Scots engaging with hospitality less as dining patterns shift
Over half of Scottish people (58%) are cutting back on both drinks and meals at hospitality venues, according to a new survey from The Knowledge Bank, the insight hub from trade body Scotland Food & Drink.
The research also found that only 39% of Scots are eating out at least once every two weeks, with less than a third (29%) going out for drinks every fortnight.
Nearly half (47%) of respondents said that they go to bars, pubs or restaurants less than once a month – although this down from 52% in December 2025.
Evidence also suggests that patterns of out-of-home drinking and dining are shifting, with one-in-10 Scots going out for food and drinks more during the day than before.
According to the survey, this move is driven in part by lunch deals and other day-time promotions that make earlier dining more feasible financially.
Other reasons given for the shift included safety, transport concerns, quieter venues and working patterns.
Financial worries were also given by respondents as a reason for reductions in visits to hospitality venues.
Over three quarters (79%) said that the cost of living is one of Scotland’s biggest concerns, followed by 72% who noted high food prices as a specific problem.
The number of Scottish people who describe themselves as “only just managing financially or going without essentials” rose from 13% to 17% just between March and June this year.
Carol Saunders, the head of insight at The Knowledge Bank, said: “Pressures on the cost of living have been unrelenting for both Scottish consumers and businesses in recent years, and the impact for hospitality is laid bare in these latest findings.
“The rising costs of producing food, strangled hospitality margins, and tightening of domestic budgets are all playing a role in changing consumer habits around dining out, and ultimately, suppressing economic growth.
“Hospitality businesses and producers who supply them need to be conscious of their customers’ preferences and build products and services that meet those needs.”
These findings are taken from The Knowledge Bank’s Scottish Consumers Research Tracking Wave 2 research over the course of the last 7 months.
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