'The Full English will never die out!' Greasy spoon fans speak up for the Great British Fry

Release time：2024-05-21 06:32:23 Source：Culture Corridor news portal

Britons enjoying a full English breakfast this morning have dismissed claims that the fry-up could be dying out because of health concerns among young people.

Diners responded to poll of those aged between 18 to 34 which found one in ten never have a cooked breakfast and 14 per cent only eat one once or twice a year.

And a further 20 per cent only eat a full English - which traditionally includes bacon, egg, sausage, beans, tomatoes, mushroom and toast - every couple of months.

Home appliance maker Breville, which commissioned the research, suggested youngsters were being turned off the classic by health influencers on social media.

But MailOnline visited a series of 'greasy spoon' cafes today where many people young and old hailed the tradition, with some admitting that they eat one every day.

Luke Wells, 25, Jackson Moule, 27, and George Camies, 22, said they rarely worry about the calorific content of their favourite breakfast, as they sat down to enjoy one in London today

Cafe owner Sahb Dhillon serves breakfast to Margaret Snowdon (left) and Tanya Langmead (right), who had just finished a cleaning shift, at Blossoms Cafe in the Byker area of Newcastle

Luke Wells and his workmates Jackson Moule and George Camies, all in their 20s, said they rarely worry about the calorific content of their favourite breakfast.

What are the common ingredients for a full English breakfast? 

The 'common' full English breakfast is a 'substantial meal' consisting of the following ingredients, according to the English Breakfast Society:

• Back bacon
• Eggs
• British sausage
• Baked beans
• Bubble and squeak
• Fried tomato
• Fried mushrooms
• Black pudding
• Fried & toasted bread (on the side)

The society says that while this list is often debated, 'these are the right ingredients in our learned opinion'. 

It adds that hash browns are not part of a traditional English breakfast, and are used only as a cheap plate filler.

The trio waited in line outside a café in London this morning before ordering fry-ups inside. Mr Wells, 25, who works installing air conditions units with his colleagues, said: 'I have a full English at least once a week, maybe more.

'We love it - the full English is a tradition. We're not bothered about it being greasy; I think I need it. We started early today and came down for breakfast. Ever since I was young, my mum's always made me a full English or a bacon sandwich.

'It's like a way of life. If you eat healthily the other six days a week, you balance it out. If someone mentions a fry-up I just can't resist - especially after a heavy night out. It sorts you out.'

His colleague Mr Camies, 22, added: 'I had four last week.'

But Mr Moule, from Australia, did admit that big breakfasts were becoming less popular in his home country.

'Potentially, we're going a little away from the big breakfasts,' the 27-year-old said. 'It's going healthier. But a full English is too good not to get.'

At the Waterloo Café in the capital, Dziugas Butkevicius, 22, who moved to England from Lithuania at five years old, agreed that the fry-up was a British tradition.

He told MailOnline that he believed people his age were not so keen on the traditional breakfast because it is not considered fashionable.

'I'm 22, but I probably eat a full English once a week,' the construction worker said. 'It's a treat, and almost like a tradition for us on a Friday.

Keith Mansfield (left), 62, and Dziugas Butkevicius (right), 22, at the Waterloo Cafe in London. Mr Butkevicius said: 'I know it's not the healthiest thing in the world, but once in a while can't hurt you really, can it?' Mr Mansfield added: 'I don't think the full English will ever die out'

Retired truck driver Richard Robson, 80, enjoyed his full English breakfast at Blossoms Cafe in Byker, Newcastle, today and said: 'I can't imagine a world without them' 

'I know it's not the healthiest thing in the world, but once in a while can't hurt you really, can it?

READ MORE Is the great British fry-up now toast? Gen-Z turns its back on cooked breakfasts after being convinced it is too fatty and greasy by health influencers on social media

'I don't think there's anything wrong with it. I wouldn't eat it day-to-day, but once or twice a week, I don't think there's too much wrong with that.

