase in the price of a main meal will sway 60% of consumers away from their favourite restaurant, at the same time, nearly a third How promotions and loyalty are reshaping the foodservice market in 2025 are willing to absorb a £2.50-plus increase from a trusted brand. In our favourite places, the experience can still outweigh the economics.
But here’s the harsh reality. While general industry net promoter scores sit at a healthy 69, celebration-specific visits average just 50. That’s a 19-point drop where it matters most. Guests are not simply eating and drinking; they are creating memories, hosting loved ones and marking milestones. Missteps, whether a flat birthday song or a forgotten request, aren’t just inconvenient; they feel personal. Expectations are higher and the experience has to deliver. So, how can operators respond? It starts by rethinking the entire guest journey, from discovery to post-visit.
Guests planning a special occasion aren’t just browsing menus; they're envisioning moments. Websites and social channels should reflect this. Do you have a clear “celebrate with us” pathway online? Is it easy to see how birthdays, anniversaries, or engagements are made special in your venue?
When it comes to birthday “gifts”, make them generous and actively encourage people to use them. Is a free glass of Prosecco at £2 cost that much of a gift for a table of four spending more than £100? We also know, especially among the younger demographics, that social media has a huge influence on decision making. Consider some “always-on” paid social, targeting guests with upcoming birthdays and use this as your shop-window.
Search and social discovery are emotional triggers. If your digital presence doesn't invite celebration, it risks missing the mark entirely.
Bookings are the “gateway” to your business – think of them like “save the date” invitations. For special occasions, this phase needs to go beyond selecting a time slot.
Ask guests what they are celebrating, or how you can make their night extra special. Pre-ordered upgrades like Champagne are nice, but how about fresh flowers from a local florist?
With booking reminders and confirmations, the difference between “please confirm your booking” and “we can’t wait to celebrate with you” is huge. One is transactional. The other is emotional.
Across the tens of thousands of surveys we collect every week, we know that staff attitude outranks food or drink in driving guest satisfaction. For celebrations, your team are not servers, waiters and bussers; they are memory-makers.
How do your steps of service differ for celebrations? From a hand-signed card, a name written in chocolate, “off-menu” specials or a complimentary gift from a local business to a toast from the general manager – making that person's day, on their most special day, is the art of hospitality.
And always remember, everyone else is watching. They see, hear and feel how excited the team are to host a celebration. Make everyone want to book their next celebration with you.
Don’t let the magic end when the bill hits the table. A tailored thank you message with a warm memory recap like “we hope Sarah’s 30th was unforgettable” creates lasting emotional resonance.
Have a dedicated “celebration” feedback survey to understand where you can make celebrations even better moving forward. This not only shows you’re listening, but helps you continually refine what “special” really means to your guests.
And if you know they had a great time, why not tell them how grateful you would be if they could recommend you to their friends and family. If you’ve earned their trust through a great experience, they’d happily repay you with a recommendation.
In a price-sensitive market, value-for-experience has overtaken value-for-money. Guests will spend, but only if it feels worth it. The biggest threat to your business isn't price hikes; it’s failing to deliver consistency, emotion, and trust when it matters most.
The winners won’t be those who promise more, but those who deliver consistently unforgettable, emotional and personal experiences, one celebration at a time.
Olivia FitzGerald is the managing director of 125 Data & Insights, whose latest State of the Nation insights report provides a real time snapshot into the behaviours of 25,000 UK consumers around where, when and how they are eating and drinking out
Behind the bar and beyond: why supporting hospitality workers’ well-being matters more than ever by Ian Hall
The UK hospitality industry is facing a perfect storm. As businesses navigate the ongoing impacts of inflation, staff shortages and rising overheads, a fresh wave of financial pressure – from national insurance contribution increases to higher minimum wage obligations – is squeezing margins even further. The focus is understandably on keeping businesses afloat. But beneath the headlines and balance sheets lies another urgent challenge that could shape the future of the industry: the mental health and well-being of the people who keep it running.
