Pizzeria traffic drops 10.3% in summer 2024 amid economic and seasonal factors in Poland

Traffic in pizzerias across Poland fell by 10.3% year-on-year from June to August 2024, according to a report by Proxi.cloud and UCE Research. The study also revealed a 3.2% drop in footfall at sandwich and chicken restaurants during the same period. Both types of eateries saw double-digit customer losses, with pizzerias experiencing an 11.4% decline and sandwich and chicken establishments losing 1.7% of their customers.

Łukasz Pytlewski of Proxi.cloud noted that this decline is not necessarily linked to changing dietary habits among Poles but rather to a combination of seasonal and economic factors. “The specifics of the holiday season and the economic situation of Poles likely contributed to the reduction in dining-out occasions. Additionally, the growing trend of ordering meals through delivery apps may have shifted some traffic away from in-person visits,” Pytlewski explained.

Looking ahead, Pytlewski said no significant changes in footfall are expected for fast food restaurants in the near term. However, long-term trends could pose challenges for traditional establishments as app-based delivery services continue to expand. “The escalation of this phenomenon could become a significant challenge for businesses in this market,” he added.

The report also highlighted an 11.4% drop in customer numbers at pizzerias, a decline that Mateusz Chołuj of Proxi.cloud believes will impact pizza chains financially. Chołuj suggested that businesses may respond to this decline by raising prices to offset losses. However, UCE Research analysts pointed out that reduced in-store traffic doesn’t necessarily mean lower earnings, as more people are choosing to order takeout rather than dine in.

In contrast, the decline in footfall at sandwich and chicken restaurants was less severe, at just 1.7%. Pytlewski attributed this to increased advertising efforts by these chains, which may have helped mitigate the losses.

The report also analyzed customer visit frequency and duration. While pizzerias saw a slight 1.2% increase in the average number of visits per customer, sandwich and chicken outlets experienced a 1.5% decline. Additionally, the average visit duration at pizzerias increased by 2%, while sandwich and chicken establishments saw a modest 0.4% increase.

Chołuj suggested that these changes reflect the balance between on-site consumption and takeaway orders. “The similar visit durations at both types of restaurants could indicate that takeaway orders have become more common at pizzerias compared to sandwich and chicken places,” he explained.

The study was based on traffic data from more than 1,800 major fast food locations, including McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and Domino’s Pizza, and monitored the behavior of nearly 3 million consumers.

Source: Proxi.cloud, UCE Research and ISBnews