Food for Thought? The Average Brit Spends £700 on Eating Out Per Year - Here's How to Do It for Less With Budget Meal Ideas in 2019

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Jan 17, 2019, 10:01 ET

LONDON, January 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

New research has found that Brits dine out at their favourite restaurants at least three times a month, each spending on average £695.76 per year, which equates to 3% of the average take home salary ^[1]
6% of Brits spend as much as £1,200 per person each year on eating at restaurants
While 65% of people put a budget in place for a money-friendly meal, 90% of people struggle to 'always stick to their budget'
Sunny has partnered with food influencer, Lindsay's Feast, to create a range of delicious, healthy and budget-friendly recipes to help you recreate your favourite restaurant meals at home this January

As Brits everywhere pledge to make 2019 the year that we're healthier, happier and thriftier, new research uncovers our culinary quirks when it comes to dining out and reveals how to get a head start on your foodie resolutions.

Sunny's research shows that the average Brit dines out three times a month, spending on average £695.76 per person each year. And while most of us go out with a budget in mind, the majority of us find that our eyes are often bigger than our budgets - with 90% saying they spend more than they had planned. The research also found that 43% of Brits eat out the most as a couple, meaning the average couple spends £1,391.52 per year on dining out.

As the average person spends about £22 a head on a meal out, by swapping one night out for one night in per month, Brits could save more than £250 per person - or £500 per couple - each year. Sunny is challenging the nation to #DIYDineOut this January, enlisting the help of Lindsay's Feast to create some jaw-droppingly delicious, quick and easy meals to feed four on a £10 budget so that anyone - even if you're not Mary Berry - can recreate exciting meals out, at home for family and friends.

When it comes to other good intentions, the research shows that more than one in five (23%) Brits pledge to eat more healthily and 21% want to save more money in the New Year, however, more often than not those resolutions are broken. Within the first month, one quarter (25%) break their healthy eating promise and 18% don't save money as planned.

Pasta la vista, baby!

Italian came top as the UK's favourite cuisine when eating out (22%), particularly among 18-34 year olds (28%) and Londoners (30%). Its popularity also seems to make it the cuisine we're prepared to spend the most on: 21% say they usually spend more than £50 a head - almost £30 more than the average spend and a potential £100+ bill for a couple each time they eat out.

Liverpudlians, however, prefer Chinese (26%), while Brummies opt for the Indian cuisine of the Balti Triangle (22%) and Mancunians look towards the Curry Mile (19%), Bristolians can't make up their minds and are spoilt for choice between Indian, Chinese and Thai (14% each).


    Region                 Favourite cuisine
    Birmingham             Indian (22%), Italian (16%), Chinese (15%)
    Bristol                Thai, Chinese, Indian (joint 14%)
    Cardiff                Italian (25%), Chinese (16%), Italian (15%)
    Edinburgh              Indian (22%), Italian (21%), Chinese (16%)
    Glasgow                Italian (34%), Chinese (23%), Indian (9%)
    Leeds                  Italian (21%), Indian and Chinese (14%)
    Liverpool              Chinese (26%), Italian and Indian (13%)
    London                 Italian (30%), Indian (17%), Chinese (13%)
    Manchester             Chinese (19%), Italian (17%), Indian (15%)
                                        Newcastle              Indian (22%), Chinese and Italian (19%)

Lindsay Radcliffe, food blogger of Lindsay's Feast, said:

"We live in a foodie culture and 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 and start the New Year right.

"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 are less likely to rush out at the last-minute and splurge at a restaurant.

"With 43% of Brits dining out the most as a couple and spending about £1,400 per year on meals out, cooking at home is a great way to catch up with your partner, without the hefty bill. I've whipped up five delicious, nutritious and wallet-friendly recipes that you can recreate in your kitchen to wow your friends and family. My recipes demonstrate that it's still possible to eat well and if you dine in just one more night each month, you could save £250 per person a year."

Scott Greever, Managing Director of Sunny, says:

"Our research reveals that Brits spend almost £700 per person a year on eating out - that's 3% of an average take home salary^[1] spent dining out at restaurants. Furthermore, 65% of people plan a budget but 90% of people struggle to keep to it. 43% of Brits eat out as a couple and so spend about £1,400 per year, the same price as a luxury holiday! That's why we've teamed up with Lindsay to show you how dining in just one extra night a month could save each couple £500 per year with fun and cheap meal ideas to get your creative cooking juices flowing.

"We want people to start the New Year as they mean to go on, whether that's trying to eat more healthily or saving that extra bit of money."

For more information and to try Lindsay's recipes, visit: https://sunny.co.uk/good-vibes/pennies-make-pounds-5-diy-dine-out-budget-recipes-for-the-new-year/

Notes:

Research of 2,006 nationally representative UK adults (aged 18+) undertaken by Opinium in November 2018, commissioned by Sunny.

1. Methodology for percentage of average take home salary: £700 as a percentage of average take home salary (£28,677). Average UK salary taken from: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/bulletins/annualsurveyofhoursandearnings/2017provisionaland2016revisedresults#main-points. Average take home salary calculated here: https://www.thesalarycalculator.co.uk/salary.php

SOURCE Sunny