What Is Brits' Favourite Pub Grub?

Survey Results

A classic Sunday roast has been crowned Britain’s favourite pub grub.

Almost one in five of those surveyed admitted that they would choose a roast over any other dish on the menu (17%). Fish and chips was a close second (13%) followed by steak and chips (12%).

Britain's Top Five Favourite Pub Dishes:

1. Sunday Roast

2. Fish & Chips

3. Steak & Chips

4. Hunter's Chicken

5. Scampi

Those in Belfast are breaking the mould with more of a taste for food inspired from overseas. The club sandwich came out as top choice (20%), followed by lasagne (19%) and fish & chips (15%).

The research also looked at what Brits consider to be the most important aspect of eating out. Quality of produce is most important for 43% of Brits, with value for money the key factor for 33% of those surveyed. Interestingly, that increases to 40% for the 18-25s. Aesthetically pleasing meals were of least importance to respondents – only 2% said this was the most important aspect of a meal in a pub restaurant.

25-34 year-olds are the most avid pub goers with 17% dining out several times a week, followed by one in ten 18-24 year-olds.

Once a month is the optimum frequency by which most age groups to visit the pub for a meal, with one in three from every age group admitting they go this often.

"As a nation, eating out at our local is something most of us enjoy. A Sunday roast is the epitome of classic British cuisine so it’s not that much of a surprise it came out top of the list alongside fish and chips." Dean Starling, Head Development Chef.

How Important Is Food Presentation When It Comes To Pub Food?

The survey also asked Brits’ opinions when it comes to food presentation. 67% of those surveyed said that their preference is to have food served on plates rather than anything too gimmicky. Other causes of irritation were foods served in items of clothing eg. Bread in a flat cap, drinks served in shoes and being served sauce in a tray or not being served enough sauce.

"When it comes to presentation, consumers prefer a simpler approach – not too many additional extras on the plate and let the ingredients to do the talking." Dean Starling, Head Development Chef.

Portion Size

Portion size is also a consideration for people when eating out with one in four Brits admitting that they eat more in a restaurant than they would at home. For those of us who struggle to finish the bigger portions, asking to take our leftovers home is something of a taboo with one in ten admitting they would be too embarrassed to ask. We asked our development chef Dean Starling and Anne Betty, a registered nutritionist and owner of AB Food Nutrition, for comment on the findings:

"Everyone has their own individual requirements when it comes to food portion sizes. Generally, bigger, more active people can eat more calories without gaining weight whereas smaller, less active people need fewer calories. Portion sizes also depend on your hunger and fullness levels as well as your appetite – which changes from one day to the next. Studies have shown that if we are served a bigger portion, we will almost always eat more – because it takes time for the body to register that we are full. If you are given a large portion size when eating out, see if you can take some home with you in a “doggy bag” for another time. You could even try ordering a half portion, choosing a starter as your main meal or splitting a dessert with a friend." Anne Betty, AB Food Nutrition.

"It’s great to see that quality of produce is such a big factor for so many consumers as chefs are more conscious than ever of the quality and source of the ingredients they use. For consumers to be so aware just goes to show that this message about produce being key is filtering down." Dean Starling, Head Development Chef.

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