Shoppers have begun to notice subtle changes at some neighbourhood food halls. The coffee aroma lingers, yet counters are shifting.
Marks & Spencer is reshaping parts of its estate, reallocating space in selected food shops and rethinking where coffee fits. The move folds into a much larger plan to expand food ranges, modernise stores and push for growth after a turbulent spring.
What’s happening to the cafes
M&S will close 11 cafes inside smaller food shops to make room for shelves and counters that carry its most popular lines. The company says the change affects fewer than 4% of its 316 food shops. It is not a retreat from coffee altogether. The retailer continues to run more than 300 cafes, coffee shops and coffee-to-go points across the estate.
Eleven in-store cafe closures, under 4% of food shops, with staff redeployed and space switched to wider food ranges.
The business frames the decision as practical. Customers using compact stores want breadth of choice. Cold chain capacity, bakery, ready-to-cook and meal solutions all compete for square footage. By repurposing cafe corners in these tighter sites, M&S says it can meet that demand more consistently.
Will jobs be lost?
No redundancies are planned. Staff currently working in the affected cafes will move into other roles within the same stores. That includes food service, replenishment and front-of-house. The retailer says the changes should be seamless for employees and visible to customers mainly as extra aisles or counters.
Why M&S is reshaping its space
The cafe adjustments sit inside a wider £300m investment and “store rotation” programme. M&S has been converting some full-line sites into food-first formats while upgrading food-only shops to draw more local trade. The target is ambitious: around 420 food stores by the end of 2028, up from today’s 316.
£300m for store upgrades and rotation, with food halls set to scale to around 420 sites by 2028.
Food has been a bright spot for the group. Range, freshness and prepared meals underpin its positioning. Management wants to bring that proposition to more postcodes. The fastest route is to increase footprint and deepen assortment in high-traffic areas.
New coffee shops still coming
While 11 cafes close in small outlets, M&S is opening new coffee sites where space and footfall justify them. One of the headline additions is at the brand-new Bristol Cabot Circus store, where barista-made fairtrade coffee sits alongside fresh and hot food. The message: coffee remains part of the blueprint, but not at the expense of ranges in space-constrained locations.
The numbers at a glance
- 11 in-store cafe closures in small food shops
- Fewer than 4% of 316 food shops affected
- More than 300 cafes, coffee shops and coffee-to-go points remain
- £300m earmarked for investment and rotation
- Growth plan: around 420 food stores by end-2028
- Recent cyberattack suspended online orders for six weeks
- Estimated cost of the hack: around £300m
The cyber shock and why it matters now
April’s major cyberattack disrupted M&S’s online orders for six weeks. The company has told investors the incident will cost around £300m. The timing overlaps with the physical store overhaul, which makes operational focus crucial. Digital recovery, tighter security and supply chain resilience must run in parallel with refits and openings.
A six-week online suspension and a £300m hit have sharpened the push to modernise stores and simplify operations.
Retailers often pivot to core strengths after a technology shock. For M&S, that means doubling down on food ranges in locations that can turn stock quickly. The cafe decision fits the same logic: concentrate on what sells fastest in smaller boxes, and put coffee where dwell time justifies dedicated seating and equipment.
What it means for you
If your local food shop loses its cafe, you should see more lines, deeper promotions and clearer flow through fresh, chilled and ambient zones. Barista coffee may still be available as coffee-to-go, depending on the site. Staff you know should remain in-store, just working different sections or service points.
Shoppers who relied on sit-down space may need to switch to a nearby full-line store or a larger food hall with a cafe. M&S intends to keep opening new coffee shops in larger destinations, so choice could improve if you live near a flagship site or a new-build unit.
How to read the signals in your local store
Look for posters near the cafe entrance, notices by tills, or messages on receipts. Staff can advise on the timeline for changes, where to find coffee-to-go, and which nearby branches have full cafes. Early rearrangements often start with temporary shelving and additional chilled cabinets before the cafe shutters for refit.
Sector context and shopper impact
The UK high street is shifting. Grocers and general retailers are tightening space, boosting food-to-go, and reallocating square metres to categories with higher turn. Coffee remains attractive but competes with ranges that drive the weekly shop. M&S’s approach reflects that pressure. Put coffee where it adds footfall and loyalty. Put ranges first where shoppers come to fill baskets quickly.
For families, extra range can mean more meal deals, seasonal favourites and dietary options in a single trip. For commuters, coffee-to-go might replace a seated latte, with faster service and lower prices. Older customers who value a sit-down break may need alternative branches, but staff support and clearer signage should help during the changeover.
Practical tips if your cafe is closing
- Ask staff which nearby stores keep a full cafe and whether seating capacity meets busy periods.
- Check if coffee-to-go will remain during and after the refit, and where the new counter will sit.
- Look for expanded ranges in ready meals, bakery and fresh produce as space is released.
- Track multibuy and meal deal offers, which often grow when stores widen assortment.
- If you use click-and-collect, confirm service continuity while the store moves fixtures.
What to watch next
Between now and 2028, M&S plans to add more than 100 food stores. Expect a push into areas with strong weekday trade and car-friendly access. Some full-line branches will convert to food-led formats, often with upgraded parking, wider aisles and stronger fresh counters. Coffee will feature in larger sites and major new openings, with a mix of seated cafes and coffee-to-go hatches.
The direction of travel: bigger food halls, selective new coffee shops, and small-store space given back to food ranges.
If you budget for weekly baskets, track how the expanded range changes your spend. Extra choice can cut top-up trips elsewhere. On the other hand, premium seasonal lines might tempt impulse buys. A simple approach is to set a weekly limit and compare receipts before and after your store’s refit. That shows whether the shift to more range saves you time and money.
Extra background for curious readers
Store rotation means moving investment towards locations with better returns and closing or repurposing sites that no longer fit the plan. For M&S, that often involves taking a smaller footprint in high-rent areas for food-led trade, while opening larger food halls in retail parks where access and parking drive big shops. The cafe decision is a by-product of that balancing act, not a wholesale retreat from hot drinks or hospitality.
Security upgrades after the cyberattack will run for months. Expect tighter verification, staggered tech rollouts and occasional app updates. If you use digital vouchers or loyalty features, keep your app updated and turn on notifications. That reduces friction as the retailer stabilises its systems while accelerating its push into food growth.
Is there a list of the 11 food shops losing their cafe? My local is small but rammed at lunch—are you switching to coffee-to-go or removing seating entirely? Any timeline would be super helpfull, even an approx date. Thanks!