60% of Brits treat themselves to a cheeseboard when eating out, finds survey

It also showed how important cheeseboards are to consumers at this time of year, with nearly 60% of consumers treating themselves to a cheeseboard when dining out for a special occasion, like Christmas. Findings also showed that consumers expect to pay 10% more for a cheeseboard than they do for dessert and are willing to spend an average of £5.14. With bookings for seasonal parties already well underway it seems that pubs, restaurants and hotels should make sure that their menu is ready to capitalise on this opportunity at Christmas and throughout the rest of the year. A further 80% of consumers agreed that it's important to have a good selection of cheese on offer and 85% expect to see between three and six pieces of cheese on a cheeseboard. And while cheese is central to the offer, it's also important to include extras on a cheeseboard. With nearly 85% of consumers expecting to partner their cheese with biscuits, over 70% with grapes and nearly 50% with chutney, there's more to consider than the range of cheese. Adéle Bird, channel marketing manager, Bel Foodservice UK said: "The findings of this survey reveal how important cheeseboards are to consumers. They expect to see cheeseboards on menus this Christmas and operators need to ensure they offer consumers a cheese offer that meets their high expectations. "Offer brands of cheese they recognise such as Port Salut or Boursin and get your customers sharing and enjoying your festive cheese board."