Customer numbers look set to fall once the scheme comes to an end
With the Eat Out to Help Out scheme set to end on Monday, the results of a new YouGov survey show that the majority of Brits (59%) support extending the program for another month. This includes 77% of those who made use of the discounted offer over the course of August, and even those who didn’t are in favour by 43% to 28%.
Overall, just 21% of Brits oppose extending the scheme.
The proposal has cross party support, with 59-62% of Conservative, Labour and Lib Dem voters all giving it their backing.
46% of Britons used Eat Out to Help Out
With two days of the scheme left to go, the results showed that 46% of Britons had benefited from a discounted dinner.
One in six Britons used the scheme once (17%), and another one in ten used it twice (10%). The remaining 19% had three or more cut-price meals.
Half of Brits (51%) didn’t partake in Eat Out to Help Out at all.
Londoners are more likely to have made use of the scheme (57%) than people in other parts of the country (42-46%).
A large number of people who used Eat Out to Help Out will dine out less once the scheme ends
Many in the restaurant industry are concerned that sales will slip once again. It seems likely that their fears will be confirmed. While half of those who made use of the scheme in August say that they will eat out as often as they did (46%) or even more frequently (4%) once Eat Out to Help Out is over, another 43% say they will eat out less (36%) or not at all (7%).
On a national level, this means that half of all Britons (50%) will either eat out less than they did in August (29%), or not at all (21%). One in three (35%) will be eating out as much as they did, and just 3% will eat out more.
