Self-Service Cafeterias

The self-service cafeterias channel is not present in Vietnam and there are no signs that it will emerge over the forecast period.

Self-service cafeterias in Ukraine continues to be a highly fragmented category, mostly consisting of no-frills establishments serving lunchtime offerings. Most of these establishments are fairly traditional with less reliance on technology than…

Independents continued to dominate self-service cafeterias in Turkey in 2023. Independent concepts like esnaf lokantasi are popular with local consumers. Esnaf lokantasi supply fixed price three course menus at affordable prices, typically for…

The major storyline for self-service cafeterias in the US in 2023 was its continued rebound as pandemic-era health restrictions receded. Self-service cafeterias was particularly hard-hit in the depths of the pandemic, due to logistical concerns about…

Self-service cafeterias continued to record a positive performance in terms of value sales and transactions in 2023, despite the closure of some chained outlets, such as House of Fraser and Asda. Self-service cafeterias continued to experience a…

Self-service cafeterias in the United Arab Emirates witnessed growth across value sales, transactions and outlet numbers in 2023. The population of the United Arab Emirates increased over the review period supported by a significant rate of natural…

There were no self-service cafeterias operating in the Philippines at the end of the review period and in 2021.

In 2023 overall self-service cafeterias recorded substantially slowed growth in terms of current value sales and total number of transactions. Compared to other foodservice categories, self-service cafeterias has only few outlets in the Netherlands.…

Because self-service cafeterias have a comparatively affordable positioning and are perceived to offer good value for money, this category was not as negatively affected by the cost-of-living crisis as some other areas of the Czech foodservice market…

Self-service cafeterias is a relatively niche category in Thailand, with Ikano (Thailand) Co Ltd being the only player. During 2023, the company registered healthy growth in current value terms, thanks to the revival of normal shopping behaviour in…

The Taiwanese are keen on eating all-you-can buffets, as the diverse range of options caters to a variety of personal choices, with this benefiting self-service cafeterias. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a strong desire for more social…

Self-service cafeterias in Switzerland are making a strong recovery in 2023, as the category rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic. There is growing demand from locals and tourists travelling on highways as travel and tourism flows steadily move back…

The weaker economy in 2023 has led many consumers to restrict spending on eating out and self-service cafeterias are equally feeling the impact. Inflation has remained high in 2023, leading to higher prices in self-service cafeterias, which is…

The self-service cafeterias model in Spain is closely linked to high transit locations, such as airports, railway stations and bus stations. In this regard, both inbound and domestic tourism play an important role in the growth of the category, and…

In 2022 and 2023, independent self-service cafeterias demonstrated double-digit growth in retail value sales. The primary driver behind this success was the popularity of local Korean cuisine buffets, which provide a rich variety of options, and…

On the one hand, self-service cafeterias benefited from their competitive prices in 2023, with consumers being highly price sensitive consumers in face of continuing high inflation. As daily menu prices increased in restaurants, some consumers…

Catering for budget-conscious consumers in Singapore amid the uncertain economic situation reflects a strategic response to the evolving needs and preferences of the self-service cafeteria customer base. In Singapore, IKEA has long been synonymous…

The self-service cafeterias category is expected to achieve a full recovery to a pre-pandemic level of value sales in 2023 and is expected to maintain healthy growth over the forecast period due to the growing number of expats entering the kingdom,…

The dynamics of self-service cafeterias in 2023 were impacted by the lifting of COVID-19 restriction in 2022, with consumers returning to office work. As such, office employees were the main customers of self-service cafeterias, which offer cooked…

Self-services cafeterias is growing, pushed by high inflation rates, increasing highway traffic, and positive growth of tourism. The category continues to be characterised by a dichotomy. For instance, on one hand, it features brands such as Ikea…

Self-service cafeterias was one of the strongest performers among the main foodservice categories in Poland in terms of growth in transactions and current value sales in 2023. Like limited-service restaurants, it weathered the cost-of-living crisis…

Although self-service cafeterias saw very strong growth in terms of transactions and current value sales in 2023, nevertheless this remains the smallest category within consumer foodservice in Peru. It was also greatly affected by the pandemic, not…

Self-service cafeterias have already seen value sales recover to pre-pandemic levels in Norway, aided by the growth of new developments. After the initial shock in 2020, sales recovered well in 2021 followed by s strong rebound in 2022. Self-service…

The self-service cafeterias channel is not present in Nigeria and there are no signs that it will emerge over the forecast period.

