While Smith & Deli has ramped up its ready-made meals and delivery, Umberto Espresso Bar has walked away from that area altogether. They’ll unpack these decisions at the free Good Food Symposium.
Whether it’s a pizza pick-up on Friday night, dumplings delivered mid-week or a ready-made meal to help relieve life’s busy juggle, more than ever convenience is driving how Australians eat.
New data shows Aussies are just as likely to get dinner to go as they are to dine in at a restaurant – ordering takeaway three times a month and home delivery twice a month, according to Lightspeed’s 2026 State of the Hospitality Industry Report.
And the trend is showing no signs of slowing.
A takeaway seasonal market plate from Smith & Deli. Ashley Ludkin Takeaway is driving the fastest growth in Australia’s food service market, projected to expandat nearly 12 per cent annually through to 2031, according to Mordor Intelligence. This has had an effect on the hospitality industry’s dine-in revenue, which has fallen to just 20 per cent, down from 31 per cent the year before.
To make up the difference, many restaurants have introduced takeaway alongside dining room service, while others have branched out into ready-made meals and retail food lines, hosting eve
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