Why UK restaurants are unofficially sticking with Eat Out to Help Out

The discount dining initiative has proved so popular it has boosted flagging footfall across all retail destinations

Eat Out to Help Out has been an unmitigated – and unexpected – success. AFP

The UK's Eat Out to Help Out scheme officially ended on Monday but many restaurants have decided to continue it, even without government subsidies.

More than 64 million half-price meals have been claimed since the beginning of August, and figures out today reveal that in the final week of the offer footfall rose across all retail destinations.

According to retail data analyst Springboard, shopping centres had an increase of 9.1 per cent, high streets 4.8 per cent and retail parks five per cent.

“Not only did the week as a whole yield far more positive results than those previously but … the Bank Holiday weekend proved to be a remarkable success for retail destinations,” said Springboard’s insights director, Diane Wehrle, referring to the August 31 public holiday.

Ms Wehrle's sanguine assessment should be set against the stark reality that footfall in the week was still 26.1 per cent down on the equivalent week in 2019 – but the picture for hospitality is far rosier than it was only a month ago.

The sector was one of the worst-affected during lockdown – 80 per cent of businesses were closed and 1.4 million chefs and waiters put on unpaid leave.

There were fears that the discount scheme would prove too lightweight when the finance minister, Rishi Sunak, announced it in July. Some also questioned whether Britons would bother heading out all, given native eating out habits are centred on the weekend.

These fears have been comprehensively quashed in the past four weeks, and socially starved families and friends have descended upon participating establishments in droves.

The below table gives some of the headline numbers generated by the scheme:

La P’tite Folie in Edinburgh’s West End is one of the restaurants now continuing to run the deal into September.

“People do want to eat out and get back to restaurants, so it was the perfect opportunity to help local businesses get back on their feet,” said owner Virginie Brouard. “However, towards the end of the campaign it was getting a bit quieter again and we want to still encourage people in Edinburgh to dine out.”

The French eatery on Tuesday launched a bespoke ‘Keep Eating Out to Help Out’ initiative with a special set menu from Monday to Thursday for the next few months.

Ms Brouard hopes it will see it “through to the festive season”.

Not all restaurants are extending the scheme. Big name chains like Carluccio’s, KFC, Wagamama and Wahaca are pulling the plug, although several will still be offering appetising deals to entice custom.

This is of no concern to Craig Beaumont of the Federation of Small Businesses. “The scheme has been an overwhelming success,” he said.

“We’ve seen the behaviour change, we’ve seen people enjoying their local small businesses safely and we’ve seen our high streets beginning to reinvigorate.”

By extending their gastronomic largesse, it appears his restaurant members aren’t willing to bet if this behavioural change will endure once prices return to normal.