Live Report
Week Ending 12 Apr 2026
Trailing 13 Weeks: 11 Jan 2026 – 12 Apr 2026
UK Restaurant Pulse
A softer week across the board, but context matters.
Easter weekend fell in W14, pulling demand forward and leaving W15 with fewer celebratory occasions and a natural post-holiday dip.*
*Paperchase proprietary data
TOTAL COHORT –3.7% WoW
FINE DINING –4.2% WoW
UPSCALE CASUAL –4.9% WoW
COVERS TOTAL +0.4%
COVERS FINE DINING –5.9%
COVERS UPSCALE CASUAL +2.1%
YoY SSS TOTAL –4.7%
YoY SSS FINE DINING –6.3%
YoY SSS UPSCALE CASUAL –4.5%
TOTAL COHORT –3.7% WoW
FINE DINING –4.2% WoW
UPSCALE CASUAL –4.9% WoW
COVERS TOTAL +0.4%
COVERS FINE DINING –5.9%
COVERS UPSCALE CASUAL +2.1%
YoY SSS TOTAL –4.7%
YoY SSS FINE DINING –6.3%
YoY SSS UPSCALE CASUAL –4.5%
TOTAL COHORT –3.7% WoW
FINE DINING –4.2% WoW
UPSCALE CASUAL –4.9% WoW
COVERS TOTAL +0.4%
COVERS FINE DINING –5.9%
COVERS UPSCALE CASUAL +2.1%
YoY SSS TOTAL –4.7%
YoY SSS FINE DINING –6.3%
YoY SSS UPSCALE CASUAL –4.5%
TOTAL COHORT –3.7% WoW
FINE DINING –4.2% WoW
UPSCALE CASUAL –4.9% WoW
COVERS TOTAL +0.4%
COVERS FINE DINING –5.9%
COVERS UPSCALE CASUAL +2.1%
YoY SSS TOTAL –4.7%
YoY SSS FINE DINING –6.3%
YoY SSS UPSCALE CASUAL –4.5%
TOTAL COHORT –3.7% WoW
FINE DINING –4.2% WoW
UPSCALE CASUAL –4.9% WoW
COVERS TOTAL +0.4%
COVERS FINE DINING –5.9%
COVERS UPSCALE CASUAL +2.1%
YoY SSS TOTAL –4.7%
YoY SSS FINE DINING –6.3%
YoY SSS UPSCALE CASUAL –4.5%
TOTAL COHORT –3.7% WoW
FINE DINING –4.2% WoW
UPSCALE CASUAL –4.9% WoW
COVERS TOTAL +0.4%
COVERS FINE DINING –5.9%
COVERS UPSCALE CASUAL +2.1%
YoY SSS TOTAL –4.7%
YoY SSS FINE DINING –6.3%
YoY SSS UPSCALE CASUAL –4.5%
TOTAL COHORT –3.7% WoW
FINE DINING –4.2% WoW
UPSCALE CASUAL –4.9% WoW
COVERS TOTAL +0.4%
COVERS FINE DINING –5.9%
COVERS UPSCALE CASUAL +2.1%
YoY SSS TOTAL –4.7%
YoY SSS FINE DINING –6.3%
YoY SSS UPSCALE CASUAL –4.5%
TOTAL COHORT –3.7% WoW
FINE DINING –4.2% WoW
UPSCALE CASUAL –4.9% WoW
COVERS TOTAL +0.4%
COVERS FINE DINING –5.9%
COVERS UPSCALE CASUAL +2.1%
YoY SSS TOTAL –4.7%
YoY SSS FINE DINING –6.3%
YoY SSS UPSCALE CASUAL –4.5%
Segment performance
Week Ending 12 Apr 2026
Continued Pressure
01
Fine Dining
SSS YOY
−6.3%Below prior year
SSS WOW
−4.2%Weak weekly performance
COVERS WOW
−5.9%Sharp drop in footfall
COVERS YOY
−7.4%Well below last year
Fine Dining bore the brunt of the post-Easter hangover. Guests who would typically book fine dining occasions shifted those visits into W14 around the holiday, leaving W15 notably softer. The trailing 13- week trend reinforces a persistent, demand-led slowdown that predates the Easter effect.
Cautious Momentum
02
Upscale Casual
SSS YOY
−4.5%Below prior year
SSS WOW
−4.9%Weekly dip post-Easter
COVERS WOW
+2.1%Modest short-term traffic
COVERS YOY
−7.1%Significantly trailing last year
Upscale Casual showed relative resilience in covers this week, likely benefiting from more budget-conscious, post-holiday dining behaviour. Guests trading down from fine dining occasions are finding a natural landing spot here though the longer-term traffic picture remains under pressure.
SSS comparison
BY SEGMENT
Week-over-week vs year-over-year change
Performance drivers
SPH ANALYSIS
The traffic story continues. SPH is masking the real weakness across the market as guest counts remain soft in the trailing trend with only modest short-term cover recovery in Upscale Casual and the total cohort. The Easter calendar shift adds noise to this week’s numbers, but the underlying direction is unchanged.
Comparable SSS % — Fine Dining
TRAILING 13 WEEKS
Observations
TRAILING 13 WEEKS: 11 JAN 2026 – 12 APR 2026
Trailing Trend (11 Jan 2026 – 12 Apr 2026)
Fine Dining SSS declined −6.3% YoY over the trailing 13 weeks. Covers are down ~7.4% YoY while spend per guest is up only ~1.2%. SPH growth is minimal and insufficient to offset the traffic decline. The gap is widening, and the segment has yet to establish a stable demand base.
−7.4%
trailing covers
decline, Fine Dining
Consumer Behaviour Shift
Diners are eating out less frequently, but placing greater importance on each occasion. In this environment, value is being redefined not by price point alone, but by the overall experience. Affordable luxury is gaining ground, with guests increasingly willing to pay a modest premium for spaces that feel considered, comfortable, and well designed. For Fine Dining operators, refocusing on experiential fundamentals may be the clearest path forward.
+1.2%
spend per guest YoY
(SPH masking traffic weakness)
Cover volume vs YoY growth
11 JAN 2026 – 12 APR 2026
Paperchase Intelligence
