As Brits everywhere pledge to make this year the year that we’re healthier, happier and thriftier, our new research has uncovered the nation’s culinary quirks, in particular, what our habits are when it comes to eating out in restaurants. Our research found that the average person eats out around three times a month, spending about £22 a head on each occasion. This adds up to an annual spend, per person, of just under £700 on average. But in reality, this spend is likely much higher. It’s unusual (although not unheard of) to eat out alone, so when you consider what, for example, a couple with shared finances spends in restaurants each year, it’s about £1400! There’s a great opportunity to save some money here, but what can you do when it comes to how to spend less?
Brits on a budget
Our research found that the majority of us have a budget in mind when we head out for a meal. But, once we get the menu in front of us, it’s a different story. With so many delicious options to tempt the tastebuds, it’s no wonder that 90% of those who have a budget in mind struggle to stick to it when the time comes. One in five of us will spend £11-£15 more than we planned to, which adds up over the course of multiple outings.
How much we’ll spend isn’t the only thing we have good intentions about, either. 23% of Brits pledge to eat more healthily as a New Year’s resolution, and about the same number want to try to save more money. However, like our budgets, our New Year’s resolutions are easily broken. A quarter of those who promise themselves they’ll eat more healthily say they’ve given up on it within a month, and 18% aren’t keeping up with their money-saving plans a month into the year.
Pasta la vista, baby!
Us Brits know what we like, and food is no exception. Italian is officially the nation’s favourite cuisine, with 22% of UK adults citing it as their favourite option when it comes to eating out. In particular, pizza and pasta are popular with 18-34 year olds, and also Londoners across all age groups. The other usual suspects that we go for when we go out weren’t far behind, though: Indian and Chinese each got 16% of the vote. If you head to the North-West, Chinese is the clear favourite, with more than a quarter (26%) of Liverpudlians and 19% of Mancunians claiming Chinese as their go-to when they eat out. Meanwhile on the other side of the Pennines in Newcastle and across the border in Edinburgh, people favour a curry over a stir fry, with 22% in each city citing Indian as their favourite.
How to spend less on restaurants this year
If each couple’s restaurant bill comes to around £50, then cutting down from three meals out per month to two is already a great start. In fact, it’s a £600 a year saving between you, or £300 each back in your pockets. But, eating at home more doesn’t mean missing out on the favourite dishes and flavours you go out for. We’ve partnered with foodie influencer and Instagrammer, Lindsay Radcliffe of Lindsay’s Feast, to put together a series of recipes that will help you to recreate your favourite flavours, healthily, at home. All of Lindsay’s recipes make four generous servings for less than £10. Lindsay said:
While eating out can be fun, exceeding your budget can quickly bite into your savings. With the right know-how, opting to dine in can be one of the easiest ways to save money.
Menu planning is a simple yet effective way to ensure you’re getting the most out of your food shop. It goes without saying that preparing meals in advance and batch-cooking means you’re less likely to rush out at the last minute and splurge in a restaurant.
Check out Lindsay’s recipes and more from our research in our DIY Dine Out hub. If you try any of our recipes, don’t forget to tag your social media posts with #DIYDineOut!