A 2024 Hospitality Action study found 76% of hospitality workers have faced mental health issues during their career, up from 56% in 2018. A separate survey by Ripple Suicide Prevention revealed that nearly two-thirds (61%) of hospitality workers have been concerned about a colleague’s mental well-being. These figures reflect a crisis that’s been quietly building and is now impossible to ignore. Acknowledging the well-being crisis is one thing; the real test lies in how industry leaders respond.
In hospitality, the margins are often wafer-thin, and success depends on delivering consistent, high-quality experiences under intense pressure. When staff well-being is neglected, productivity dips, customer service suffers and turnover plummets. People burn out, leave or disengage. Morale and profitability are closely linked; when one suffers, so does the other. Recruiting and training replacements takes time, energy and money many businesses cannot afford to lose.
Conversely, prioritising mental health leads to more resilient teams, improved staff retention, reduced absenteeism and more positive workplace cultures – all contributing to stronger business performance. This isn’t just about doing the right thing morally – it’s about safeguarding the long-term sustainability of hospitality, which cannot thrive without a healthy, supported workforce.
So, what does supporting well-being actually look like in practice? There’s no single solution, but there are clear, practical steps businesses can take to start making a real difference – whatever their size or budget.
1. Train managers to spot the signs
Line managers are often the first to notice when something isn’t right. Equipping them with basic mental health training – whether through online workshops, formal qualifications or informal support – helps ensure they can spot early warning signs and respond appropriately. It also gives them the confidence to handle difficult conversations sensitively and constructively.
Training doesn’t need to be intensive or costly. Simply understanding common mental health conditions, stress indicators and referral pathways can make all the difference.
2. Embed real support systems
Support needs to go beyond posters in the staff room. Confidential employee assistance programmes, access to counselling, mental health first aiders and clear signposting to resources should all be part of a joined-up approach to well-being.
Equally important is creating a culture where people are encouraged to take rest, use their annual leave and prioritise self-care. Small steps like structured breaks or recognising when someone needs time out send powerful messages that staff are valued and supported.
3. Reduce burnout through smarter scheduling
Hospitality’s pace can be relentless, with long shifts, last-minute rota changes and high customer expectations. But employers can mitigate burnout by rethinking rotas and workloads.
Simple adjustments like fairer shift allocation, staff input on preferred hours and advance notice of schedules can reduce stress and help people plan rest and recovery time. Regular well-being check-ins also help flag issues early and allow timely adjustments.
4. Create a culture of openness
Perhaps the biggest change needed is cultural. In too many workplaces, mental health remains a taboo. According to CV Library, one in three hospitality workers worry they’d be unfairly judged for sharing mental health struggles with their boss.
Leadership plays a key role. When managers and senior staff share their own challenges openly, discuss mental health without judgement and offer support proactively, it builds trust and reduces fear. Creating safe spaces, literal or metaphorical, where staff can talk honestly without risk to their job security is crucial.
A strategic investment in the future
Hospitality has always been about people – the energy, care and effort that workers put into their roles are what makes great service possible. But we cannot expect people to pour from an empty cup. Prioritising mental health and well-being isn’t an optional extra; it’s essential to the survival and growth of the sector.
Investing in staff well-being isn’t just a moral responsibility – it’s a business-critical strategy. In a high staff-turnover, high-pressure industry, businesses that look after their people will be better equipped to retain talent, boost morale and thrive – even in the toughest conditions.
Ian Hall is chief executive of retail office equipment business CCS McLays
How promotions and loyalty are reshaping the foodservice market in 2025 by Maria Vanifatova
Casual dining and fast-food brands face a challenging environment in 2025. Meaningful Vision’s market research reveals restaurant prices have risen by as much as 6% since the beginning of the year, driven by higher labour costs, food inflation and rising delivery expenses. Yet consumer demand has not kept pace and customers are more price-conscious than ever.
Footfall across fast-food venues in the first quarter of 2025 was flat compared with the previous year, while restaurants and pubs experienced sharper declines. At the same time, the number of fast-food outlets continued to grow, increasing by 2% year on year. At least eight major North American brands, including Dave’s Hot Chicken, Chick-fil-A and Carl’s Jr., have entered or announced plans to enter the UK market, intensifying competition further.
