Price of starters and desserts go up while cost of main courses remains flat

The cost of ordering a three-course meal in the UK's pubs, restaurants and hotels has gone up over the past year, despite main course prices remaining fairly stable.

Horizons' biannual Menurama research reveals that the price of starters and desserts has risen year-on-year, with pubs showing the largest price increases.

The research, based on data from over 400 menus from the UK's top 100 leading chain and independent pubs, restaurants and hotels, shows that the average cost of a three-course meal across all eating-out establishments, excluding drink, has risen from £17.40 to £18.45 over the past year – up 6%.

An average starter now costs £5.24 – up from £4.70 last year. A main course costs an average of £8.86 – up from £8.73, while a dessert now costs £4.36, up from £3.97 in 2008.

Paul Backman from Horizons said: "The discounts and meal deals currently evident in the market have kept the prices charged for main courses fairly stable - in many cases they are lower than they were last year. But some operators, particularly in the pub sector, have made up for discounting on main courses by increasing the price of other dishes."

Pubs
The pub sector has increased the cost of starters and desserts the most, with a starter costing 10.6% more this year than in 2008, from £3.68 to £4.07. A pub dessert now costs 6% more, rising from £3.46 to £3.68.

However, a main course in a pub is now cheaper than it was a year ago with the average price falling from £7.19 to £7.17. The research also revealed that pubs dropped their main course prices by a huge 32p from January-July this year in a bid to boost trade.

Restaurants
The average cost of a restaurant main course has also fallen, from £10.06 to £10.01 year-on-year, largely due to promotional activities such as 'two-for-the-price-of-one' and money-off vouchers. Restaurant starters, at £5.48 this year, are 2p more than they were a year ago, although desserts are now cheaper at £4.34, compared with £4.42 in 2008. 

Hotels
Over the same period the price charged for a starter in a hotel rose 9% from £7.42 to £8.09 year-on-year, while main course prices have increased 1.5% from £12.47 to £12.67. The cost of a dessert in a hotel has risen 51p from £6.69 to £7.20.

Backman added that consumers are becoming increasingly savvy by recognising these price changes. He predicts that it could take as long as 18 months for operators to phase out price promotions.

Words: Clare Riley

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