SevenRooms’ 2025 UK Restaurant Industry Trends

Trend 4: High-End Dining Has The Best Personalisations Yet, Issues Persist 

Operators are reportedly ‘somewhat confident in the personalisation of their in-service guest experience’, with a third stating they effectively personalise it to a great extent. Still, a huge majority of operators (91%) face challenges with personalisation in both marketing and in-service.

In regard to personalised marketing, 47% of consumers say the top perk they desire from restaurants is birthday and anniversary promotions, yet a significant number of restaurants do not offer this. For personalising the in-dining experience, 42% of operators don’t give guests their preferred seating, and only 41% offer customised tasting menus (the top 3 things diners want from their personalisation).

Our tip: Sometimes we don’t need to reinvent the wheel on what consumers want. Sometimes, tried and tested is what works best, so let’s listen to what consumers actually want and apply that… even if everyone else is doing it. A good experience can uplift your guest spend and also turn them into repeat customers.

Trend 5: Personalised Emails Win Again

• 73% of consumers prefer connecting with restaurants via email
• 59% is the average open rate for targeted, automated emails
• Automated & targeted emails generate an impressive 12x more revenue per email than mass sends

Email remains one of the top ways to communicate with consumers, and SevenRooms’ data suggests that personalised email marketing continues to deliver higher engagement and revenue. 

However, always on the heels of email marketing, you will find SMS not far behind, with 41% of consumers preferring to connect with restaurants via text. However, only 45% of operators plan to invest in text marketing in 2025. Untapped potential for your business, perhaps?

Optimising your emails

• 89% of consumers could be enticed to sign up for a restaurant marketing campaign

Nearly 9 in 10 consumers are open to signing up for restaurant marketing updates, jumping to 98% for Gen Z. The top incentives for joining marketing lists include invitations to exclusive tastings, cooking classes or mixology workshops. Interesting, right? 

This tells us that consumers want to engage in small-scale, unique events not enjoyed by everyone as a way to connect with the restaurants they love, with 72% of consumers planning to (or have already) return to a restaurant after a unique experience.

Trend 6: Curated Experiences Diners Are Willing to Pay More For

Personalised experiences that diners are willing to pay more for: 

• 58%for curated menus
• 55% for curated appetiser platters
• 51% for a commemorative menu or occasion keepsake
• 47% for personalised beverage pairings
• 43% for preferred seating 

Dining experiences that consumers are willing to pay more for:

• 63% for a holiday menu or celebration
• 51% a tasting menu
• 47% live music or dance
• 46% speciality nights for certain demographics
• 45% a cooking class experience

Despite economic concerns, UK diners are willing to pay a little bit extra for a more curated dining experience. Whether it’s something special on special occasions or holidays, or a more personalised experience catered to their desires, the average consumer will spend more. 

Our tip: Take advantage of this willingness to invest by designing tiered, memorable dining experiences that go beyond the standard menu. Things like curated tasting menus with storytelling elements, special themed nights, or upsell opportunities like premium seating with a view. Even small details, like a commemorative printed menu or a cocktail pairing created just for them, can make guests feel valued and justify a higher spend.

Optimising for more revenue

Now that we can see how customers are willing to pay more for experiences and personalised dining, this is a fantastic way to maximise your existing offerings for more value. Whether it’s opening a day you’re closed to welcome in diners for a cooking class or new menu tastings, or perhaps upgrading your seating system to allow guests to pay for better seating options. One example of this can be offering upgraded seating in your online booking system for seats with better views. The SevenRoom’s report details how Darwin Brasserie upgraded to this model from a first-come first-served basis and the restaurant increased digital sales by 626% in just 2 months. 

“With food and beverage, there’s always a margin, but with the window seat charge, every pound goes straight to the bottom line.” Giovanni Abbattista, General Manager, Darwin Brasserie

Trend 7: Sometimes Simple Just Works 

We’ve already touched upon how you don’t need to reinvent the wheel for hospitality, but this is proven again with the success of ‘back-to-basics’ hospitality. Below is a closer look at which interactions guests value most when dining.

