Britons breakfast choices highlight a big North/South taste divide

Scots kick start their day with doorstep toast covered in scrambled eggs, for Geordies it’s a sausage stottie with lashings of brown sauce, Yorkshire-folk have the full Monty (full English breakfast), whilst it’s a sizzling bacon bap coated with ketchup for Scousers and Mancunians – who differ on many things but not their breakfast. However as you move down south the picture changes – Bristolians prefer a fresh healthy fruit salad and Londoners start their day with a warm bowl of porridge. These findings have been revealed in a new food study out today by Travelodge.

The survey of 3,000 Britons was conducted to investigate the nation’s breakfast habits to support the launch of its new unlimited breakfast menu. Key findings from the study reveal Travelodge full breakfast rangethat 84% of British adults report that breakfast is their most important meal of the day. However as you travel down the map of Britain, nowhere is the North South divide more evident than in our choice of what we eat for breakfast.

Whilst the north of Britain likes to start their day with a traditional meaty breakfast, the south prefers a lighter option such as fresh fruit, porridge or a bowl of cereal. A traditional bowl of Corn Flakes is the top breakfast choice for Brightoners, whilst the Welsh start their day with a bowl of Weetabix. People in
Leicester and are grr-eat fans of Frosties, and Norfolkers are torn between muesli and toast with jam. Interestingly Brummies prefer to start their day with just a strong cup of coffee.

Britons breakfast preferences across the country and highlights what time each region has their breakfast and where they eat their most important meal of the day.

Region Breakfast Where we have breakfast Who we have breakfast with
Scotland White toast with scrambled eggs Home Alone
North East Sausage stottie (with brown sauce) Home Alone
Yorkshire Full English Home Family
North West Bacon buttie (with ketchup) Home Family
Wales Weetabix Work Alone
East Midlands Frosties Home Family
East Muesli or toast with jam Home Family
South East Cornflakes Home Family
London Porridge Work Alone
South West Druit salad Work Alone

Further research findings revealed that on average Britons take just six minutes and 29 seconds to eat their breakfast.

Across the UK, the average person eats breakfast at 07:25am. Over half of Britons at 57% eat breakfast at home whilst a fifth (20%) of adults eat their most important meal of the day at work and 15% eat en-route to work.Over half (53%) of British adults reported within the study that they rely on a  cup of coffee to help wake up them up in the morning ahead of tea (31%) and fruit juice (10%).

The study also found that 55% of adults are using breakfast as the perfect opportunity to eat out and meet up with friends, or to celebrate a special occasion such as a birthday or anniversary. On average Britons will eat out for breakfast twice a month – making it as popular as going out for dinner. Over half of Britons at 51% say having a full English breakfast is a special treat.

Shakila Ahmed, Travelodge spokeswoman said:

“The breakfast choices of Britons are very diverse and it is interesting to see such a north south divide. Our own customers are telling us they value variety through a choice of great coffees, healthier options, as well as the traditional full cooked breakfast. Therefore we have created a new breakfast menu which is in touch with the needs of modern travellers who are looking for quality and value in their breakfast experience.”