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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

What is it about British holiday makers and full breakfast?

425 replies

MonaLisaDoesntSmile · 23/11/2019 17:58

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?

OP posts:
stucknoue · 23/11/2019 19:40

I don't care for a fry up but I like the option of an omelette cooked to order at least. If a hotel doesn't offer it I rate them poorly (assuming it's 4 star)

MissCharleyP · 23/11/2019 19:45

Haven’t RTFT but a full English is a treat if I’m on holiday. I work shifts and usually make a bacon/egg/black pudding barm to make sure I’m full enough to last until my break as I do one shift that starts around lunchtime. Fruit and cereal aren’t really that filling IMO.

We have just come back from Hong Kong and I ate steamed custard dumplings/egg tarts/ham and cheese baked rolls for breakfast so I don’t need a fry-up everywhere!

LolaSmiles · 23/11/2019 19:46

For me, a British B&B is shooting itself in the foot by not offering a full English breakfast.

Whining that continental hotels/B&Bs don't offer a full English is ridiculous and ignorant.

BerwickLad · 23/11/2019 19:47

I like it when you can have cereal and fruit and fry up, not all on the same plate obviously.

The hotel we stayed in most recently in Spain charged €19.75 for fruit, cold meat, bread and cheese. Um, I don't think so, sunshine, sophisticated though it doubtless was.

AgeShallNotWitherHer · 23/11/2019 19:58

Ofcourse OP won't tell us where she is from - because then we might say, "Well all people from XXXXLand are......."
Except we wouldn't.

Anyway - time for my fish n chips and steamed pud!

BearFoxBear · 23/11/2019 20:04

I think having a fry up is more of an an English thing than a Scottish one. I think it's gross eating loads of greasy meat and beans for breakfast 🤢

MonaLisaDoesntSmile · 23/11/2019 20:11

@WorraLiberty Oh get over yourself, clearly you took it personally.

OP posts:
GabsAlot · 23/11/2019 20:14

just been to Malta they do fry up and continental which suits everyone

EssentialHummus · 23/11/2019 20:15

Not British but love a hot breakfast on holiday. Like a PP it's the novelty + not having to clean three frying pans and wipe beans off the floor.

My biggest hotel breakfast disappointment was actually in Holland, where there was a little hot plate in the buffet area for guests to fry their own eggs. Fuck right off.

MonaLisaDoesntSmile · 23/11/2019 20:16

@AgeShallNotWitherHer You probably would! But of course it's fine for you to believe in your higher morale. My nation has a lot of things to criticise, believe me! But the thread was not about basking but asking to what extent is it an issue for people not to have stuff served for breakfast that they don't even usually have. Some people explained, some clearly got very offended at the thought that not everyone likes a fry up in the morning.

OP posts:
MonaLisaDoesntSmile · 23/11/2019 20:18

@BearFoxBear Well full Scottish with black pudding and haggis, hehe... I had it a few times minus the two items I just could not eat when we were visiting. We have something similar to black pudding back home, but because it's a lunch/dinner thing, I could not imagine having it so early in the morning.

OP posts:
Butterisbest · 23/11/2019 20:24

The English/Scottish thing about the cooked breakfasts. Many years ago I was visiting Scotland staying in a hotel and was offered a full Scottish breakfast, of course it wouldn't be called the full English there would it? There were several items I'd never seen on a cooked breakfast before. Tattie scones, fruit pudding and haggis, I did as I always do with unfamiliar food, I tried everything.
Where I live our full breakfast would sometimes be served with lava bread and cockles! 🤮
So many non British posters really don't recognise that the United Kingdom is just that. Apparently we're all English. Or Brits.

Butterisbest · 23/11/2019 20:24

Whoops cross post there

Havaina · 23/11/2019 20:25

I don’t have the patience to cook a full veggie English breakfast so I feel a bit shortchanged if I can’t have one in UK b&b or hotel.

Given many hotels around the world offer most of the elements of a full English, I would say this is quite a successful gift / export to the world.

When abroad I love trying the local breakfast. I was in Istanbul recently and loved their breakfast of fresh bread, honey, olives, tomatoes, cheese , baked eggs and black tea. Amazing.

erniepigy · 23/11/2019 20:26

I absolutely adore a full English breakfast and as part of British hotel treats, I expect to select my choice of bacon, eggs, sausages etc.
I do not expect that service when overseas and would want to be eating the local way.
It’s definitely fading out of fashion with younger generations

eastmidswarwicknightnanny · 23/11/2019 20:28

I find the whole bowl cereal with milk odd like all children should have a bowl cereal before school mine eat breakfast before school but could be anything from a toasted bagel with fruit to a jacket potato with beans (dairy free 5yr old who has had that since he could talk) to me its another meal and in other countries rice for breakfast is completely normal.

When we go abroad amount people desperate for pork sausages and bacon in a Muslim country irritates me.

Weepingwillows12 · 23/11/2019 20:31

In the UK, i love and probably do expect b and bs or hotels to offer a cooked breakfast, be it a full English or something like eggs Benedict. Overseas I have no expectations and am excited to try whatever is offered. I would probably be disappointed with cereal as that's what I have at home. I love breakfast though and would often skip lunch abroad to save the pennies for nice dinners so it does matter to me.

Dontforgetyourbrolly · 23/11/2019 20:33

The thing I love about holiday breakfasts abroad is the fresh honey, yoghurt and fruits such as figs etc. If i want a fry up I can do that at home ( Morrison's do a good one ) so it's not really special .
American breakfasts ( new york) are cooked and include ' home fries which are delicious.
Had an amazing ' fry up ' in Canada which included a stack of pancakes and syrup.... now that really did set you up for the day .
Each to their own I suppose ....but breakfasts are important on holiday as you are usually out and about for the day so want something filling that you enjoy

stripeypillowcase · 23/11/2019 20:33

but if you have a 'full fry up' would you not just fart all day?

Havaina · 23/11/2019 20:35

People can fart for any number of reasons.

Passthecherrycoke · 23/11/2019 20:36

but if you have a 'full fry up' would you not just fart all day?

No, would you?

Mulhollandmagoo · 23/11/2019 20:37

I like going abroad for the continental breakfast. Meats, cheeses and pastries 😍 can't beat it!!

PlumsGalore · 23/11/2019 20:37

@monalisadoesntsmile of course it’s heavily edited.

Please do tell us about your amazing country where everyone is perfect in the breakfast world. That way the British full English eaters can tell you about their interpretation of your breakfast and native country habits 🙄

JeffreeStar · 23/11/2019 20:38

Day to day I don’t eat a fry up as it’s not healthy. So if I’m going on holiday I’ll always treat myself to a lovely full English.

Passthecherrycoke · 23/11/2019 20:39

Sorry, my post above was meant to say why would you fart all day?

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