Industry Report · June 2026

Thai Food Trends
UK 2026

Regional cuisine is breaking through. Delivery has reshaped the menu. Plant-based Thai is no longer a niche. Here's what's actually changing in UK Thai food — and what it means for operators.

01
Isaan & Northern Thai Cuisine Break Through
For 30 years, UK Thai menus were 90% Central Thai: green curry, red curry, pad thai. That's changing fast. Isaan dishes like larb (spicy minced meat salad), som tam (papaya salad), and grilled meats with jaew (dipping sauce) are appearing on menus from London to Leeds. Northern Thai specialities — khao soi (curry noodle soup), sai oua (herbal sausage), and nam prik noom (green chilli dip) — are becoming the dishes that differentiate a restaurant.
Restaurants listing "Isaan" or "Northern Thai" on their menu: up ~40% since 2023 (delivery platform data)
02
Delivery Is Now 40%+ of Revenue — And Reshaping Menus
Pre-pandemic, delivery was 5–15% of a typical Thai restaurant's revenue. In 2026, many operators report 35–50% of orders coming through Deliveroo, Just Eat, and Uber Eats. This has forced a menu redesign: dishes that travel poorly (crispy fish, tempura, anything with a delicate crust) are being removed or re-engineered. Curries and stir-fries — which hold heat and travel well — are dominating delivery menus. The most profitable operators now run two separate menus: dine-in and delivery, with delivery priced 20–25% higher.
Average delivery share of Thai restaurant revenue: 37% (2026, up from 22% in 2023)
03
Plant-Based Thai Goes Mainstream
Thai cuisine has always been vegetarian-friendly (Buddhist influence, tofu as a protein staple). But 2026 has seen dedicated plant-based Thai menus emerge — not just "vegetable green curry" but thoughtful dishes like jackfruit larb, mushroom laab, and tofu pad kra pao with vegan fish sauce. Vegan fish sauce (made from fermented soybeans and seaweed) is now available from major wholesalers at £4–6/litre. The driver: 23% of UK adults now identify as flexitarian, and Thai food is their #2 cuisine choice after Indian for meat-free dining.
Restaurants with dedicated vegan Thai section: up 60% year-on-year
04
Thai Breakfast & Lunch — The Untapped Daypart
Almost every UK Thai restaurant opens at 5pm. A small but growing number are experimenting with daytime service — jok (rice porridge), khao man gai (chicken rice), and pad kra pao with a fried egg for lunch. The economics are compelling: your rent is already paid, your kitchen is already equipped, and lunch covers have a faster table turn. Rosa's Thai Cafe and a handful of London independents have proven Thai lunch can work — but the market is still 95% untapped.
Opportunity: Only ~5% of UK Thai restaurants serve lunch. First-mover advantage still exists.

What Dishes Are Rising

Based on delivery platform search data, menu analysis, and social media mentions — the dishes gaining traction in 2026 vs those declining.

Rising 🌶️WhyDeclining 📉Why
Khao SoiInstagram-friendly, unique flavour, Northern Thai trendSweet & SourPerceived as inauthentic, dated 80s Thai
Pad Kra PaoThai people's actual favourite, street food credibilityPlain stir-fry vegBoring — diners want specificity
Larb / LaabIsaan trend, healthy, gluten-free naturallyGeneric "Thai curry"Diners want regional names: Massaman, Panang, Khao Soi
Mango Sticky RiceSocial media viral, visually stunningBanana frittersToo heavy post-pandemic — lighter desserts winning
Thai Iced TeaDrinks as revenue driver, Instagram aestheticStandard jasmine teaFree tea = missed revenue opportunity

Pricing Reality 2026

05
The £15 Curry Is Now Normal
In 2019, a Thai green curry averaged £10.95. In 2026, the average is £13.95 — a 27% increase in 7 years. London prices hit £16–19 for a chicken curry. Diners have accepted this: the cost-of-living conversation has shifted from "restaurant prices are too high" to "everything is more expensive." The operators who haven't raised prices since 2023 are the ones going under. If you haven't increased prices in 12 months, you're behind inflation. Our menu pricing guide has the full benchmarks.
Average Thai main course price: £13.95 (London: £16.50, Regional: £12.50)

What Operators Are Saying

"We added khao soi six months ago and it's now our #3 selling dish. Customers specifically come in asking for it. The Northern Thai thing is real — it's not just a London trend."
— Thai restaurant owner, Manchester (anonymous, June 2026)
"The delivery maths is brutal but you can't ignore it. We run a separate delivery menu at 25% higher prices and it's the only reason we're profitable on the platforms. If you're using the same menu for dine-in and delivery, you're losing money on every order."
— Thai restaurant operator, Birmingham
"We launched a vegan section in January — jackfruit larb, tofu pad kra pao, mushroom tom kha. It's now 15% of orders and the highest-GP section on the menu. Vegan fish sauce changed everything."
— Thai restaurant chef-owner, Brighton

What This Means for Your Restaurant

1. Add one regional dish this year. Khao soi or larb — pick one. It differentiates you from the 1,594 other Thai restaurants all serving the same green curry.

2. Build a separate delivery menu. 20–25% higher prices, remove dishes that don't travel, push high-GP curries and stir-fries. Use our delivery commissions guide to model the numbers.

3. Add 3–4 vegan dishes with proper Thai names. Not "vegetable curry." "Jackfruit Larb," "Tofu Pad Kra Pao," "Mushroom Tom Kha." Vegan diners search by dish name — give them something to find.

4. Raise your prices. If you haven't since 2024, you're behind. The market has moved. A £1 increase on a £13 curry is a 7.7% revenue bump with zero additional cost.

5. Consider lunch. Even 2 days a week with a limited menu. Your rent is sunk cost. Every lunch cover is contribution margin you're currently leaving on the table.