Returning to the office: The effects on hospitality

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For the past six years, much of the UK’s white-collar workforce has become accustomed to working from home, communicating through screens, with very little in-person interaction.

With fewer lunch meetings and after-work drinks, the hospitality industry has undoubtedly been influenced, with a decline in business dining and after-work socialising shaping it since 2020, especially for restaurants and bars in city centres.

But in recent months, there has been a significant shift in work culture, with many companies changing or completely removing their work-from-home policies.

Big names such as Tesco, Amazon, Boots and Goldman Sachs have moved to a full 5-day return-to-office week, with many others implementing a ‘monitored’ system or a 3-day rule.

Office attendance in 2026 so far has averaged around 40%, significantly higher than 2021 levels. While this may not be favoured by many workers, the mass return to the office has positive outcomes for hospitality businesses, as workers venture out for working lunches, after-hours drinks and early dinners. This comes at a much-needed time, as many businesses face ongoing challenges with rising costs and tax increases.

The latest research from Barclays shows a 41% increase in after-work footfall for hospitality businesses in the UK. What’s more, weekday lunchtimes are now 35% busier than 2021 levels, with 8% more being spent on business dining overall, year on year.

For hospitality businesses feeling some of this positive impact, they can further capitalise to boost their income with:

• 5pm happy hours and drinks deals
• Early dining offers and set menus
• Lunchtime deals and business lunch offers
• Business private dining for meetings and Team days

And it’s not just office workers that hospitality businesses are catering for. For those still working from home and looking for a change of scenery, many restaurants, cafes and pubs are diversifying their offerings to create useful and profitable workspaces for remote workers.

For example, by offering strong Wi-Fi, good coffee, and lunchtime deals, pubs can capitalise on quieter times of day by providing workers with calm, quiet spaces to work from.

So, the tide may be slowly turning for businesses, as more and more implement in-person working policies, bringing about a much-needed boost for inner-city hospitality. With targeted deals and menus, restaurants, bars and pubs can capitalise on increased footfall to boost income streams and counteract the challenges they may face in the current economic climate.