Live Report

Week ending 29 Mar 2026
Trailing 13 Weeks: 5 Jan 2026 – 29 Mar 2026

UK Restaurant Pulse

Q1 2026 closed on a cautious note. Same-Store Sales declined week-on-week as consumer behaviour continues to reshape the UK hospitality market.

Diners are more value-focused, increasingly selective, and prioritising fewer, safer occasions. *

*Paperchase proprietary data

Week ending 29 Mar 2026

SSS YoY Total Cohort −3.3%

SSS WoW Total Cohort −1.1%

Cvrs WoW Total Cohort −0.1%

Cvrs YoY Total Cohort −5.5%

SSS YoY Fine Dining −4.9%

SSS WoW Fine Dining −6.6%

Cvrs WoW Fine Dining −7.3%

Cvrs YoY Fine Dining −6.5%

SSS YoY Upscale Casual −3.2%

SSS WoW Upscale Casual +3.9%

Cvrs WoW Upscale Casual +3.3%

Cvrs YoY Upscale Casual −7.8%

Week ending 29 Mar 2026

SSS YoY Total Cohort −3.3%

SSS WoW Total Cohort −1.1%

Cvrs WoW Total Cohort −0.1%

Cvrs YoY Total Cohort −5.5%

SSS YoY Fine Dining −4.9%

SSS WoW Fine Dining −6.6%

Cvrs WoW Fine Dining −7.3%

Cvrs YoY Fine Dining −6.5%

SSS YoY Upscale Casual −3.2%

SSS WoW Upscale Casual +3.9%

Cvrs WoW Upscale Casual +3.3%

Cvrs YoY Upscale Casual −7.8%

Week ending 29 Mar 2026

SSS YoY Total Cohort −3.3%

SSS WoW Total Cohort −1.1%

Cvrs WoW Total Cohort −0.1%

Cvrs YoY Total Cohort −5.5%

SSS YoY Fine Dining −4.9%

SSS WoW Fine Dining −6.6%

Cvrs WoW Fine Dining −7.3%

Cvrs YoY Fine Dining −6.5%

SSS YoY Upscale Casual −3.2%

SSS WoW Upscale Casual +3.9%

Cvrs WoW Upscale Casual +3.3%

Cvrs YoY Upscale Casual −7.8%

Week ending 29 Mar 2026

SSS YoY Total Cohort −3.3%

SSS WoW Total Cohort −1.1%

Cvrs WoW Total Cohort −0.1%

Cvrs YoY Total Cohort −5.5%

SSS YoY Fine Dining −4.9%

SSS WoW Fine Dining −6.6%

Cvrs WoW Fine Dining −7.3%

Cvrs YoY Fine Dining −6.5%

SSS YoY Upscale Casual −3.2%

SSS WoW Upscale Casual +3.9%

Cvrs WoW Upscale Casual +3.3%

Cvrs YoY Upscale Casual −7.8%

Week ending 29 Mar 2026

SSS YoY Total Cohort −3.3%

SSS WoW Total Cohort −1.1%

Cvrs WoW Total Cohort −0.1%

Cvrs YoY Total Cohort −5.5%

SSS YoY Fine Dining −4.9%

SSS WoW Fine Dining −6.6%

Cvrs WoW Fine Dining −7.3%

Cvrs YoY Fine Dining −6.5%

SSS YoY Upscale Casual −3.2%

SSS WoW Upscale Casual +3.9%

Cvrs WoW Upscale Casual +3.3%

Cvrs YoY Upscale Casual −7.8%

Week ending 29 Mar 2026

SSS YoY Total Cohort −3.3%

SSS WoW Total Cohort −1.1%

Cvrs WoW Total Cohort −0.1%

Cvrs YoY Total Cohort −5.5%

SSS YoY Fine Dining −4.9%

SSS WoW Fine Dining −6.6%

Cvrs WoW Fine Dining −7.3%

Cvrs YoY Fine Dining −6.5%

SSS YoY Upscale Casual −3.2%

SSS WoW Upscale Casual +3.9%

Cvrs WoW Upscale Casual +3.3%

Cvrs YoY Upscale Casual −7.8%

Week ending 29 Mar 2026

SSS YoY Total Cohort −3.3%

SSS WoW Total Cohort −1.1%

Cvrs WoW Total Cohort −0.1%

Cvrs YoY Total Cohort −5.5%

SSS YoY Fine Dining −4.9%

SSS WoW Fine Dining −6.6%

Cvrs WoW Fine Dining −7.3%

Cvrs YoY Fine Dining −6.5%

SSS YoY Upscale Casual −3.2%

SSS WoW Upscale Casual +3.9%

Cvrs WoW Upscale Casual +3.3%

Cvrs YoY Upscale Casual −7.8%

Week ending 29 Mar 2026

SSS YoY Total Cohort −3.3%

SSS WoW Total Cohort −1.1%

Cvrs WoW Total Cohort −0.1%

Cvrs YoY Total Cohort −5.5%

SSS YoY Fine Dining −4.9%

SSS WoW Fine Dining −6.6%

Cvrs WoW Fine Dining −7.3%

Cvrs YoY Fine Dining −6.5%

SSS YoY Upscale Casual −3.2%

SSS WoW Upscale Casual +3.9%

Cvrs WoW Upscale Casual +3.3%

Cvrs YoY Upscale Casual −7.8%

Segment performance

WEEK ENDING 29 Mar 2026

Continued Softness

Fine Dining

SSS YOY

−4.9%

Below prior year

SSS WOW

−6.6%

Weak weekly performance

Covers WOW

−7.3%

Sharp drop in footfall

Covers YOY

−6.5%

Still well below last year

Fine Dining is bearing the brunt of shifting consumer behaviour. Guest counts are falling both week-on-week and year-on-year, with no clear demand floor yet established.

Price sensitivity remains elevated, and high-commitment occasions continue to see the sharpest pullback.

Cautious Momentum

Upscale Casual

SSS YOY

−3.2%

Below prior year

SSS WOW

+3.9%

Positive weekly lift

COVERS WOW

+3.3%

Short-term traffic response

COVERS YOY

−7.8%

Significantly trailing last year

Upscale Casual is the market’s standout this week, showing short-term responsiveness even as the longer-term picture remains under pressure.

Guests are choosing it as their safe discretionary spend, somewhere to go when they still want a night out but are watching the bill closely.

SSS comparison

BY SEGMENT

Week-over-week vs year-over-year change

Performance drivers

Covers Analysis

Guest counts are falling across the market, but the spend figures tell a different story. SPH is compensating for the traffic gap — for now. The risk is that stable sales get mistaken for stable demand.

The underlying softness is in footfall. Traffic recovery will define the next phase of growth.

Observations

TRAILING 13 WEEKS: 5 JAN 2026 – 29 MAR 2026

Trailing Trend (5 Jan 2026 – 29 Mar 2026)

Upscale Casual SSS declined −3.2% YoY over the trailing 13 weeks:

Covers down ~7.8% YoY
Spend per guest up ~5.0%

SPH growth is partially offsetting the traffic decline, but the gap remains significant. Sustained momentum will require covers to rebuild, not just higher spend per visit.

−3.2%

trailing SSS decline
Upscale Casual YoY

Consumer Behaviour Shift

UK diners are ending Q1 in a cautious mindset. Visits are down across all segments, with guests prioritising value and occasion quality over frequency.

Upscale Casual is best positioned to capture budget-conscious diners looking for a reliable night out, but traffic recovery remains the defining challenge heading into Q2.