'I think it's a bit uncool these days - it's more of a culture than a health thing. It's not fashionable. Gen Z… I think there's a lot of people who live off energy drinks and crisps, so I don't think they're too bothered about health.

'At least with a full English there's some nutritional value. I can see where the argument comes from, but I don't think the full English will ever die out.'

Keith Mansfield, a 62-year-old father-of-one, agreed with his younger colleague.

'I don't think the full English will ever die out,' he said. 'It's maybe not as massive as it was, but it's a selling point at pubs across the country: full English breakfast, £10 or whatever.'

German tourist Jonas Riemer said he visited a greasy spoon in London with his friends back in 2019, and enjoyed his breakfast so much that he returned to queue by himself for another taste today.

Retired community worker Michelle Whitworth, 73, said at Blossoms Cafe in Byker, Newcastle, that the 'full English is a treat for me' but added: 'I never have the fried bread' 

German tourist Jonas Riemer, 25, said he visited a greasy spoon in London with his friends in 2019, and enjoyed it so much that he returned to the same one to queue by himself today

'I'm not put off by it being unhealthy,' the 25-year-old business administration student from Berlin said. 'I like greasy food. In Germany we also have bacon, eggs and sausage for breakfast.

'I also like cooking and preparing things for myself and have nothing against greasy, fatty foods. But, I understand that many Gen Zers think staying healthy is very important.'

American tourists Trevor and Stefanie Perry shared a table with Mr Riemer as well as his sentiments on the full English.

READ MORE Come fry with me! The UK's cheapest and priciest airports for a full English breakfast revealed - and it's Newcastle International that has the best deal (and the best reviews)

'In the States, we love greasy breakfasts,' 31-year-old PE teacher Mr Perry said. 'They'll never die out in America, so I don't think they'll die out here.'

At the other end of the country in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, MailOnline visited Blossoms Cafe in Byker, which was doing a roaring trade in full English breakfasts today.

At the busy greasy spoon on Shields Road, owner Sahb Dhillon said: 'The full English breakfast is really popular. We get a lot of younger people coming in. But people of all ages love the full English.

'It costs £6.95, including a drink. The full English is popular throughout the day, not just the morning. I used to be on Just Eat, and you'd get people ordering one at 10pm.

'People love our full English breakfasts. Our portions are massive. We get customers asking for doggy bags, because they struggle to finish.

'I guess some young people think the full English is greasy and too much food. I would say to them, come to Blossoms Cafe. You don't know what you are missing. It sets you up for the rest of the day.'

Mr Dhillon, who has owned the cafe for 15 years, added: 'I am surprised by the research as we get a lot of students coming in. It's not our experience here.

'Some of them might come in when they are a bit hungover. The full English is as popular as ever among everyone.'

Mother and daughter Margaret Snowdon, 65, and Tanya Langmead, 29, were tucking into full English breakfasts after finishing a 6.30am cleaning shift.

Ms Langmead said: 'I have a full English breakfast about twice a week. My partner could have one every day. He absolutely loves a full English. He'll have one about four times a week.

'I understand why young people might not be eating them as much, because they think they're unhealthy. But that's not necessarily the case. When I cook one at home, I do it in the air fryer so there's no oil.

Kyle Elsender, 22, said at Blossoms Cafe in Newcastle: 'I will eat a full English two or three times a week. When I come out for food, I always get one. A full English fills you up all day'

Occupational therapist Stefanie Perry, 32, and PE teacher Trevor Perry, 31, enjoy a fry-up in London.  Mr Perry said: 'They'll never die out in America, so I don't think they'll die out here'

'I don't have one every day. But when I do have a full English, especially in a cafe, I love it.'

Ms Snowdon added: 'We just finished work and now this breakfast will set us up for the rest of day. I am not that surprised they're not as popular among younger people because new foods come out, and take over, such as avocado.

