Combined sales were 130% higher than in September 2019, when businesses were trading as normal and 35% higher in September 2020 when they were operating under Covid-19 restrictions. Deliveries and takeaways were worth 29% of the total sales of all businesses contributing data to the Tracker.

CGA data suggests delivery and takeaway sales are not compromising consumers’ spending on eating and drinking out. The September edition of the separate CGA Coffer Business Tracker, with a different cohort of contributing companies, indicates that managed restaurants, pubs and bars grew their sales by 8% on September 2019.

Karl Chessell, director at CGA, said: “Delivery and takeaway sales have dipped from the heights of lockdown, but September’s figures show they will stay a crucial part of restaurant and pub operations.

“It’s particularly pleasing to see that at-home sales seem to be complementing rather than cannibalising eat-out spending, even as restaurants and pubs settle back towards normality. While the post-Covid balance of the two sectors won’t be clear for a while yet, there’s no reason why businesses can’t thrive in both in the future.”