• 29% hosts welcoming a diner or welcoming them back
• 16% chefs stopping by the table to introduce themselves or chat
• 11% sommelier or servers takes time to learn individual diner preferences
• 10% hearing detailed stories or descriptions about dishes when they are served
• 10% getting to know the manager when they stop by my table 

We can see that the most valued staff interaction is perhaps the simplest one of just saying welcome back. What’s more, 84% of Brits value personal interactions with the staff, but a third of operators say they struggle to personalise guest experiences due to a lack of time during busy shifts… 

Trend 8: More Than Just a Giftcard

Diners in 2025 want more than just a meal; they want a little piece of your brand. From cookbooks to wearables, restaurant-driven retail is on the rise for UK consumers. Women are generally more interested in buying additional items from a restaurant, with food items for one-time purchase (e.g., pantry items like salts, spice rubs or preservatives) being the most popular option for both men and women. 

Products consumers are willing to buy from a restaurant:

• 29% Pantry items like spices or dried pasta
• 21% At-home meal or cocktail kits
• 18% Food subscriptions like cheeses or frozen items
• 19% Cookbooks
• 17% Home goods like dishes or glassware
• 14% Online classes or workshops 

Our tip: Don’t limit your brand to the four walls of your restaurant. Package up what makes you special, whether that’s your house spice blend, signature sauce, or even a mini cocktail kit, and offer it for sale online or in-venue. These products not only generate extra revenue but also keep your brand in guests’ minds long after their meal. If you can, tie these retail items to your story or your chef’s expertise to make them even more irresistible.

Trend 9: Asking For Data Isn’t a Deal Breaker

The 2025 report indicated that guests are not only willing to share their information with restaurants but are also open to opting into marketing, which indicates that the reservation process is a key opportunity to encourage opt-ins. At the same time, providing credit card details to secure a table or join a waitlist has become standard practice, and many diners are comfortable paying reservation deposits.

Only 19% of British consumers have recently been deterred by being asked to provide credit card details in the case of no-shows. 42% of SevenRooms venues in the UK charge cancellation fees, and on average, these fees are around £38, helping to secure bookings and reduce last-minute cancellations. 

What deters British consumers from making a reservation?:

• 23% Being asked to pay a deposit
• 19% Being asked to share too much personal data
• 13% Being asked if I want to opt into marketing 

Trend 10: Concierge Hospitality in Restaurants

UK consumers find thoughtful outreach pre- and post-dining valuable. Diners are looking for more holistic, curated dining experiences. One way SevenRooms recommends combating this is to partner with nearby venues and offer thoughtful recommendations as a way to grow within your local community.

Which restaurant services are valuable to you pre- and post-dining?

• 51% Nearby parking
• 27% Special offers at nearby establishments while I'm on the waitlist
• 25% Pre- and post-dining drinks/bar recommendations nearby
• 24% Suggestions for nearby attractions, live music venues, or art galleries
• 15% Ride hailing to and from the venue
• 13% Clubbing experiences (e.g. lounges)

Our tip: Build partnerships with local businesses, attractions, and entertainment venues to offer guests a curated, seamless experience before and after their meal. Whether it’s recommending a nearby cocktail bar, offering discounted parking, or suggesting a live music venue, this concierge-style approach positions your restaurant as a trusted part of a wider night out, enhancing guest satisfaction and encouraging repeat visits.

Trend 11: Restaurants Rely Too Much on Reviews

SevenRooms reports that many operators rely heavily on online reviews (49%) and in-person guest conversations (47%) to gauge how guests perceive their brand. Additionally, 38% use online reviews to define their ideal guest. However, reviews can be biased or even fake, and observations in the dining room only capture a portion of your audience. Smarter solutions, like automated reputation management tools, allow restaurants to proactively gather guest feedback and gain a deeper understanding of sentiment in their dining spaces.
This feedback, when integrated with guest data from your CRM, point-of-sale system, and social media, provides a more accurate, holistic view of who your guests are and how they truly feel about your brand.

How does your organisation evaluate your guests’ perception of your brand?

