From sourdough bread to outdoor dining, the COVID-19 pandemic had a huge impact on Britain’s eating habits - and nowhere is this more keenly felt than the nation’s capital. A survey of diners conducted by Sicilian Avenue found that there has been a profound shift in the sorts of experiences that London visitors tend to seek out - with a significant shift towards more premium, upmarket food and drink experiences.
In total, over half of London visitors are more likely to seek out premium food and drink experiences when visiting London, compared to how they felt in 2019, with one in five saying that they are 'much more likely' to seek out premium food and drink experiences in the capital. Among young Generation Z diners aged 16 to 27, and Millennials, that figure rises to three in five (59%) - with older generations less keen (29% of Boomers).
Sicilian Avenue Graph - How much more or less likely are you to seek out premium food & drink experiences while visiting London now than in 2019? OVERALL
How Have London’s Dining Habits Changed Since 2019?
The research was conducted by Sicilian Avenue, a newly relaunched pedestrian avenue built in 1910 by visionary architect R.J. Worley. Sicilian Avenue’s unique pillared diagonal was one of London’s first purpose-built pedestrian streets, and is now the vanguard of a wider move towards pedestrianised spaces in central London - playing host to premium brands such as mindful Japanese café MATCHADO.
The research tallies with other polls by Square and OpenTable, with Square finding that almost half of London diners are willing to spend more on meals out, while OpenTable found a 72% increase in ‘Experience’ dining (think tasting menus). Sicilian Avenue’s research with visitors to Londoners found an intriguing list of reasons for why diners, in particular young people, might be shifting towards more premium dining.
Even against a background of rising prices, the allure of premium drinking and dining experiences is still clearly powerful: one diner said, “Although prices have increased, it's more important to socialise now that we can. I'm older than I was and want a better class to eat or drink.” The research found that, to diners and cafe visitors, the most important premium elements were quality of service (59%), quality of ingredients (57%), followed by portion size (37%) and a prime location (32%).
Sicilian Avenue Graph - What premium elements are important to you when choosing a restaurant or cafe to eat in, if any? OVERALL
Others spoke of the opportunity to ‘indulge’ and spoil themselves, while several spoke of the allure of higher quality establishments. One said “Eating out is relatively expensive so I want to support eateries that pride themselves in using good quality ingredients from trusted suppliers,” while another said they chose premium options “Because of the quality of their meal and sustainable practices.”