The Average Brit Spends £700 ($903.52) on Eating Out Per Year, New Research Finds

New research has found that Brits dine out at their favourite restaurants at least three times a month, each spending on average £695.76 ($898.36) per year, which equates to 3% of the average take home salary. Image: Lisy_, Pixabay

INTERNATIONAL -- 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.

Also read, Kids See Thousands of Unhealthy Food and Beverage Ads Per Year on Social Media, New Study Finds.

Sunny's research shows that the average Brit dines out three times a month, spending on average £695.76 ($898.36) 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 ($1,796.72) per year on dining out.

As the average person spends about £22 ($28.41) a head on a meal out, by swapping one night out for one night in per month, Brits could save more than £250 ($322.75) per person - or £500 ($645.49) 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 ($12.91) 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 ($64.55) a head - almost £30 ($38.73) more than the average spend and a potential £100+ bill ($129.10) 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%)

Scott Greever, Managing Director of Sunny, says:    
"Our research reveals that Brits spend almost £700 ($903.69) 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 ($1,807.38) 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 ($645.49) 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."

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 ($903.52) as a percentage of average take home salary (£28,677) ($37,030.07). Average UK salary taken from: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/bulletin /annualsurveyofhoursandearnings/2017provisionaland2016revisedresults#main-points. Average take home salary calculated here: https://www.thesalarycalculator.co.uk/salary.php

SOURCE Sunny