Self-service cafeterias, as a channel, has reached saturation in New Zealand with low single digit growth in 2023. The category mainly includes buffet style businesses which are not popular in New Zealand. While buffets can offer good value to…

Chained self-service cafeterias continued to see low levels of popularity in Malaysia at the end of the review period. The Ikea Restaurant brand maintained its dominant position in the market. Indeed, there are no other players with a significant…

On 8 May 2023, the Japanese government announced that it would reclassify COVID-19 as a class 5 infectious disease, which is the same classification as seasonal flu. As a result, decisions regarding infection control were left to individuals and…

After a strong recovery in demand in 2022 as COVID-19 measures were relaxed the number of transactions through self-service cafeterias started to decline again in 2023. This decline was in part due to the fact that more consumers are now spending at…

Self-service cafeterias in Ireland experienced 11% current value growth in 2023, although sales, transactions and outlet numbers remained below pre-pandemic levels. Several factors drove the channel’s growth. First of all, the business sector…

Self-service cafeterias registered a stagnant performance in Indonesia in current value terms in 2023. With a high proportion of these outlets typically located in hypermarkets, the performance of the category is heavily dependent on this retail…

Self-service cafeterias maintained outlet growth and continued to increase in current value terms in India in 2023. However, it remained by far the smallest channel, representing less than 1% of overall consumer foodservice value sales in India in…

Self-service cafeterias made price adjustments of between 20-30% during 2023, as soaring inflation pushed up the costs of vital ingredients, such as meat and pasta. Simultaneously, heightened labour and energy costs further contributed to this…

Self-service cafeterias in Hong Kong experienced significant declines in transaction volumes and current value sales in 2023, largely due to the decreasing number of outlets for one of the main players, Marugame Seimen. However, the channel did…

Most independent self-service cafeterias in Greece are located in travel and lodging locations such as ferries, highway service stations, and campsites, for example. Within this context, following the strong growth recorded in 2022 in response to…

Self-service cafeterias in Germany witnessed robust growth in current value terms and transaction volumes in 2023, and low growth in outlet numbers. The German consumer landscape favours quick and convenient eating out options that align with busy…

Hypermarkets and commercial centres were back in the game in 2022 and 2023 thanks to the comeback to store-based retailing as COVID-19 fears subsided. This provided an excellent opportunity for the recovery of self-service cafeterias as the wide…

In 2023, self-service cafeterias continued to recover from the COVID-19 slump in transaction and current value terms, although the number of outlets saw another slight drop. While adversely affected by the closure of outlets based at petrol/gas…

Self-service cafeterias remained the smallest channel within consumer foodservice in Egypt in 2023 in terms of foodservice value sales and number of outlets. The “do it yourself” trend has yet to penetrate Egyptian culture, with consumers still…

Following the relaxation of COVID-19-related restrictions that directly impacted self-service cafeterias in early 2022, Denmark experienced a return to a semblance of normalcy reminiscent of the pre-pandemic era. There was a surge in demand for…

In October 2023, the first IKEA store in Colombia was opened, in Bogotá. There are also plans for additional stores in Medellín and Cali by 2024. Along with furniture and home goods, the outlet also has the IKEA distinctive self-service cafeteria.…

In 2023, self-service restaurants experienced a revival of its growth rate, following the challenges posed by the COVID-19 lockdown the previous year. However, the average spend per transaction continued to decline, which was primarily linked to the…

In 2023, self-service cafeterias in Chile maintained a niche presence within consumer foodservice, holding marginal share overall. The channel’s main attraction is allowing patrons to choose from diverse options and customise portion sizes. Unlike…

Self-serve services are gaining popularity, appreciated for offering a more convenient and efficient way to order food. Consumers can customise their orders at their own pace and pay for their meals without interacting with staff. This gives…

Boosted by significant price hikes and the inflation, self-service cafeterias is achieving very strong value growth as consumer demand continues to recover following the COVID-19 pandemic. As no further pandemic-related restrictions have been…

Self-service cafeterias in Brazil is a particularly important foodservice channel for local consumers during the lunch hour, since this meal is considered the most important of the day for much of the population. Brazilians generally prioritise a…

Following the sharp decline in self-service cafeterias during 2022, the number of outlets increased in 2023. Current value growth also remained strong due to higher prices charged by self-service cafeterias. Nevertheless, this category is facing…

Austria experienced exceptionally high inflation once again in 2023, reducing household incomes and dampening spending in almost all areas of consumer foodservice. Foodservice operators faced increased energy, materials and labour costs, which were…

Ikea Restaurant remained the only chained self-service cafeteria operating in Australia in 2023, with 10 outlets throughout the country. With only 13 independent self-service cafeterias in operation in Australia, it is unsurprising to see Ikea…

A large proportion of outlets in self-service cafeterias in Argentina comprises stores that sell food by weight, mostly operated by individuals of Asian origin. During the pandemic, as a consequence of working from home, many of these stores had to…