In 2013, Brits consumed more than 100m burgers when eating breakfast away from home, which is six per cent higher than in 2012. About one in twelve of these burger servings were consumed before 11am compared to one in sixteen five years ago.
This new taste for burgers has placed them on the top ten list of British breakfast food items, coming in at number eight.
Children's favourite
Burgers as a breakfast item are becoming particularly popular with groups that include children under 18 years old.
In 2008 adults that were unaccompanied by children consumed more than 67 per cent of breakfast burgers eaten away from home for breakfast. In 2013 this number fell to 59 per cent, while groups of adults with children consumed 41 per cent of Britain’s breakfast burger servings.
Tradition wins out
Despite the burger’s growing popularity, the NPD group found that the most popular British breakfast food to eat outside of home in Britain is the traditional bacon sandwich, more than 268m of which were consumed in 2013.
Croissants were at the bottom of the list, suggesting that it is unlikely our breakfast preferences will become more European any time soon.
UK foodservice account manager for the NPD Group Jack MacIntyre said: “When people eat breakfast, perhaps on the way to work, or in the office, or as a treat at weekends, burgers are clearly growing in popularity.
“But the breakfast classics like servings of good old-fashioned bacon sandwiches, toast, eggs, sausage and baked beans are unlikely to be toppled anytime soon. And despite Britain’s improving café culture, it doesn’t look like continental breakfast favourites such as the croissant are going to side track the appeal of the Great British Breakfast.”
The burger boom continues
BigHospitality has reported a great deal on London’s burger boom over the past couple of years, and the figures in the NPD Group’s report suggest that the craze is not over yet.
Last year popular American burger chain Shake Shack opened in the London for the first time, along with Five Guys, which is planning to expand to other key cities in the UK.
In the past few months we have reported on the planned openings of multiple burger restaurants, including sites outside of London such as Coggings and Co. and MeatLiquor, suggesting the craze for burgers is spreading through the UK.