Thursday February 16, 2017
The traditional pattern of three meals a day is becoming less common, particularly with millennials, and the culture of grazing and eating meals at any time during the day is on the rise. With breakfast on-the go becoming increasingly popular with office workers and those of us that require a quick nutritional fix before our busy day, it’s easy to see why relaxed meals like brunch, which satisfy our need to sometimes stop and take things slow, are also on the rise.
Originating in England in the late 19th century, brunch began as a buffet style meal, hitting the United States in the early 1900s and undergoing a transformation into the brunch we know today.
In its most simplistic form, brunch is a combination of breakfast and lunch, bringing together the best of both worlds in a delicious harmony of bacon, pancakes and cocktails. This fun and carefree meal combines everything a morning needs – a laid-back, yet exciting mix of casual celebration.
If you search for #brunch on Instagram it returns over 12 million images, bringing up everything from pasta to burgers, ice cream, waffles and huevos rancheros. Of course, the idea of enjoying a cake at 11.30am will always sound wonderful, but brunch has become popular for another reason – alcohol.
Brunch has always traditionally included a little tipple on the side, but it’s the invention of the ‘bottomless brunch’ that has taken the UK by storm. Bottomless brunch includes all-you-can-eat meal items accompanied by all-you-can-drink cocktails, including Bloody Marys or Mimosas, or bottomless glasses of Prosecco. Dubbed as “A magical combination of indulgence, an excuse to drink before midday and the challenge of getting your money’s worth”, bottomless brunch options are rapidly popping up across the UK.
Google searches for the term ‘bottomless brunch’ have increased by 50% in the last 12 months, and research by Bookatable has found that brunch bookings have increased by 72% in the last few years. Bookatable also found that Tuesday (23%) and Monday (16%) were the most popular days for bookings at restaurants offering bottomless bubbles, meaning this fantastic trend doesn’t just have to be limited to weekend indulgence.
For the on-the-go market, the popularity of brunch has opened a gateway for consumers to guiltlessly enjoy a burger, or even a cocktail or two, before 12pm, bringing down the barriers of standard meal times and allowing for even more flexibility.
Although brunch currently means sleepily heading out into the world, possibly in a daze after partying the night before, the future of brunch could be even more relaxed. With the rapid rise in restaurant meal delivery, it’s likely that more establishments will begin offering delivery earlier in the day, especially on weekends, to embrace this fantastic trend.
Do you serve brunch at your establishment? Which items do you have on your brunch menu? We’d love to know, so drop us a message in the comment box below.