The overall market landscape has also changed. Every format is vying for the same customer occasions, regardless of traditional dayparts. Pizza brands have started pushing into lunch slots, Greggs has introduced dinnertime pizza deals and chicken brands are testing breakfast offers. Meanwhile, UK consumers have become increasingly cautious, cutting back on spending, seeking better value and displaying willingness to switch brands for better deals.
Once upon a time, a great burger and fries was all it took to win customer loyalty, but that era is long gone. In 2025, fast-food brands aren't simply competing with each other but are vying for digital engagement, attention, app downloads and repeat customers.
Promotions: smarter, sharper, more digital
Promotions have surged in the past two years as brands work to deliver value while maintaining their price positioning. In 2024, UK restaurants increased their promotional activity by 25% compared with the previous year. Delivery platforms in particular nearly doubled the number of offers available for top brands, showing just how competitive the space has become. This upward trend continued into 2025 as operators adapt to rising costs and heightened consumer expectations.
The average discount offered across the fast-food sector in 2025 is approximately 25%, but for pizza delivery, the figure is even larger, highlighting the intense competition in this segment. A variety of tactics are favoured across different segments. In restaurants, special price deals remain the most common approach, whereas delivery platforms prefer percentage discounts. Free product offers such as “buy-one-get-one-free” or “spend-and-get” are also gaining momentum in both settings.
Importantly, promotions are no longer just about quantity; they have become more strategic in their focus and have proliferated significantly on digital platforms. In the first quarter of 2025, 20% of all promotions were delivered through apps, and 40% of those were reward-based.
At the same time, there is a growing recognition that an over-reliance on targeting bargain hunters can be counterproductive. The most successful brands are now focusing on smarter, targeted offers, appealing to high-value customers willing to pay more for a better experience as opposed to those hunting for the lowest price.
Meal deals and limited-time offers (LTOs) have also played a crucial role offering value alternatives, and their number is growing. Interestingly, meal deal prices have increased more than the individual menu items. This is a convenient route for operators looking to increase profitability since consumers cannot easily compare the value of meal deal offers over time.
LTOs remain an effective promotional tactic. Although they account for just a small percent of menus and have not grown in share over the past year, they continue to be a powerful way to engage customers. LTOs often feature seasonal or premium ingredients and help create excitement and keep menus fresh and compelling.
Loyalty: from optional to essential
Loyalty programmes have moved from being a “nice-to-have” feature to becoming an essential competitive tool in the UK foodservice market. Today, three-quarters of UK fast-food brands offer loyalty schemes, with almost all of them delivered via mobile apps. In restaurants, this percentage is lower (around 60%), and only a third are run through apps. Coffee shops pioneered this model with the familiar “tenth cup free”, but now burger and chicken brands are developing more sophisticated systems to keep pace.
Gamification has emerged as an increasingly popular feature of loyalty programmes. Elements such as interactive challenges, spin-to-win wheels, peel-and-reveal offers, unlockable reward tiers and progress streaks have transformed loyalty from a simple transactional scheme into an engaging and enjoyable experience for customers. This element is especially important for those looking to attract a younger audience and inspire engagement from Generation Zs. It’s no longer just about collecting points but about the thrill of earning them.
For customers, loyalty programmes deliver meaningful value, but the pay-off for brands is even greater. Loyalty programmes drive more frequent visits, generate valuable customer data and foster stronger emotional connections with the brand.
Loyalty programmes have also become a powerful force for customer acquisition. More than half of existing programmes now offer special incentives to attract new users. These include free products, bonus points or introductory discounts designed to create a positive first impression. These aren't just perks; they are entry points into long-term relationships.
Fast-food is no longer merely defined by its convenience but encompasses a much broader experience, with the digital portal proving to be an invaluable place for brands to set out their stall and communicate most effectively with consumers. The most successful brands in 2025 are those that turn every purchase into a story worth repeating.
Meaningful Vision’s daily promotion tracker provides clients with a clear view of the underlying factors driving high-level trends, giving them the power to align their strategies with current market dynamics. As promotional activity and app usage continue to expand in response to the economic climate, and as data becomes increasingly valuable, our services are playing a growing role in helping brands stay competitive and informed.
What is the key to success?
• Know your high-value customers.
• Deliver smart, targeted offers.
