Drunch, anyone?
Have you ever dined alone?
And no, we're not talking about the kind of lunch hour solo dates you have with yourself at Pret a Manger, we're talking about the kind of dining where you purposefully go to a restaurant to eat solo.
Whether it's your own thoughts keeping you company, a good book or your phone (or, perhaps you're just after a spot of people watching), it's definitely something for everyone's bucket list. It takes a certain air of confidence to do it and I'm permanently impressed with any one who looks comfortable doing it.
So, when we were looking at dining and food trends, according to Westfield's How We Shop: The Food Edit, it didn't surprise us that the nations' dining habits now include solo dining. But, we're not sure what we think about bedroom dining... or drunch.
UK dining habits
Solo dining
1 in 4 of all evening meals eaten out are done so alone with the younger generation leading the way (47% of under-40s) and Londoners (56%) most often booking a ‘table for one’ each month. Nearly half of under 40s regularly eat out alone.
Average meal time
The nation’s average meal time is at 6.39pm on weekdays.
#Foodstagram
6 million phones have been dropped in food while Brits have been trying to take a photo and 46% of Brits believe phones should be banned by restaurants. In fact, 91% hate phone use during meals but 35% love to photograph their food before eating. While, at home, men (28%) are more likely to post on social about home cooked food than women (23%)
Favourite cuisine
Unsurprisingly, Italian is the nation’s favourite cuisine. Bellissimo!
Bedroom dining
60% of under-29s now opt for restaurant takeaway via services like Deliveroo over a traditional 'go out to your local chippy' job. And, some of them like to eat said takeaway in their pyjamas in bed. (Fair enough, really.) Just no crumbs in bed, please...
Coffee
Over 50% would rather meet for coffee than alcohol.
Drunch
¾ of under 30s say brunch is their favourite meal but the nation has also adopted ‘drunch’, with a third of us (32%) merging lunch and dinner each week.
