Going camping in Cornwall Do I need to book?

[ShutUpaYourFace]

Well we've booked the camping and will take some food but I'm getting concerned about having to book to eat out. I'm hearing supermarket shelves are empty and you can't get into restaurants without booking.
We went to Dorset last summer and ended up in KFC and McDonald's because you couldn't get in anywhere. This year we will cook most of our own dinners but it would be nice to be able to stop for lunch or go out a couple of evenings.
Am I going to be disappointed?

Yes definitely book a few

Yes! We called to book a week in advance and only got space at weird times like 6.30 for dinner.

Blimey. We're going next week and I hadn't even thought of it. We plan a few days out to Penzance and St Ives but never thought of booking to eat. Better do some homework and plan then! I much prefer not planing and just doing as we please. This new system of booking everything isn't going to work for me

We went a few weeks ago and found it much easier to get lunch reservations than dinner. It actually worked really well - we then just had campfire food or fish and chips for dinner and the children ran around the campsite whilst we enjoyed a drink!

Yes you'll need to book. Or, as PP suggested, eat your main meal at lunchtime (or even better, somewhere in between like 3-5pm). Then have a takeaway / pasty / fish and chips / supermarket sandwich meal deal for your tea.
Supermarkets are struggling with stock too. The problem is national due to HGV driver shortages but it seems worse in holiday destinations as any little arriving stock gets snapped up by the hugely inflated population.

We’re in Croyde, Devon, restaurants are not taking bookings as they don’t know if they will have the staff available to support due to COVID isolations, we queued for 1.5 hours last night to get a table, some restaurants/eateries are open for drinks only, some are only open reduced hours Thursday through Sunday. This might all change on 16th though.

Not in Cornwall but currently on the Isle of Wight and places all booked up for dinner till the end of the summer hols. Reserving before I came just wasn't something I considered so absolutely book in advance if you can.

Yes you definitely need to book ! I know far west very well and was there recently. Booked months ahead at v good restaurants and only just got bookings.
Additionally have back up plans - one town has recently lost 60% of its eating places due to Covid staff related closures - pubs and other venues shut with little notice. Obvs they will reopen as and when but it is very hit and miss even with long standing bookings.
Good luck and have fun op.

We are going to Norfolk, struggled to book and of the places we had booked, three have cancelled due to Covid staff shortages

I’m local and lots of places are booked up until the end of September although you might be lucky if you get online now and try to make some bookings.

Take aways should be ok.

Be prepared for bookings to be cancelled and for service to be slow as places are totally over run, stretched and short staffed.