Glasgow sees record number of restaurant openings but outlook for 2026 murky
“Overall, occupier demand for the very best F&B sites in Glasgow will continue to be strong in 2026” – John Menzies, Savills
Glasgow notched up a record number of restaurant openings last year despite concerns over rising costs and the squeeze on consumer spending, new figures suggest.
There were 38 openings in the city centre in 2025, totalling some 87,000 square feet of restaurant space, according to property consultancy Savills. The firm noted that this was the highest volume since 2018, and 10 per cent more than 2024’s figure.
The biggest change last year was a sharp increase in the number of transactions to national or international food and beverage (F&B) brands. Savills’ figures show that 25 per cent of these were for larger operators compared with 10 per cent in 2024, when the market was dominated by independent brand openings.
Danish run Sticks’n’Sushi located on George Square, and iconic Indian restaurant chain Dishoom situated on Nelson Mandela Place, opened their doors in Glasgow during 2025.
Glasgow continues to be attractive to F&B operators with the fourth largest catchment population of any UK city outside of London and the largest in Scotland, according to Geolytix. It has also retained its status as the top shopping city in the UK outside of London, with MyTraffic reporting that Buchanan Street now has an annual footfall of 17 million people, making the neighbouring thoroughfares highly sought after as F&B locations.
This, along with the city’s significant student population and high hotel occupancy, has made it a popular choice with operators targeting a range of customer groups, Savills noted.
John Menzies, director in the Scottish retail team at Savills, said: “Overall, occupier demand for the very best F&B sites in Glasgow will continue to be strong in 2026, but we are unlikely to see the same level of rental growth.
“Prime F&B rents increased by approximately 15 per cent in 2025 to £50 per sq ft, but we do not expect to see this continue as operators look to absorb the increasing tax burden on this year’s rating revaluation. Consequently, we will also see many operators looking to take on cost effective fitted space.”
He added: “On a more positive note, we expect to see public realm improvements make a difference to occupier decision making. This includes the unveiling later this year of the newly renovated George Square which we anticipate will attract more F&B brands to the district, and an improving picture on Sauchiehall Street where the growth of student residential development is resulting in renewed interest from quick service restaurant and leisure operators.”
Looking ahead, the biggest talking point remains this year’s business rates revaluation, which has for some bar operators proposed significant increases of as much as 900 per cent.
Savills said the relief announced as part of the Scottish Budget would not be enough to stop this impacting profitability.
However, despite ongoing challenges, the property agency is presently tracking as many as 15 unsatisfied occupier requirements looking to open in Glasgow city centre, which the firm said would give landlords optimism that well located properties will continue to attract tenants.
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