• 48% Online customer reviews (e.g. Yelp, Tripadvisor, Google)
• 47% In-person guest conversations
• 47% Guest feedback surveys
• 39% Guest and sales data (e.g. repeat customers, average spend)
• 36% Social media photo and tag analysis (e.g. how guests visually represent your brand on social media)
• 31% Brand perception surveys

Our tip: It’s tempting to lean on online reviews and quick in-person chats to judge how guests feel about your restaurant, and while these absolutely hold value, reviews alone only paint part of the picture, and they can be biased, incomplete, or even manipulated. 

We recommend building a more balanced and proactive approach to measuring guest perception. Start by integrating automated reputation management tools into your workflow, so you can actively gather structured guest feedback in a consistent way, beyond what’s volunteered in reviews. Then, layer that data with insights from your CRM, point-of-sale system, loyalty programmes, and social media mentions so you gain a far more accurate and holistic understanding of your audience.

Trend 12: Hospitality Drives Loyalty

For UK consumers, great hospitality and service (51%) are the biggest factors in forming a connection with a restaurant, followed by the design aesthetic and atmosphere (36%). Quality service and attention to detail aren’t optional; they are essential to keep guests coming back. Likewise, a cohesive, well-executed aesthetic goes beyond just being social media-friendly; it elevates the overall dining experience and helps strengthen guest retention.

The SevenRooms report details how Mr Fogg’s is a great example of this, and we absolutely agree. However, some others include:

• Dishoom: Combines warm, thoughtful service with an immersive design inspired by Bombay’s Irani cafés, creating a memorable and consistent guest experience.
• The Ivy Collection: Pairs refined service with elegant, instantly recognisable interiors, supporting a premium experience that guests actively seek out.
• Sketch London: Fuses creative hospitality with striking, art-driven interiors to deliver a multisensory dining experience that builds loyalty.
• Hawksmoor: Known for exceptional service standards and a classic, understated design that makes guests feel valued and at ease.

Trend 13: AI Improves Decision-Making and Efficiency

• 74% of operators are already using AI
• 99% of operators have already seen benefits from using AI

By speeding up decision-making and response times to guest enquiries, as well as improving team efficiency, AI allows staff to focus on delivering memorable, high-touch experiences that build loyalty and drive revenue.

What benefits has your organisation already seen from using AI?

• 38% Quicker decision-making
• 33% Faster response times to guest enquiries (e.g., chatbots or voice AI assistants)
• 33% Greater team efficiency (e.g., able to work shorter hours, get more done, and/ or focus on things we previously didn’t have the time for)
• 30% reduced operational costs
• 30% Increase in guest satisfaction rating

Trend 14: Giving Manual Tasks to AI Leaves More Room for Hospitality

• 43% of operators use AI for data analytics
• 41% of operators use AI in marketing
• 33% of operators use AI in customer service

Where consumers are comfortable with AI handling restaurant communication:

• 38% Booking or modifying a reservation for them over email
• 35% Communication to the restaurant that they’re running late and ensuring they don’t lose their table
• 34% Booking or modifying a reservation for them over web chat or text message
• 28% Booking or modifying a reservation for them over the phone
• 25% Conveying reservation needs (e.g., dietaries, accessibility needs, highchairs, etc.)
• 24% Processing payment-related requests for them (e.g., I’d like to purchase a celebration cake for my reservation) 

Our tip: Don’t be afraid to let AI handle the repetitive admin (like managing bookings to confirming dietary needs) so your team can focus on what they do best: delivering warm, human hospitality. Guests are increasingly comfortable with AI for routine tasks, as long as it’s fast, accurate, and easy to use. Freeing up your staff’s time means they can be present for meaningful, personal touches that build loyalty and turn one-time diners into regulars.

Final Thoughts

Looking across these 2025 UK restaurant industry trends, a few themes stand out loud and clear. Diners are demanding personalisation, seamless digital experiences, and authentic human connection in equal measure. From curated experiences to AI-powered reservations, the industry is seeing a clear shift toward what SevenRooms has coined, SuperHuman Hospitality: a future where technology and people work hand in hand to deliver unforgettable guest experiences.

For operators, this means getting serious about using AI and automation to free up staff for high-touch service, optimising your Google Business Profile in light of new updates, and enhancing social media strategy to meet guests where they are. It also means building a better feedback ecosystem, moving beyond reviews alone to develop a truly holistic understanding of your guests through integrated data and smart tools.