Cooked Breakfast Tops Treat List as Nation's Favourite

LONDON - New research by Hilton Garden Inn* into the nation's eating habits reveals that a hearty cooked breakfast has been voted the number one 'treat' meal by Brits, overtaking classics such as curry, roast dinner and fish and chips.

The study of 2,000 adults reveals that more than a quarter (27 per cent) rated a cooked breakfast as their favourite blow-out meal, with twenty-nine per cent admitting to tucking into at least one a week.  Second on the list was a roast dinner (20 per cent), followed by fish and chips (18 per cent).  A curry - often said to be the national dish - ranked fourth (13 per cent), followed by a plate of steak and chips (eight per cent).

Mark Nogal, regional head, focused service brand management, EMEA, Hilton Worldwide, said, "At Hilton Garden Inn, our signature cooked-to-order breakfast, which includes our freshly-made waffles, has always been a favourite for our guests so it's great to see that its place as a British staple looks like it is here to stay!"

The findings reveal that when staying at a hotel, the number of people ordering a cooked breakfast soars, with two thirds of those surveyed more likely to indulge compared to when eating at home.  A break from the usual routine also appears to ramp up the appetite, with 76 per cent admitting to eating more than normal and 18 per cent admitting to putting away seconds or even thirds. Hotel stays also signal longer breakfast sessions, with 84 per cent saying they stay at the table for much longer than usual. Whilst women most look forward to relaxation when staying at a hotel, men are most excited about the hotel breakfast.

The study also lifted the lid on the nation's breakfast drinking habits to reveal that although coffee has soared in popularity in recent years, a nice brew still tops Britain's list of favourite hot drinks, with tea (39 per cent) proving more popular than coffee (33 per cent). Orange juice reigns supreme on the cold drink front overall, but the figures showed grapefruit juice grows in popularity the older we get.

In terms of the biggest cooked breakfast eaters in the country, Swansea in South Wales was found to be the cooked breakfast capital of the UK, with almost one in ten people sitting down for one every day. Aberdeen in Scotland came in second (7.14 per cent) followed by those in Leeds (6.85 per cent).

Meanwhile, if Brits could choose a celebrity to join them at the breakfast table, footie star David Beckham pips Royal Kate Middleton to the vote. The figure changed dramatically in the North East, where singer Cheryl Fernandez-Versini was the clear favourite.

The research coincides with the launch of Hilton Garden Inn's newest hotel at London Heathrow Airport which is due to open its doors on 10^th December 2014, offering guests the brand's signature cooked-to-order breakfast as well as waffles with a wide range of toppings.  Hilton Garden Inn London Heathrow Airport will join the brand's portfolio of more than 600 properties worldwide which includes a host of city location such as Istanbul, Turkey, Birmingham, UK, Seville, Spain and New York, USA.

Hilton Garden Inn is serving up hundreds of free breakfast samples to passers-by at London's Canary Wharf. The team will be on hand on Tuesday 18^th and Wednesday 19^th November from 7am - 12pm to give the public a taste of the brand's signature breakfast treats.

Hilton Garden Inn - Top 5 Treat meals

1st - Cooked breakfast         

2nd - Roast dinner

3rd - Fish and chips

4th - Curry

5th - Steak and chips

Hilton Garden Inn - Top 10 Celebrity Breakfast Companions

1st - David Beckham

2nd - Kate Middleton

3rd - Cheryl Fernandez-Versini

4th - George Clooney

5th - Denise Van Outen

6th - Suzanna Reid

7th - Brad Pitt

8th - Tess Daly

9th - Prince William

10th - Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

*The Hilton Breakfast Habits survey was conducted by One Poll in October 2014. The survey reached out to a total of 2,000 men and women over 18 years of age.