Despite having grown out of a more leisurely motoring approach, roadside catering now epitomises the high-speed lifestyles of most consumers. For many there is a reluctance to stop at all during their journey and hence brevity is key when they do. For others who actively choose to stop more regularly for reasons such as not being tired behind the wheel, not lingering over the occasion also defines their behaviour. The days of pre-planned stops with a sit-down meal are something of a minority and the services that are on offer are being shaped much more by the grab and go demands of the majority of consumers.

Motorway services in particular have faced on-going difficulties from the legislative restrictions under which they operate and the not unrelated criticism over high prices. One of the routes taken to deal with this issue has been to introduce brands into the catering offer. The report therefore in part examines the success or otherwise of this strategy in terms of changes in perception, whether some brands work better than others and which groups of customers are attracted by them.