The COVID-19 lockdowns are certainly not a period to dwell on. For many, it was a tumultuous time for their personal lives and businesses, none more so than within the hospitality industry. The restrictions imposed on businesses within this sector were debilitating. Whilst I would never minimise the impact, I am an eternal optimist. So, as the fifth anniversary of the first lockdown approaches, I wanted to remember it in a way that could help to reframe how we look back. I want to highlight lockdown trends influencing hospitality. Those that have become an integral part of life. Even those that have had a positive impact.
In many cases, what started as survival strategies—home delivery innovations, DIY meal kits, and a surge in outdoor dining—have since evolved into mainstream trends that continue to shape the way we eat, drink, and socialise. Pivoting, a key word of the pandemic, not only saved businesses but provided new long-term revenue streams and an opportunity for positive change.
Here’s a look at some of the biggest lockdown trends influencing hospitality that I believe are here to stay.
OUTDOOR DINING AND ALFRESCO CULTURE
Until COVID-19, the weather had always restricted the UK’s desire to fully embrace outdoor dining and café culture. Yet with indoor dining off limits, restaurants adapted by expanding their outdoor spaces, providing shelter and warmth from the elements. Authorities also relaxed rules on where and how businesses could operate outdoor dining facilities. From pavement terraces to heated pods. Tepee tents in pub car parks to garden igloos.
And roaming horse boxes and vintage trucks  serving coffee. We saw a raft of innovations helping businesses to take advantage of the fresh air.
The public embraced the changes – even during the coldest months – when cosy corners were created with outdoor heating and a sea of fairy lights. In short, we fell in love with the outdoors again and realised it doesn’t have to be the brightest sunny day to head to the beer garden.
This shift toward an alfresco dining culture remains strong, especially with authorities relaxing regulations to allow year-round outdoor dining. Hybrid spaces, too, have seen a resurgence. Look at the popularity of spaces such as Manchester’s Freight Island, which gives festival vibes through live performances both indoor and out, throughout the year.
Why is it’s positive? Customers love the European-style street café vibe. It brings a real buzz to our cities and towns.
Outdoor dining creates a safer, more ventilated space, especially during the winter months when flu and other viruses are rife. Restaurants also benefit from increased seating capacity.
DIY MEAL KITS AND AT-HOME DINING EXPERIENCES
Lockdown saw a rise in DIY meal kits, allowing people to recreate restaurant-quality dishes at home. It’s something that many brands would never have dreamed of pre-COVID but that immersed customers in their favourite restaurants like never before. With easy-to-follow instructions from top chefs all over the country, every home kitchen felt like it had a Michelin Star chef at it’s helm.
Brands like Dishpatch and restaurant-led kits from top chefs turned cooking into an interactive experience. Even cocktail bars got in on the trend, offering pre-mixed cocktails and virtual tastings.
Even those chefs that didn’t officially launch their at-home food boxes began to share more recipes and home cooking tips like this article on the industry platform Hot Dinners.
While many restaurant at-home boxes have been scaled back since reopening, there are those that have prevailed as restaurants discovered they could reach customers beyond their physical location.
Some businesses even began in lockdown and have continued to thrive since then. Find out just some in this article by Delicious.
Consumers found that they could enjoy a premium dining experience at home, and many fell in love with cooking again. Special occasion kits remain popular for date nights and celebrations.
QR CODE MENUS AND CONTACTLESS SERVICE
Now, I’m usually one for personal service in a venue, but I can see the logic in contactless service, especially if you’re dining in a hurry or it’s a large multi-outlet venue. Nobody wants to sit and hold the table while each person takes it in turn to join a queue and order their food. That all makes for a painful and diluted dining experience.
Lockdowns accelerated the shift to QR code menus, contactless payments, and app-based ordering. What started as a safety measure has now become an industry standard, improving efficiency and reducing costs. QR codes allow multi-outlet venues such as market halls, to serve multiple guests from different outlets simultaneously.
The positives of contactless service? Faster ordering and payments. Reduced labour costs and menu printing expenses. Customers appreciate convenience and reduced wait times and can eat together as a party while ordering from multiple vendors. It does, however, have its place. For me, you cannot beat personal service that goes above and beyond. If you’re paying £20 plus for a main course, I expect waiter service.
THE EXPLOSION OF NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS
While some turned to a glass of wine each evening to make it through lockdown, others adopted a more mindful approach to drinking. Health concerns and simply being given the head space to consider their relationship with alcohol led to the sober curious movement gaining a huge amount of traction.
The result? A boom in low-ABV and non-alcoholic alternatives. From alcohol-free beers to sophisticated botanical spirits like Seedlip or Sentia.
On reopening venues were forced to reconsider their non-alcoholic offerings far beyond traditional soft drinks, with non-alcoholic wine flights, premium ingredients and crafted mocktails taking centre stage.
Restauranteurs and bar managers have realised they can benefit from the growing sober market and customers are willing to pay premium prices for non-alcoholic options. As more people prioritise wellness it’s a way to continue to appeal to a wider audience.
HYPER-LOCAL SUSTAINABLE SOURCING
Lockdowns disrupted global supply chains, pushing restaurants to focus on local, seasonal, and sustainable ingredients. It’s a trend that may have emerged either way, as fine dining restaurants have focused on hyper-local sourcing for many years, but one that has accelerated into the mainstream thanks to lockdown.
In the years that have followed the pandemic, the trend has only grown stronger, with farm-to-table dining and zero-waste cooking becoming the norm.
It makes sense for restaurants to have excellent relationships with local suppliers, as despite the global outlook, there will always be a strong, sustainable supply chain. Local sourcing supports small businesses and reduces carbon footprints. Zero-waste practices can also help restaurants cut costs. Plus, being mindful of the environmental impact of business is now a necessity rather than a ‘nice to have’.
FINAL THOUGHTS: THE FUTURE OF HOSPITALITY
Finally, what began as emergency adaptations during lockdown have become key lockdown trends influencing hospitality today. They transformed into permanent shifts in the food, drink, and hospitality industries. From the renaissance of dining outdoors to QR code menus and mindful drinking, these trends highlight the industry’s resilience and innovation.
As consumers continue to seek convenience, quality, and experience-driven dining, businesses that embrace these trends will stay ahead in an evolving hospitality landscape.