Brits spend ‘up to a quarter' of income on dining out, survey claims
Brits are supposedly spending up to one quarter of their annual income on dining out each year.
That's the surprising figure from online booking service OpenTable, which said the number illustrated how regular a habit dining out has become for the majority in this country.
The UK-wide study showed that on average Brits eat out 1.5 times a week, spending up to £53 per meal. This equates to a "potential" £4,166 a year on dining out, which OpenTable said was almost one quarter of the average annual income.
However there was no indication from the research that those people who earned the average annual income in Britain were the ones spending £4,166 per year on dining out.
The figures were based on an OpenTable survey of 2,000 residents between 10 and 15 June 2015. The same survey found that average annual income among the people who took part was £23,037, equating to a take home pay of £18,752.
The survey also found that while over-55s earn on average 30% more than 18-24 year olds, 18-24 year olds actually eat out twice as much as the over-55s.
Topping the leaderboard of most frequent diners were the people of Portsmouth, who eat out on average 2.23 times a week, more than any other city in the UK. Those that eat out least are the residents of Aberdeen and Aberystwyth, who both visit restaurants less than once a week.
Mike Xenakis, managing director at OpenTable, said: "It is no surprise to discover that Brits are spending a healthy amount of their income on dining out. With the diverse quality and variety of food in the UK, there is more culinary choice for diners than ever before.
"Whilst London continues to hold the reputation as the country's culinary capital, we are seeing more and more award-winning restaurants opening in the regions, giving a larger percentage of the population access to world class dining."