What is it about British holiday makers and full breakfast?

[MonaLisaDoesntSmile]

The other day I was wathing randomly Four in a Bed. The hosting B&B had an amazing (for me) choice of breakfast foods- loads of nice cereal, yoghurts, fresh fruit, cold meats, cheeses, freshly baked bread, most locally picked/made, seasonal whenever possible. Every couple on the show complained that there was no cooked breakfast option and rated the B&B really low on the breakfast front because they didn't get to have their fry-up.
Another time I watched snippets of a programme showing people to travelling around France, again all complaining that they don't get to have their bacon and beans, but were offered French breakfast instead. There was a time when I worked in a hotel abroad over the summer and likewise saw plenty of British tourists who would refuse to have breakfast if they didnt get their fried eggs and would moan there was no bacon or fried beans. Now mind you, I love eggs for breakfast, but I also ate plenty of other stuff that are available.

Asking here as I am a foreigner and back home we are not really religious about our breakfasts- sometimes we have cooked breakfast, sometimes a sandwich, sometimes cereal, and I have never in my life met a fellow countryman who would complain as much about not having specific foods on offer, especially when abroad. And out of all the British people I know, very, very few actually have a fry up for breakfast, not mentoning having it every day. I didn't get that vibe to from tourists from other countries, not the same extent at least.

I know that while abroad or generally on holiday you sometimes want to eat something familiar, but don't really understand why people are so upset to not have the food they don't even eat at home every day offered while away every day?

“I don't understand this. The whole experience of what? Being in another country? When I'm abroad I like to eat what the people of that country tend to eat for breakfast. I don't eat an English cooked breakfast regularly at home so why would I suddenly want one when I'm abroad?”

@Bluesheep8
firstly, I hope it’s obvious that people can do whatever the hell the want, particularly on holiday 🤣

BUT Why should you feel like you have to have the breakfast traditional to the country, and it’s somehow inferior not to? Many countries don’t have nice breakfasts- take Italy, a coffee and a small pastry/ bread roll Eaten on the Hoff (in many parts) why would you want that on holiday? And particularly why would you want that if your hotel caters to international tastes and has all sorts of foods you do love?

I don’t understand this weird wannabe enforced cultural integration. You’re not engaging in the culture by having a bread roll rather than a full English.

Since many hotels/ restaurants/ cafes abroad - particularly in Europe- offer English breakfasts in the menu, what’s the problem? It’s no big deal.

Now complaining to the hotel is daft, unless you’ve been led to believe you would be offered cooked breakfast but I don’t imagine that’s particularly common, just an extreme

She’s slagging off British people! And no of course racist comments aren’t okay, but the OP is the one engaging in xenophobia

OP is going off her experience and asking questions, not slagging off British people. Good grief. Nowhere did they say ALL British people do this or that, etc...

People regardless of nationality should do their research before booking a holiday
if they have certain expectations on what they want for breakfast. There’s really no excuse for not doing so if it is that serious to them and when you can find information with pictures on the Net.

When abroad I just have what the locals have even if the hotel is also offering British fare .

when abroad I just have what the locals have - on that basis, when we were in Portugal for work some years ago, that'd be a thick black coffee, a fag and a spit

on that basis, when we were in Portugal for work some years ago, that'd be a thick black coffee, a fag and a spit

^And on what planet are “curry” and “baked beans on toast” not cooked meals?!

😂I was referring to the full English cooked breakfast not hot food in general.

on that basis, when we were in Portugal for work some years ago, that'd be a thick black coffee, a fag and a spit

On that basis, if the OP is Portuguese I can understand their mystification over a full English/Scottish/Irish/Welsh...

I had juice , coffee and fruit in Lisbon

And of course pastries

As others have said, In Britain I would expect a full cooked breakfast.
If I travel elsewhere I do not

When abroad I just have what the locals have

I do the same, luckily these days, most places have a MaccyD's so I have lunch like the locals!!!

Simple
When I’m on holiday I like a big breakfast to last me through the day.
I don’t have it everyday so this is part of my holiday treats (like plenty of alcohol and restaurant food)

It’s a treat and not something most people have on a daily basis. I can have yoghurt and cereal easily at home but having a breakfast cooked for you (and not having to wash up or stink of grease) is great

I rarely eat a full breakfast at home so it is a treat when I’m holiday. But I do eat different things on different days. I love boiled eggs and fresh bread on holiday

I have smoothies or a bagel at home but I like your choice of a hot breakfast if I'm somewhere in the UK. I have been to Paris and loved the continental breakfast

I don’t tend to eat breakfast normally, but I do on jolly hols as we’re usually quite active whilst away. I do like a (grilled) full English, sets me up for the day. In the same vein, so long as there is a good, decent breakfast available then I’m really not bothered if a full English isn’t available. In fact I do really enjoy a scrummy “continental” brekkie with cereal/juice/toast/fresh rolls with a selection of cheeses/meats. Actually, I pretty much just like food 🤦🏼‍♀️ I certainly wouldn’t mark an establishment down for not doing a FE.

I guess it’s just what people expect when in a hotel or B+B. Hotels and guest houses in Germany also have a very standard offer, albeit different. Boiled eggs, cold meats, cheeses, and fish, selection of bread rolls, coffee or hot chocolate. That’s obviously what Germans like to find when they’re staying away - my German / Austrian friends who were travelling in England last summer certainly found the ‘full English’ hard to deal with, nowhere near enough bread supplied for their taste!!

I love continental breakfasts and if I'm staying abroad on holiday I love the selection but if I have one night away I do look forward to a fried breakfast. Its not something I have very often and would never cook it myself at home. To me it is part of the enjoyment of staying in a B&B or hotel overnight (mostly because it is a rare occasion for me). I wouldn't be complaining if it wasn't offered but I probably would complain if my B&B or hotel only offered cereal or toast.

Having grown up with a full English as a main meal, I cant get my head round having it for breakfast and everything that could be grilled was.
When I used to go to France I either had a croissant or yoghurt.
We never stayed in bnb's cuz my mother was too much of a snob.

Im English and often have cooked breakfast at home but not usually a fry up. I tend to have an omelette or some grilled bacon on toast. However i would expect cooked breakfast in a hotel or b&b in England if I was paying for breakfast. But if I'm in another country then I will wholeheartedly embrace whatever breakfast foods that country tends to serve. I had a lovely Turkish breakfast of like a flatbread type tortia thing with cooked bits of meat salad eggs and sauce on once it was completely different to something I would have at home and tasted lovely.

In the uk I may opt for a cooked 'full English ' in a hotel or b&b. I wouldn't book a place just because it served one.
When abroad (normally AI) I prefer fruit, cereal and on a recent holiday I was treated to warm rice pudding for breakfast! Apparently the hotel mainly catered for the German contingent and that is a 'thing' for them. Lovely!!
I couldn't fill up on pastries personally, but all of us are different, and I have never complained that I've not been able to get bacon and eggs whilst holidaying abroad.
I have always been willing to try local food wherever I am. I think Brits get a bit of bad press in this regard....

We stay in 4 and 5 star international chain hotels all over the World. The breakfasts are all a variation of the same hot and cold options with some local specialities thrown one for good measure. For example, almost all serve sausages but they vary a lot from country to country. Pancakes seem popular the World over which keeps my kids happy. They prefer an American breakfast over a full English any day. However, the former is far too sweet for me! Basically, we like choice as we all enjoy different things for breakfast.

@cushioncovers so what are you having for dinner tonight then? Two bananas and a big bit of malt loaf?