connecting every sector of the UK Food Industry

Pano Christou - CEO - Pret A Manger

INSIGHT BRIEF

Grab & Go Automation and the next Phase of Travel Food service Growth

The UK travel food concession market is not exhausted — but it is evolving rapidly. While airport, rail and motorway locations are often described as “mature”, evidence suggests they remain one of the most resilient and investable segments of UK foodservice when operators adapt their models.

Labour:
Travel hubs face acute labour pressure due to extended trading hours, security constraints and unsocial shifts. Operators that succeed are redesigning labour deployment rather than simply adding headcount — moving towards multi-skilled teams, simplified menus and centralised or shared kitchen infrastructure.

Automation & Technology:
Growth is increasingly being unlocked through automation rather than footprint alone. Innovations now being deployed across travel locations include:

• Mobile and handheld tills to reduce queue times and increase peak-hour throughput
• App-based ordering and click-and-collect for pre-travel purchasing
• Kitchen workflow automation to reduce prep time and labour intensity
• Data-led demand forecasting to manage waste and improve availability
• Frictionless payment and loyalty integration across travel estates

These technologies allow operators to sweat assets harder without compromising service or food quality.

Margins:
While concession rents and commercial terms remain challenging, travel locations benefit from high footfall, predictable demand curves and premium convenience pricing. Operators that standardise formats, extend operating hours and leverage automation are achieving margin stability even in a high-cost environment.

Our View:
Travel foodservice is no longer about opening more units — it is about operating smarter ones. The next phase of growth will favour brands that can combine speed, quality, automation and resilience, positioning travel hubs as testbeds for the future of UK food-to-go rather than relics of pre-pandemic models.

Pret A Manger Land a new deal with Heathrow Partnership with Major Terminal 5 Arrivals Opening

The UK travel foodservice sector is often characterised as mature, saturated or fully penetrated. However, evidence from recent investment and operator behaviour suggests the sector is not exhausted — it is being fundamentally reshaped.

At the centre of this evolution is the continued rise of Grab-and-Go convenience food, particularly within airports, rail hubs and motorway service areas, where speed, reliability and availability now outweigh traditional dwell-time dining.

Recent expansion activity by operators such as Pret A Manger at Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 Arrivals Hall highlights how travel locations are being repositioned not simply as retail outlets, but as operational testbeds for the future of food-to-go.

Grab and Go as a Growth Format
Grab-and-Go food has moved beyond sandwiches and snacks to become a fully fledged foodservice model. In travel environments, it offers:

• Predictable demand patterns
• Premium pricing for convenience
• Reduced dwell time per customer
• High volume, low friction transactions

For operators, this format allows menus to be simplified, waste reduced and production standardised — all critical in a high-cost, high-pressure operating environment.

Labour Pressures Driving Structural Change
Labour availability remains one of the most significant constraints in travel foodservice. Extended trading hours, security-restricted workplaces and unsocial shifts make traditional staffing models increasingly unsustainable.

As a result, growth is now being achieved through labour re-engineering rather than labour expansion. This includes:
• Smaller, multi-skilled teams
• Simplified food preparation
• Centralised or shared kitchens
• Reduced front-of-house handling

Automation is no longer optional — it is becoming essential.

Automation as a Margin Protector
Automation in travel foodservice is focused less on novelty and more on throughput, reliability and margin protection. Innovations now being deployed include:
• Mobile and handheld tills to eliminate queues
• Frictionless and contactless payment systems
• App-based pre-ordering and click-and-collect
• Automated kitchen workflow and production sequencing
• Data-driven demand forecasting to reduce waste

These tools allow operators to increase transactions per hour without a proportional increase in labour cost.

Margins in a High Cost Environment
Despite high concession rents and complex commercial agreements, travel foodservice can deliver resilient margins when operated at scale. Grab-and-Go formats benefit from:
• High footfall density
• Premium convenience pricing
• Extended trading windows
• Lower service complexity

Operators that combine automation, simplified menus and standardised formats are better placed to absorb inflationary pressures while maintaining service quality.

UK Food Council View
The travel foodservice sector is not tired — but traditional operating models are. Growth is no longer driven by opening more units alone, but by deploying smarter, faster and more automated formats centred on Grab-and-Go convenience.

Airports and major transport hubs are increasingly becoming proving grounds for the future of UK food-to-go — where technology, labour efficiency and margin discipline converge.

For food brands, suppliers and operators, the lesson is clear: the opportunity remains significant, but only for those prepared to redesign how food is produced, sold and served in high-intensity environments.

HOME   ABOUT   INITIATIVES   INSIGHTS   MEMBERSHIP   PARTNERSHIP   EVENTS   CONTACT   LOGIN

The UK Food Council works in partnership with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to strengthen food systems, promote sustainability, and advance food security across the UK and beyond. We invite individuals, businesses, and organisations in the food industry to join us in building a more resilient and sustainable future. Together, we can improve food access, support innovation, and ensure food security for generations to come.

UK Food Council Insight — Register Free

The UK Food Council hosts exclusive executive events, connecting food industry leaders through focus groups, roundtables, seminars, and conferences.

Privacy Policy I Terms and Conditions I Contact Us

The following creatives, photographers and production teams assisted in the making of this website: Tima Miroshnichenko I Cottonbro I Michael Gaida I Peter H I Ralf Siebeck I Wilfried Pohnke I Achim Scholty I Miguel Á. Padriñán I Patrick Robert Doyle I Milan Csizmadia I Raphaël Tomi-Tricot I Bianca Lucas I Dmitry Vechorko I Egor Vikhrev I Jonathan Farber I Craig Whitehead I Ruslan Gamzaliev I Ryoji Iwata I Constantin Lordache I Ben White I NASA I Matt Moloney I Kaboompics I S Migaj I Fauxels I Tranmautritam I Brian McGowan I Richard Gatley I Ron Lach I Andrea Piacquadio I Alexander Shatov I Amy Hirschi Kaleidico I Tranmautritam I Helena I Alex GorbiI Alexander Andrews I Deksha Pahariya I Jack Niles I Mitchell Luo I Edmond Dantès Jakob Owens I Monstera I Bulkan Evciman I Ruvim Miksanskiy I KoolShooters I Kévin et Laurianne Langlais I Ketut Subiyanto I Hulki Okan Tabak I Huy Phan I Matheus I Cenali Egor Kamelev I Christian Heitz I Singkham I Shvets Production I Bruno Martins I Dani Hart I Matheus Bertelli I James Watt I Mali Maeder I Christina & Peter I Anthony I Anna Tarazevich I Kevin Tanner Dan Rooney I Rene Terp I Cihan Yüce I Davide Baraldi I Arno Senoner I Matt Seymour I Tanya Barrow I Nick Fewings I Apurv Das I Taras Chernus I Hailey Tong I Yogesh Pedamkar I Jakob Cotton I
Christopher Eden I Aurelien Chateaudon I Michael-Carrasco-Flores I Drew Gilliam I Victor Clime I

© 2026 UK Food Council. All rights reserved. Registered in England and Wales. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA, and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Partners: Amadeus IT Group I Cognito I Ingenious I Smithfields AIT I SoftBank I Rothamere I Economist

#farming #food #foodproduction #foodservice #grocery #restaurant #technology #logistics #sustainability #foodsupply #foodmanufacturing #pos #restaurants # #hunger #menus #supplychain #foodsecurity 

Copyright © 2002 - 2026 UK Food Council. All rights reserved.