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?

Well Im Irish in Ireland, stayed in a b&b last night and got served a full Irish breakfast this morning. It was lovely as I was hanging but not something i cook at home. If i was away more than one night i would have a full Irish (or English depending whats on offer lol) but stick to pate on toast or cold meats and cheese and fruit buffet. Its nice to have it on offer but I prefer other stuff.

Oh yes lord. And Lipton tea. Should be banned. Often the coffee in continental Europe is disappointing too. I think the U.K. is leading in availability of quality coffee, the quality has become amazing in the last 10 years (not in your average bnb, admittedly!)

@Passthecherrycoke Just two hotels in different places, but lots of Brits lol. But yeah I can tell you it was always an issue, especially when big tours came in and you had 50 people expecting food that was not there (complain to the tour company, not the hotel, they were the ones who booked you in). I can tell you, it was not pleasant to serve so many people with sour faces!

“loads of nice cereal, yoghurts, fresh fruit, cold meats, cheeses, freshly baked bread”

So stuff you could just buy yourself but you’ve paid for a B&B?... that’s the issue really.

If breakfast is going to be something I can just buy, I’d stay somewhere cheaper that doesn’t do breakfast and buy things I actually want (I don’t eat meat, I’m not keen on cereal or yoghurt)

And 4 in a bed is a competition, so of course they go - here, where’s the cooked breakfast?

@DontCallMeShitley The Israeli breakfast sounds like my cup of tea!
I must say I also quite fancy Asian breakfasts, we had some amazing stuff served in China and Japan including rice, lovely pocked veg, egg omlette, smoked fish, some miso soup. Not really what I'd have at home but it was so filling and refreshing at the same time.

I like South Indian / Sri Lankan breakfasts but these are def cooked

@tabulahrasa So stuff you could just buy yourself but you’ve paid for a B&B?... that’s the issue really.

Well, you can buy eggs and bacon and fry them yourself as well, so what's different here? Maybe you are very lucky and you often get to eat locally picked, organic fruit and other local produce like dairy and cold meats, I'd suppose most people don't get that opportunity!

Irish breakfast with soda bread and Irish butter - there is nothing better

I’m a breakfast connoisseur . Ive spent all my holidays for the last 5 years working my way round Greece and Italy, their breakfasts aren’t good but most hotels do cooked breakfast especially on the islands

Also I grew up in a guest house.

I'm not one for all inclusive or Brits Abroad holidays but I do love a full English on holiday if I can get one. How can anybody argue that croissants and yoghurt compares to sausage, bacon, beans etc?

Only thing that comes close is Greek tyropits drools

I never understand why when on holiday overseas people expect a British breakfast to be available - why not enjoy the food of the country you are visiting?

I think that’s another issue that many countries, especially in Europe don’t place too much importance on breakfast, preferring to concentrate on lunch and dinner, so it seems obvious in touristy areas for borrow breakfast from the country that specialises in it 🇬🇧

@DerbyshireGirly- I am not arguing against a cooked brekfast, I was just puzzled that for some (many) people it is such a big thing. As I said, in my country we are not really that fussed with it, so it would not ruin my day not to see certain options on the menu and only have cold breakfast, as we often have such anyways in the house, but I get it's a sort of a treat for loads of people.

And 🇮🇪

I've only ever been to two places that cook an English breakfast as I'd like it so rarely have one unless it's a buffet and I can choose the bits I want.
Aside from a roast dinner it's probably the last thing I want to eat when holidaying somewhere hot.

The breakfast was a glorious selection of noodles and curry (DS though it was bloody brilliant).

I'm with your DS - it sounds bloody amazing!

(I luffs a curry breakfast!)

“Well, you can buy eggs and bacon and fry them yourself as well, so what's different here?”

The frying...

Part of what you’re paying for in a bed and breakfast is someone else sorting out your breakfast.

Yaaaaay! Another Brit Bashing thread, thinly disguised as curiosity.

We haven't had one for at least a week.

Oh don’t be silly worra! Don’t you know that every other country is SO EXOTIC and we’re just fat lazy hillbillies who spend all their time whinging?

I mean I bet you wish you were French so you could enjoy a superior breakfast of bread, butter and a bowl of coffee. Bread and butter is SO CHIC. You wouldn’t understand because you're British.

(I bloody love Four in a Bed).

I never cook a fried breakfast at home. I love having a full English if I stay in a hotel or b&b in the uk, it's all part of the experience. I dont eat a fried breakfast if visiting other countries I'm happy with the local offering.......

I mean unless they made the cheese and grew the fruit? Then I might be ok with it.

But if not, I’d book self catering for less money and go to a farm shop and pick what I actually like, instead of having to choose from what they’ve bought.

Well, you can buy eggs and bacon and fry them yourself as well, so what's different here?

But that's the point, isn't it? You go on holiday and pay to stay in a hotel or B&B so that you don't have to cook, and to eat things you wouldn't normally eat at home.

Most people don't cook fry ups everyday, nor do they make pancakes or waffles or poached eggs. So when you stay in a hotel, it's nice to have that kind of thing, with the added benefit of no washing up to contend with!

I don't go on holiday to eat food I have everyday at home (ham, cheese, cereal, toast) - because it's just a bit same-y and boring. It's like if I go to a restaurant I'm not going to have a jacket potato for dinner - I'd eat something I wouldn't normally cook for myself (either because of time, cost or hassle).

The B&B thing is a total red herring. If you went to say Weatherspoons or your local greasy spoon, you'd pay around £5-6 for your breakfast. In a B&B or hotel if it wasn't included in the price you'd be looking at nearer £10. If someone pays say £80-120 a night for a nice B&B, they want their 'free full English' option. Not many people want to spend the best pay of £100 to get offered a bowl of Frosties, a cheese and ham sandwich, or an organic pear sourced from 5 miles down the road. The ones that get the best feedback are when they do both options, and the bacon, sausage, eggs from are local farmers.

We rarely have a cooked breakfast at home, far too much faff in the morning, so it is something I really look forward to on holiday.

I wouldn't expect the full monty if I was overseas though - I'd happily have what is traditionally served in that country.

Another Scot who doesn’t get it. I know we have the unhealthy eating reputation but I’ll generally have toast or an omelette, all that fried stuff, seems too much. A ‘Full English’ on a foreign holiday is baffling