# How often do Brits cook fry-up breakfasts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [December 29, 2020, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-brits-cook-fry-up-breakfasts/929153 "2020-12-29T05:35:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2020, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-brits-cook-fry-up-breakfasts/929153/21 "2020-12-29T18:58:34Z")
When I went to Ireland and stayed in B&Bs, we just didn’t plan on eating more than a light snack for the rest of the day, until dinner time. It made it easier, only having to look for one place to eat each day instead of two or three. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2020, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-brits-cook-fry-up-breakfasts/929153/22 "2020-12-29T19:08:01Z")
A lot of Cafes (& not just the “greasy spoon” type ) do all day breakfasts. I’ll often have one for lunch or dinner if i’m out. (sossy, bacon, fried egg, baked beans, fried bread, mushrooms, tomato + _mug_ of tea.) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2020, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-brits-cook-fry-up-breakfasts/929153/23 "2020-12-29T19:50:30Z")
Yeah, cafes and diners serving all-day breakfasts are pretty common on this side of the pond, too. Though even at such a place, the meal will usually be a bit smaller than the full English/Irish breakfast, and there will be a number of meal options that consist almost entirely of carbs (a stack of pancakes and syrup with a little bacon on the side, for instance). ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2020, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-brits-cook-fry-up-breakfasts/929153/24 "2020-12-29T20:12:06Z")
A cafe I used to work in (in the UK) did a pretty decent trade in a slightly abbreviated form of the Full English on Sundays and holidays, the rest of the time we’doften get workmen ordering stuff like bacon and egg inna bun with a coffee, normally to take away, at breakfast time, but very few full sit-down fry-ups. I think it stopped being a regular thing for workmen to have at home when having a housewife to cook it and clean up after stopped being so common. Too much faff when everyone’s heading out to work, even for those with active jobs. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2020, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-brits-cook-fry-up-breakfasts/929153/25 "2020-12-29T20:29:22Z")
I used to cook a big Full English about once a month - it was a Sunday brunch sort of thing - served late morning after rising from bed later than normal. That was while my two kids were still at home. After they moved out, I reckon we only do the full fryup a handful of times per year. Smaller fryups such as the fried egg sandwich, bacon bap or eggy-in-the-basket happen more often, but not more frequently than weekly ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2020, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-brits-cook-fry-up-breakfasts/929153/26 "2020-12-29T20:31:32Z")
There’s a place called Market Diner in Brighton, usually open 24 hours, that does a good fry up. In the early hours at weekends it would of course be full of party-goers satisfying a post-alcohol hunger. The fullest breakfast is the Gut Buster but for a little bit more money you could also go for the Mega Buster: two Eggs, a fried slice, bacon, two sausages, two black puddings, two burgers, beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, chips, bread and butter, plus the all-important cup of tea. Drunken eyes looking at that on the menu are definitely much bigger than the stomach. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2020, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-brits-cook-fry-up-breakfasts/929153/27 "2020-12-29T20:59:47Z")
There are a couple of low rent hotel chains near me that are famous in the locale for one price all you can eat full English - usually full up of trades vans. Used to be something we did a lot when working weekend overtime, start at 6 am and full English around 0930 - finish the work at 14.00. There are plenty of such little cafes around - lots of take-outs and usually just a few tables inside. They are cheap to set up, costs to run are quite small. Lots of local companies will phone in orders for their staff and send off a driver along with a junior to actually get out and collect, & pay. Doing this at home seems to me to be more of a weekend thing - for a start quite a few items do not sell into single servings, so unless you are preparing for three or more you’ll have various items left over to cook another day. Your average pack of sausages will have 6-8 in there, bacon pack will usually have 8 rashers, tin of beans serves 2 but the tin of tomatoes will likely serve 4 small helpings.You end up with orphan items or you have to eat maybe more than you need which kind of unbalances the fry-up - too much sausage or not enough of something else. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2020, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-brits-cook-fry-up-breakfasts/929153/28 "2020-12-29T21:17:25Z")
I’ll bet the people who picture Brits “havin’ a bit of a fry-up for brekkies” all the time would also assume that Yanks have plates stacked with pancakes and eggs and bacon and bowls of brightly-colored Poofy Puffs, oh and tall glasses of orange juice every morning. That’s what shown on the adverts, and in more than a few TV shows. But who has the time… or the disregard for their cardiovascular system? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2020, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-brits-cook-fry-up-breakfasts/929153/29 "2020-12-29T21:47:10Z")
It’s a lot more likely that a Brit will have an [EBCB](https://russelldavies.typepad.com/eggbaconchipsandbeans/) rather than a full fry-up. As noted, even those are a lot less frequent than you would imagine. ---
**Author:** ![DemonTree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demontree/32/8646_2.png) [@DemonTree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DemonTree)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2020, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-brits-cook-fry-up-breakfasts/929153/30 "2020-12-29T22:01:49Z")
We mostly reserve them for after house parties (pre-covid), to feed guests who stayed the night. Excellent hangover cure. On one memorable occasion, one of said guests volunteered to help, and he set fire to the cooker while grilling sausages… ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2020, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-brits-cook-fry-up-breakfasts/929153/31 "2020-12-29T22:09:42Z")
When I worked in Scotland in the kitchen an upstcale hotel, staff were offered full fry-ups every day. I obliged daily for the first week or more until I realized my body probably wasn’t going to like me for much longer if I kept it up. The rest of the staff, during that time, only very occasionally partook. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2020, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-brits-cook-fry-up-breakfasts/929153/32 "2020-12-29T22:11:16Z")
