The Spanish foodservice industry closed 2025 with total spending of €43,523 billion, a 2,4% increase over the previous year, confirming a growth trajectory that has continued uninterrupted for three consecutive years, demonstrating structurally consolidated demand. Over the course of the year, over 7,2 billion visits were recorded across the various commercial and mass catering channels, a figure that highlights not only the sector's vitality but also its ability to capture increasingly diverse and fragmented consumption opportunities throughout the day.
The figures were presented by Foodservice Europa-Circana during the "Restaurants Trends" conference organized as part of HIP 2026 in Madrid, an event that represents a key strategic exchange for the European HoReCa ecosystem. The foodservice market share in Spain currently stands at 32%, still far from the 42% European average. Analysts see this gap as a potential area for future expansion, especially if the sector innovates in formats and consumption occasions. In the Spanish market, lunch and dinner continue to represent the core of spending, accounting for 43% of total spending, compared to the European average of 35%. This difference suggests there is still room to develop segments such as breakfast and brunch, which are considered dynamic and have high potential.
In terms of channels, 2025 showed a divergent trend compared to the rest of the continent, as delivery in Spain saw a 7% decline, while at the European level the same channel grew by 4%, signaling a possible realignment in the Iberian market. Dining remains predominant in the Spanish consumption model, with 75% of spending made in-house, a share significantly higher than the 64% in Europe, demonstrating a restaurant culture still strongly tied to the in-person convivial experience. Nonetheless, growth prospects appear to be increasingly shifting toward flexible and hybrid consumption methods, where customers alternate between in-person dining, takeout, and ready-to-eat options based on their daily needs.
The ready-to-eat segment continues to expand its user base, capturing a demand for convenience that is particularly growing in dense urban areas and among younger, more professionally active consumers. Forecasts for 2026 indicate substantially stable demand, with an expected 2,2% increase in spending, a sign of a market that, while not accelerating significantly, maintains a positive and resilient trajectory. Commercial catering demonstrates strong resilience, while formats focused on convenience and speed of service are gradually consolidating their weight within the overall mix.
The growth in takeout appears particularly significant, now representing 28,3% of total spending and up 3,4%, emerging as one of the most promising levers for capturing new consumption opportunities. Teleworking is significantly contributing to this transformation, as it alters the rhythm of the day and encourages greater use of delivery and takeout compared to the traditional office-based model. According to the data presented, those who work from home use delivery services 2,5 times more frequently and also rely more frequently on takeout. They also show a greater propensity to indulge in small treats, with positive effects on the average value of the receipt.
Another point of interest concerns the spending behavior of families, who, while maintaining a prudent stance in other budget items, allocate approximately 10% of their overall budget to food service, considered a priority and planned item. In this scenario, the Spanish foodservice sector is entering a phase of consolidation in which the primary challenge will be less volume expansion than optimization of the channel mix, diversification of opportunities, and enhancing the quality of the customer experience. The gap compared to the European average suggests there is still considerable room for development, especially through format innovation, digital integration, and the valorization of previously underserved consumption moments. HIP 2026 thus portrayed a mature yet dynamic sector, capable of adapting to changes in lifestyle and work habits, and destined to remain one of the main drivers of consumption in Spain for the foreseeable future.
