Gem and Bidfood carried out research, on 2,000 UK adults, into whether British diners understood the language used on menus.
Only 37% of people surveyed knew a quenelle was an egg-shaped spoonful, with one quarter admitting they believed it to be a type of hen. One in seven thought a ballotine was a dance or a beheading machine in the medieval period, rather than a boned chicken thigh. One in 12 people thought jus was something you put in your hair and not the trendy word for gravy.
According to the Mintel British Lifestyle Report 2018 the UK foodservice market is predicted to grow by 26% by 2021. The research aimed to ‘shine a light’ on the impact of menus when it comes to dining habits.
The research also discovered words that are most likely to persuade people to eat out. The top answers included ‘spicy’, ‘melting, and ‘marinated.’ However, over one-third of Brits (38%) would like to see eateries change they way they describe healthy meals as diners described it as ‘boring.’
Lucy Pedrick, senior insights manager at Bidfood said: “It’s fascinating to see the types of words which are impacting consumers dining habits. Gone are the days where meals were chosen based on how good they’ll look on Instagram, or how fancy they sound with French phrases thrown in. Instead, Brits are looking for clear and enticing descriptions, which tell them where their dish was sourced, how it was prepared and the flavours they can expect to enjoy.
“As we look to improve our health and wellbeing in everything we do, it’s also not surprising that we’re searching for eateries which really sell to us the enjoyment which can be had from lighter options. This is a huge opportunity for foodservice providers to review and refresh their menus when it comes to these types of dishes to ensure they are positioned as being as irresistible as something more indulgent.”
There is a rising interest in where our food comes from as the research found that terms such as seasonal (33%), free range (30%) and sustainably sourced (26%) were becoming more popular.