The survey of 400 UK restaurant owners found that 51% expect moderate growth and 20% forecast significant growth for the year ahead.
Out of the remaining respondents, 19% anticipate no major change, 9% predict a moderate decline, and just 1% expect a significant downturn.
Conducted in partnership with business solutions provider Expert Market, the research also showed that 60% of UK restaurant owners are worried about labour shortages and staffing challenges.
These concerns build on difficulties seen in 2025, when a previous Toast survey found that half of 300 UK restaurant owners experienced moderate to extreme hiring challenges during the year.
Clear career development paths, competitive pay and flexible working benefits were identified by Toast as the most effective ways to retain employees long-term.
“A shortage of experienced staff has long been a feature of the restaurant industry,” says Chris Mallard, editor of Expert Market.
“The hard work and unsociable hours don’t appeal to everybody, so it’s good to see that operators are thinking about this and coming up with ways to professionalise the career to attract and keep employees.”
The survey also found that delivery and off-premise dining will remain crucial for restaurant revenue, with 41% of respondents believing off-premise dining will be an extremely important revenue stream in 2026, and 47% believing it to be somewhat important.
Looking ahead, the survey also found 80% of participants plan to maintain a focus on sustainability and ethical sourcing in the coming year.