17/04/2009 - Diners dislike complex menus
While haute-cuisine has made a comeback following a rise in flamboyant cooking television shows, many people are put off by complex menus.
A new report found 10% of people in London and 20% of those in the North East are less likely to return to a restaurant which has a confusing menu, while only 6% are impressed by intricate menus in different languages.
One in five said they would not return to a restaurant if they felt the menu was pretentious, the British Food Report found.
Researchers spoke to 4,000 British adults and found 27% did not want to appear ignorant and therefore were reluctant to ask for explanations of complex food phrases.
However, in the South East, 79% were confident about inquiring about their food, whereas people from Northern Ireland were the most likely to avoid ordering something they did not understand.
Daniel Green, celebrity chef, said: "Restaurants' attempts to impress with their insider lingo are actually alienating customers.
"People don't want to appear foolish or end up with a dish they really don't like, so they're beginning to shun fancy restaurants and stick to those with simple menus and meals which are familiar."
A fifth of those questioned added that they would rather eat straightforward, quality British food than fancy pretentious cuisine.
Copyright © Press Association 2009
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