Two thirds of consumers in London are eating out at least once a week, with the average spend for a meal out with wine between £20 and £39 per head, according to a new survey by review website Hot-dinners.com.
The survey, which was conducted between 7 Jan and 7 February 2013, and completed by 1,672 people, found that 90% of consumers picked food over service as the most important factor when deciding to return to a restaurant.
45% said the amount they eat out hadn’’t changed from a year ago, while 28% admitted they now eat out more than they did a year ago.
The average spend for a meal out with wine is between £20 and £39 per head, although 39% spend upwards of £40 a head when they go out. When asked what was the most people ever spent on a meal out - a third said they spent over £200 a head on a special meal.
Asked what they thought of current London food trends, those questioned gave street food the thumbs up with 78% rating it as a ‘hot right now’ trend. However, 55% said that “dude food” - hot dogs, tacos, fried chicken - had run its course. Burgers continued to be a trend with 61% believing there’s still life left in it.
The trend for no-bookings didn’t prove too popular, with 51% saying they were put off going to a restaurant with a no-bookings policy.
It found that recommendations from people you knew was the biggest influence in where people eat out, with 83% taking friends’ opinions into account when choosing where to eat.
London steakhouse Hawksmoor topped list of the best meal those questioned had had in the last year, ahead of Dabbous and the Ledbury.
