The average Brit now polishes off lunch in just 25 minutes, tearing through meals at lightning speed, while their Mediterranean neighbours in Italy prefer to stretch the experience to a full hour. A new international study commissioned by Italian Alpine beer brand Menabrea found a stark contrast across Europe, with Italian diners far more likely to treat meals as a social ritual.
In the UK, one in three people admit they are fast eaters, and a quarter say they wolf down their food instead of savouring it. Nearly one in four go further, viewing meals simply as fuel before moving on to the next task. Experts suggest this breakneck approach may be rooted in the nation’s long-standing tea culture or the legacy of the Industrial Revolution, when factory workers had little time to eat between gruelling shifts.
This fast-paced relationship with food remains visible today as more than half of the population eats lunch at their desk. Nearly one in five admit to juggling meals with work emails, while dinner is often treated as a background activity. Almost nine in ten Brits eat in front of the TV roughly five nights a week and check their phones an average of 13 times during a single meal.
Eleanor Quigley said: “Food and drink should be about far more than simply fueling the day, they should be a chance to pause, connect with others and properly savour the moment.”
When asked what gets in the way of slowing down, the biggest barriers identified were cost, lack of time, and too many distractions. The pressure to hurry extends beyond solo meals, as more than a third of Brits have rushed family meals due to time constraints, and many have even cut dates short because they had other tasks to complete.
In Italy, the attitude is markedly different, with 88% of Italians insisting a good meal should never be rushed. Almost half say they never eat dinner in front of the TV, compared to the overwhelming majority of Brits who do so regularly. While 90% of Brits say they would love to adopt a more European approach to dining, many admit they simply struggle to switch off and relax at mealtimes.
Eleanor said: “Our research highlights a clear cultural contrast between Britain and Italy, with Italians far more likely to treat dining as an experience to be enjoyed, rather than something to rush through. By exploring that divide, we wanted to champion a more mindful, more sociable way of eating and drinking.”