Stayed in B&Bs for a couple of weeks while on a meandering drive from Cornwall to Inverness. Full English the first couple of days, then gradually started dropping items every few days until down to eggs and toast. Every B&B operator said that is the typical progression - rarely does anyone do Full English for their entire holiday. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2020, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-brits-cook-fry-up-breakfasts/929153/33 "2020-12-29T23:13:53Z")
The Full English saved my life once. I’d flown to London on a moment’s notice, and the only flight I could afford was a weird O’Hare\>Charleston\>LaGuardia\>Heathrow red-eye with a layover after all the airport cafes were closed. I got into London and walked a long ways to my hotel, dumped my bags (room wasn’t ready at the hotel I’d been moved to, due to the original hotel not having my reservation) and decided to see the neighborhood. Suddenly I got woozy and headachy and things were spinning, and I suddenly realized… I hadn’t slept or eaten anything (besides tiny in-flight pretzels) in 24 hours. Turned a corner, looking for any place to collapse and saw a hand-scrawled sign : _BIG ENGLISH BREK! WITH COFFEE!_ I can still picture it: the hugest plate, eggs, three kinds of sausage, limp bacon, and piled so high with fried tomatoes, baked beans and chips. As I wolfed it down, I could literally feel the nutrients entering my bloodstream. Just in time… _Thank you, little kebab joint near the Gloucester Road tube station!_ ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-brits-cook-fry-up-breakfasts/929153/34 "2020-12-30T02:30:14Z")
What, no Spam?!? 😲 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-brits-cook-fry-up-breakfasts/929153/35 "2020-12-30T02:36:03Z")
In one of his BBC documentaries, Dr Michael Mosley had his blood analyzed after consuming a Full Breakfast. After it was centrifuged, there was a visible layer of fat floating on the top. I personally love the damned things, but I make them only two or three times a year. I usually cook two of everything at a time, which is enough to last me for two whole days. If I eat around 11:00 am, I don’t want anything else for the rest of the day. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ukulele_ike1/32/4613_2.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike1)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-brits-cook-fry-up-breakfasts/929153/36 "2020-12-30T02:43:22Z")
Well, _I_ have certainly never regretted ordering a full English/Irish breakfast. Or the U.S. diner equivalent, which in my case would be a cheddar omelette with hash browns and sausages, buttered rye toast, large tomato juice with lemon, and black coffee. The grilled mushroom and tomato is a fine alternative to potatoes, and I love a nice white pudding. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-brits-cook-fry-up-breakfasts/929153/37 "2020-12-30T02:48:25Z")
I’ve spent about 30 days with three different families in London over the last 25 years or so. One Jewish, one South Asian one “English”. Never had a full English at their houses. Cereal, toast, muffins, fried eggs, yogurt, paratha, whatever. Stayed at a small hotel in London for a couple of nights. Full of tourists. Boom! Full English! Reckon it’s a tourist thing now. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-brits-cook-fry-up-breakfasts/929153/38 "2020-12-30T03:03:25Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > When I stay at a chain hotel that offers full breakfast, this will typically be a self-serve buffet (or at least would have been, prior to this year - can’t speak for 2020) with tea/coffee, fruit juices, cereals, milk, fruit, yoghurt, pastries, and a range of cooked breakfast items where you can go back as many times as you like. I like to avail myself of as much of this as I can while still capable of a slow walk, then plan on not having lunch that day. > [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > When we walked across England, the fry-up was a great start to the day, but we didn’t tend to eat it very often when we were doing touristy stuff in London. > [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](#): > > Stayed in B&Bs for a couple of weeks while on a meandering drive from Cornwall to Inverness. Full English the first couple of days, then gradually started dropping items every few days until down to eggs and toast. Every B&B operator said that is the typical progression - rarely does anyone do Full English for their entire holiday. I’d still try to eat as much as possible just for the calories, provided the food tastes good, as I don’t like to try to find a place to eat lunch in the middle of touristing, and can work up quite an appetite walking around. I appreciate a generous hotel buffet, although the only thing I can remember in the English ones I’ve had that aren’t typically found in a generous American buffet is fried eggs\*, but I’ve only been to two of them in England. If I were to stay at a B+B I’d probably want eggs, potatoes of some sort, toast of some sort, and plenty of meat of all varieties. I’d skip the mushrooms and beans, and I try tomatoes when they are in a buffet but wouldn’t want to pay for them. \*And different-shaped but still same-tasting bacon. I have seen grilled tomatoes at American buffets and it seemed odd before I learned about the Full English, so I guess they ported it over unless it’s part of some Americans breakfast tradition as well that I missed out on growing up. Also, looking at Wikipedia I see [this picture](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_breakfast#/media/File:Lyme_Regis_harbour_02b.JPG). What’s the triangular food at the bottom right? I’ve had potato wedges at English breakfast buffets that look like this, but potatoes are not mentioned in the caption, only toast, which I _don’t_ see. Is this some sort of toast? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-brits-cook-fry-up-breakfasts/929153/39 "2020-12-30T03:11:17Z")
I _think_ it’s some sort of potato patty. Like Arby’s hash browns. Only British. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-brits-cook-fry-up-breakfasts/929153/40 "2020-12-30T03:31:56Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Also, looking at Wikipedia I see [this picture](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_breakfast#/media/File:Lyme_Regis_harbour_02b.JPG). What’s the triangular food at the bottom right? Yes, fried hashed brown potato patties. Triangular version of Mr. Dee’s and other: [Hash Brown Patties | Mr. Dee's](http://www.mr-dees.com/hash-brown-patties/) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-brits-cook-fry-up-breakfasts/929153.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-brits-cook-fry-up-breakfasts/929153.md?page=3)