Travel search site momondo has carried out an extensive survey of British travel habits and results show dining out is most often cited as a preferred holiday experience for Brits abroad.

In fact, ‘eating out at restaurants’ was mentioned the most times, when asked which of 12 cultural activities associated with going on holiday Brits most liked to do when on holiday with family, friends or a partner.*

The travel site also found that 63% of Brits questioned responded that ‘good food’ is crucial to whether they feel that they have experienced a good holiday.

And 29% of Brits only choose a hotel abroad, if it has its own restaurant.

Brits have a healthy appetite for the unknown
momondo found Brits are not afraid to try something new - whether it’s travel destinations, or what’s on their plates.

The survey showed that 85% of Brits either ‘strongly agreed’ or ‘agreed’ they ‘prefer seeing new things when they travel’.

And whilst abroad, Brits are not afraid to try the local cuisine either. With 26% of Brits questioned citing they prefer to try unfamiliar, local dishes on holiday, and 45% preferring to distribute their appetite equally between new dishes and well-known favourites. Only 15% of Brits prefer only eating food they already know.

Brits don’t like their own grub
And Brits don’t appear to regard British food that highly.

Interestingly, when questioned what they most liked about the UK, only 8% of Brits answered they liked the food most. This was after being given six options, including the people, weather, culture & sights, and nature.

Food and culture are intertwined
“The Brits are culinary curious people - both when it comes to travel destinations, and experiences whilst away. This study reflects how food is the focal point for many of us when we travel,” says Julie Pedersen, Travel Spokesperson at momondo.

She continues: “Food is a natural part of the sensory experience, so it follows that travellers want to taste different things when in new and exciting places. Cooking is so often an expression of culture and travellers can experience something closer to the local experience, by eating local cuisine.”

Facts from the study…

Dining is crucial to a good holiday
• When recipients were given 12 options and asked to cite which factors were essential for a good holiday, (being allowed to tick as many as they liked), 65% cited ‘good food’. Other top factors revealed were ‘good opportunities for relaxing’ with 70% stating this, and ‘experiencing a local atmosphere’, with 55% of Brits claiming this was essential to a good vacation.

Few Brits will scrimp on food whilst away
• Only 21% of Brits would prefer to spend less money on snacks and meals whilst away, if they had to cut back on elements of their break by choosing less expensive alternatives, in order to save money.
• A wider survey was conducted by momondo among consumers in a total of 12 countries, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Holland, England, Russia and the US. The Brits came out fifth-most likely willing to downgrade the cost of food on holiday.

Restaurant visits are high on holiday activity list
• 65% of Brits said eating out at restaurants was a preferred activity whilst on holiday with the family or with their spouse.*
• 52% of Brits said eating out at restaurants was a preferred activity whilst on holiday with friends.*
•19% of Brits said eating out at restaurants was a preferred activity whilst on holiday alone.*

Eating new things
• 26% of Brits prefer to try local dishes whilst on holiday.
• Almost five out of ten Brits prefer to mix dishes they already know with local dining experiences.
• Only 15% of Brits prefer to eat food whilst on holiday, that they already know in advance.
• Only 4% of Brits surveyed prefer to make their own food when they are away on holiday.