Mitchells & Butlers' first-quarter sales surge on strong Christmas demand (updated)
15/01/2026 07:22
Adds peer details in paragraph 4, background throughout Jan 15 (Reuters) - British pub and restaurant operator Mitchells & Butlers MAB.L reported a 4.5% rise in like-for-like first-quarter sales on Thursday, helped by strong demand for its pub grub and drinks during the Christmas period. Pub chains and operators in the UK have been tightening their cost bases to cushion margins amid high inflation. Investments have also been poured into remodeling venues to draw in more customers since the pandemic. Mitchells & Butlers, which has more than 1,700 pubs and restaurants across the UK, said sales during the key festive dates were particularly strong, with Christmas Day setting a new record for the highest sales day. Peer Fuller, Smith & Turner FSTA.L also echoed the sentiment, saying the five-week Christmas and New Year period delivered robust sales growth of 8.2%. (Reporting by Yamini Kalia in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu and Rashmi Aich) ((Yamini.Kalia@thomsonreuters.com))