'It's a shame. In moderation, a full English is not bad for you. My auntie, who was in her 90s, would cook one every single day. I love them, but I couldn't eat them quite that often.'

Richard Robson, 80, was enjoying breakfast and a chat with a friend. The retired truck driver said: 'I lived on full English breakfasts when I was at work. I can't imagine a world without them.

READ MORE Eating a meaty full English breakfast makes men more attractive - while carb-rich croissants and muffins make women seem ugly, study claims

'What's an avocado? I don't even know what one is. Is it green and looks like a pear? As a lad, I'd sometimes eat pies for breakfast. Never an avocado.

'I don't know why young people aren't eating the full English any more. It's up to them. The young will eat what they want, just like everyone else.'

Michelle Whitworth, 73, was reading a book while waiting for her full English to arrive. The retired community worker said: 'I am not surprised, not at all.

'The full English is a treat for me. I make sure I don't have one too often. I come to Byker on a Friday, and it fills me up. I never have the fried bread. That's the thing to cut out.

'In itself, the full English is not unhealthy. Mushrooms, baked beans, tomatoes, even black pudding. These things are not bad for you.

'I understand tastes are changing and the young are eating different things, like avocado. I would never order that in a cafe, it's overpriced.

'There are also more vegetarians and vegans these days, so the sausages and bacon wouldn't suit them. I used to be a vegetarian and sometimes I do feel a bit guilty about eating meat.

'I would never make a full English at home, and I understand why for young people it would be too much hassle.

'It's so cheap eating in a cafe like this, it's not worth it, to buy all the ingredients separately. I hate throwing food away. It's a very filling meal. I do still have lunch, but not a massive one. You don't need it after a full English.'

Retired fence erector Steven Elsender, 50, said at Blossoms Cafe in Byker, Newcastle, that fry-ups 'keep me full up' - and he had 'gone from eating four a week, to having one every day'

Cafe worker Gursharan Singh serves breakfast at Blossoms Cafe in the Byker area of Newcastle

Steven Elsender, 50, a retired fence erector, and his son Kyle, 20, were both getting stuck in to full English breakfasts.

Kyle said: 'I will eat a full English two or three times a week. When I come out for food, I always get one. A full English fills you up all day.

'I am surprised by this research as my friends are the same. They eat full English breakfasts as well. I would never eat an avocado or anything like that.'

Steven added: 'I have eaten full English breakfasts ever since I was a bairn. They keep me full up. I have gone from eating four a week, to having one every day.

'I don't make them at home, it's too fiddly. I eat in cafes. It's cheaper. I don't understand young people saying they are unhealthy.

'Plenty of people do things that are bad for them, like smoking. An English breakfast is quite nice. There's nothing wrong with it.'

It comes after the Breville study found almost four in ten worry that the meal is too fatty or greasy to tuck into any more than they usually do, while a similar number are concerned about the number of calories on the plate.

For many, it is the sheer number of ingredients that may be a turn-off, with almost a third of the 1,000 young Britons surveyed by OnePoll claiming that cooking a fry-up takes too much time.

A staggering 89 per cent said that they had experienced 'food guilt' after eating the breakfast, while almost one in four also said that they thought it was 'outdated'.

The clean-up also seems to be a problem, while others suggested that the trouble of juggling so many ingredients at the same time was a frustration.

What exactly goes into a fry-up varies across the UK. While eggs, mushrooms, beans, sausages and bacon are mainstays on the plate, there are often national varieties.

In Wales, cockles and laverbread are often added; while in Northern Ireland, soda bread and potato bread are regularly found on the menu.

Breville spokeswoman Lydia Baker said: 'There's still time to save the iconic dish. It's a beloved institution for a reason.

'Social media has spread an endless number of accounts giving advice on what's 'good' and 'bad' to eat, with the humble fry-up often falling into the latter camp.

'But it's perfectly possible to create a traditional fry up that's a little more guilt-free and less hassle.'

Related articles