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Do you eat out differently since before the pandemic? Recently some fascinating research data has been released showing how our eating out habits across the UK have changed compared to before the Pandemic. Read on to find out more about the results and how our own habits have changed too as well as finding out how you go save money on meals out.
We love eating out as a family. Sometimes it’s as a treat for a special celebration or whilst we are travelling and sometimes simply as a necessity on a full day out where we wouldn’t get home until way after dinner time. Either way, we like to know that we are getting value for money and that the food will be delicious and enjoyed by all four of us.
The results of the study have shown that there has been a large increase in people eating out since restrictions eased (compared to pre-pandemic levels). This is no doubt a mixture of people making up for lost time enjoying eating out and socialising with family and friends now that they can. Certainly, we have noticed this with our own habits. We are out and about more often and meeting up with friends and family to enjoy a meal out too.
Bookings are also up in restaurants and we have noticed this. It’s getting harder and harder to find somewhere to eat without booking a table in advance. Whilst I can understand this. I do miss the days of being able to decide to eat out at the spur of the moment when a day out goes so well that you lose track of time!
There has also been an increase in people searching for specific types of restaurants. For example searches for Italian restaurants have doubled, along with Indian and Spanish.
Value for money is getting more and more important as budgets are getting tightened across the country. Read on to find out how you could save money. Let’s face it we all need a little help now to make our money go further.
| Term Cuisine Specific | Search volume April 2019 | Search volume April 2020 | Search volume April 2021 | Search volume April 2022 |
| italian restaurant near me | 18,689 | 3,768 | 8,711 | 38,137 |
| chinese restaurant near me | 60,124 | 28,861 | 27,492 | 79,111 |
| indian restaurant near me | 113,532 | 34,120 | 69,204 | 236,794 |
| spanish restaurant near me | 2,967 | 298 | 3,362 | 7,005 |
| french restaurant near me | 3,493 | 577 | 2,207 | 5,823 |
| japanese restaurant near me | 11,414 | 2,547 | 10,960 | 25,356 |
| vegan restaurant near me | 3,130 | 229 | 2,096 | 3,365 |
Have you heard of Tastecard?
Tastecard makes eating out more affordable. You pay a small monthly membership fee (currently £5.99 for a monthly membership or 60 days free into an annual for £47.88) and get access to 2 for 1 dining deals and other discounts on eating out (as well as family days out and cinema tickets).
These meal discounts and offers of 2 for 1 meals are for big chains including family favourites like ASK Italian, Bella Italia, Prezzo and Pizza hut. More than that, there are lots of independent restaurants across the country too. On average, members save around £19 per meal, meaning they could save themselves £226.56 a year if they eat out once a month! I don’t know about you but I like the sound of this!
I’d love to hear in the comments how your eating habits have changed. Are you eating out more or less? Are you choosing different types of restaurants?
This post is in conjunction with tastecard but all thoughts are my own.