Sales across Whitbread’s restaurant estate have been hit by the “challenging environment” in recent months, but strong growth at the company’s much larger hotel and Costa Coffee chains has kept like-for-like sales steady in recent weeks.

Whitbread’s third-quarter trading update showed it had not been immune to the recent woes of other high street dining chains. Last week, shares in the restaurant and pub sector were hit after profit warnings from Regent Inns and Clapham House, owner of the Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Real Greek chains.