• Avoid the trap of over-targeting bargain hunters.
• And above all, keep it digital, engaging and rewarding.
Maria Vanifatova is chief executive and founder of Meaningful Vision, which offers granular and up-to-date traffic, pricing and promotion data on top UK restaurant brands
When is a pub not a pub by Phil Mellows
In the unlikely event that, like me, you take the X17 bus from Chesterfield to Matlock on odd occasions, you’ll know that there’s an inexplicable two-hour mid-evening hiatus in the service. Not too disastrous, perhaps, as it’s an excuse to sample the excellent range of cask beers at the Pig & Pump.
It had Thornbridge’s splendid Jaipur IPA on when I called the other day. Controversially, this beer is on sale for £3-something in JD Wetherspoon all over the country this summer. Should it be allowed? Will it devalue the brand? Anyway, I paid the full whack and it was worth it.
I was also entertained by an 18th birthday party, some of whom were obviously tasting draught beer for the first time, and others not yet turned drinking age had to make do with softs. A slightly more mature woman who seemed to have the unenviable task of maintaining order had to keep scolding the under-18s, who were sneaking gulps of lager from their marginally older friends.
I can’t remember taking this rite of passage myself, because by the time I’d hit 18, I was already regularly drinking in pubs, and the birthday wasn’t so special. Nowadays, the trade is hot on proof of age, of course, so these celebrations have a greater salience.
All very amusing, but I digress. Owing to a misleading bus times app, which I immediately deleted from my phone in disgust, I was still too early when I arrived at Chesterfield bus station, in a desolate part of town.
Glancing around, I saw a place, apparently little more than a shed, that I hadn’t noticed before. Board & Bean describes itself as a “board game café” – not my usual cup of tea, but I had time to kill, so I strolled over and opened the door.
To the left was a small bar with beers on tap, alongside the coffee promised by the word “bean”, and various cakes and snacks. Filling the rest of the surprisingly large space, on two levels, were special tables with raised edges to stop counters, or whatever, from rolling off, and surrounding them, shelves stocking hundreds of board games. I didn’t know there could be so many.
There were quite a few customers in, small groups, mostly young, engrossed in their chosen game, and the buzz of conversation was gentle and subdued. It was a less energetic form of competitive socialising, and you could almost feel the concentration at work.
The bearded chap behind the bar was pleased to show me around and chat about the business. The owners were gamers themselves with no experience of hospitality, but in a few months, the business had found an untapped demand, and it’s going well. It’s £2 an hour to play, so it doesn’t entirely rely on takings at the bar, and a £40 annual membership fee offers substantial discounts, building loyalty.
“We also have a beer garden,” he said, lowering his voice to a sombre tone and nodding towards a sign reading “annex”. “But I can’t take you through because D&D are in there, and we can’t disturb them.”
D&D? The rolodex in my brain ruffled through the possible alternatives. He can’t mean Birkenhead’s premier wheelie bin cleaning service surely? Nor the Runcorn recruitment agency?
“Dungeons & Dragons?” I ventured. He looked almost disgusted that I was ignorant enough to spell it out. “I’m not really into that kind of thing,” I added, superfluously, only digging the hole deeper. I made my excuses and left.
Of course, I’d rather be down the pub. But isn’t this kind of venue doing a similar job? What is a pub, anyway? It was a question that came up as few days later at a symposium for leading academics (and me) at Loughborough University, where sociologists Tom Thurnell-Read and Rob Deakin presented some of their findings from a two-year research project titled After Last Orders, which has looked into the impact of pub closures on local people.
There was a lot to discuss, and it wasn’t all doom and gloom. By the end of the afternoon, the debate turned towards how pubs were innovating and evolving to survive, with successful examples finding new markets among people keen to go out and socialise.
But could you still call them pubs? Or do we need to change what we think of when we think of a pub? Board & Bean may not have been for me, yet it was obviously providing a sociable venue for people who don’t, for whatever reason, find traditional pubs are for them.
There is a rich tapestry of such places across the hospitality industry, and defining which of them are pubs has, for me, become increasingly difficult. Perhaps, though, we’re coming to a point when we shouldn’t get too hung up on it.
Phil Mellows is a leading industry commentator