UK diners look to set menus and vouchers to get best value, says poll
The study, by online booking service OpenTable, found that 90 per cent of Brits would always opt for the set menu if provided, while almost two thirds (69 per cent) use discount vouchers and promotional offers when eating out. Over a quarter of Brits (27 per cent) said that they would only eat out at restaurants offering promotions.
Eating out is on the rise too, according to the poll, which found that one a third of Brits (37 per cent) ate out more in 2016 than in the previous year, with almost a third (29 per cent) saying that dining out could be better value than dining at home.
Respondents said that they dined out on average twice a week, with over half (54 per cent) also saying they eat out more now than five years ago. Over a third (35 per cent) said that eating out was easier than cooking at home.
Londoners were more likely to eat out (at just over twice a week), while 18-24 year-olds also dine out over twice a week.
When it comes to actual orders, sharing plates and platters were seen to be the option of choice, with 42 per cent saying they would order to share with friends.
Variety was also key, with almost one in three (30 per cent) saying they ate out because of the growing variety of cuisine styles on offer.
However, respondents in the north of England were less likely to eat out, or feel that eating out was good value, with 77 per cent saying that cooking meals from scratch at home was more cost-effective.
OpenTable added that 81 per cent of restaurants on its site were offering set menus, and 54 per cent were offering promotions.
Adrian Valeriano, vice president, Europe at OpenTable, said: “It’s great to see that Brits are interested in having great dining experiences while being sensible about their spending. With the increasing rate in dining out, restaurants are competitively pricing their menus in a way that challenges the average cost of dining at home.”
San Francisco-based OpenTable was founded in 1998 and now lists over 40,000 restaurants across more than 20 countries, including the USA, UK, Ireland, Australia, Japan, Canada, Germany, and Mexico.
