Table for one: dining alone rises as 1 in 6 full-service restaurant visits go solo, Circana reports

Europe’s foodservice industry is entering a new era of transformation, according to fresh insights from Circana, unveiled today at the European Foodservice Summit 2025, in Amsterdam.

While consumers across the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain (“EU Big 5”) are spending more than ever on eating out, they are doing so less frequently, signalling a lasting shift in consumer behaviour since the pandemic. 

Between June 2019 and June 2025, consumer spending on foodservice rose +10%, reaching record highs, but total visits remain -10% below pre-pandemic levels. For operators, the challenge is no longer recovery but adapting to new patterns of when, where, and why people choose to eat out.

Jochen Pinsker, Industry Advisor Foodservice Europe, Circana said: “We’re witnessing a reset in European foodservice. Consumers are finding a new balance between indulgence and affordability, health and convenience, social occasions and solo dining. It’s a market that’s more dynamic, fragmented, and full of opportunity than we’ve seen in years.”

Country contrasts

Recovery patterns differ sharply across Europe. The UK is struggling most, with visits still 21% below pre-Covid levels. Germany is expected to lead the rebound, with visits forecast to grow +1.6% by 2026, compared with 2025, driven by strong adoption of digital ordering and delivery. By the year ending June 2025, visits in France were still -9% below 2019 pre-Covid levels, although average spend per occasion has increased. Italy is proving resilient, just -4% down for the same period, while Spain shows visits down only -4%, most likely because of the lowest work-from-home rate (35%). Spain is also expected to recover the slowest from the current economic uncertainties and low sentiment, with just +0.2% growth forecast for 2026, compared with 2025.

Table for one, the rise of solo dining, and the power of socialising

Europe’s dining culture is evolving, with a widening gap between shared social occasions and personalised solo visits. Once seen as unusual, eating alone has become a lifestyle choice, redefining how and where Europeans dine, and is booming across the EU Big 5 markets. 

Expenditure on solo dining surged +153% between 2010 and 2019, and now accounts for 15.6% of full-service restaurant visits, up from just 9.4% in 2016, as urban lifestyles, hybrid working, and digital-first cafés normalise table-for-one occasions.

The UK leads this transformation. With 54% of UK adults working from home part-time, the highest rate in Europe, weekday group lunches are giving way to quick solo meals. In city centres, busy professionals are opting for sushi boxes, salads, and grab-and-go café options between meetings, while operators are adapting layouts, menus, and ordering systems to better serve one-person visits.

Meanwhile, dining driven by social occasions is on the rise. accounting for 31% of all eating-out visits in the 12 months to June 2025 (up from 29.8% in 2021), led by southern Europe’s tapas nights and family-style sharing platters. 

Value takes centre stage

EU consumers are becoming more deliberate with their spending, seeking value without sacrificing experience. One in three dining occasions now includes a promotion or combo meal, up from 29.9% in 2022 to 33.7% in 2025.

 

Delivery reshapes dining

Delivery is redefining eating out across Europe. In Germany and France, double-digit growth has pushed delivery demand beyond Covid-era peaks. For many, eating “out” now means staying home, with two-thirds of delivery occasions replacing home cooking.

This surge is powered by aggregators like Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Just Eat, which now account for 3.7% of all foodservice visits, nearly quadrupling their EU share since 2016. By placing hundreds of restaurants into a single digital marketplace, these platforms are reshaping how consumers discover, order, and enjoy meals, while fuelling growth in promotions, bundle deals, and loyalty rewards

Health, lifestyle and lighter choices

Changing dietary habits are reshaping menus and drinks trends. Alcoholic drink servings have fallen -7% year-on-year across the EU Big 5 in the first half of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024, while non-alcoholic alternatives are up +2%. Tap water servings grew by +5% in the same period, while bottled water rose by just +1%.

Pinsker added: “Eating out is becoming more personalised. For some, it’s about shared social moments; for others, it’s the freedom of a solo lunch. Whether it’s tapas with friends in Madrid, sushi at a Berlin café, or alcohol-free cocktails in London, consumers are shaping food occasions around their lifestyles; not the other way around.”

Adapting to Europe’s new foodservice reality

Circana’s analysis highlights a fragmented market full of opportunity. Operators who succeed will be those who embrace value-led strategies, invest in digital and delivery, and adapt to changing health and lifestyle priorities, while tailoring approaches to local habits.