Report highlights importance of food sales to pubs

A recent report has highlighted the importance of food sales to pubs and other catering businesses, as well as the mixture of income sources that contribute to a successful business.

Conducted by trade consultants CGA Strategy, the research found that 67 per cent of all pub sales on a Sunday come from foods. In fact, in the UK alone, roast dinners account for £867 million in sales.

Sunday sales also come from 'low-key drinking', often in conjunction with sporting events. Tom Lynch, from the research group, commented: "Sunday lunch is a cultural mainstay that meets the needs of multiple consumer groups, from value-led students out for cheap eats to extended family groups that don’t want the rigmarole associated with large scale home cooking."

He added that pubs showing football games significantly enhanced their sales, while bartender recommendations could also go some way to encouraging people to spend more.

The results were based on a combination of sources but looked at daily sales figures for over 5,000 managed pubs and over eight years of menu analysis, as well as market value estimations driven by on trade data.