A new survey from YouGov has revealed that traditional British cuisine continues to dominate the UK's dining preferences, with roast chicken and chips sharing the top spot as the country's most beloved dishes.
Both classic options achieved an 87 per cent approval rating in the polling company's second quarter 2025 research, which measured the percentage of respondents expressing positive opinions about various British foods.
The findings demonstrate that familiar, home-style cooking remains at the heart of British culinary culture, with conventional dishes significantly outperforming more contemporary or international options in the comprehensive survey of national food preferences.
Close behind the joint leaders, two more quintessentially British meals secured 84 per cent approval ratings in the YouGov study.
The nation's beloved fish and chips, long considered a cultural icon, matched the traditional English breakfast in popularity among survey respondents.
These findings underscore how deeply rooted conventional British fare remains in the national consciousness.
The minimal gap between the top four dishes suggests that these traditional meals maintain remarkably consistent popularity levels, with just three percentage points separating the leading options from their closest competitors.
Several other traditional British dishes demonstrated strong approval ratings in the YouGov research.
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Roast chicken is one of the nation's most beloved British dishes
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|The nation is partial to a bowl of chips
Mashed potatoes, soup, and bangers with mash each garnered 79 per cent positive responses, while roast beef achieved 75 per cent approval.
Comfort foods like beans on toast secured 73 per cent support, with rib-eye steak and the combination of beans, eggs, and chips both reaching 71 per cent.
Meanwhile, festive favourite pigs in blankets earned 69 per cent approval.
The survey results paint a clear picture of British dining preferences, with hearty, familiar meals consistently outranking more adventurous culinary options across the comprehensive list of dishes rated.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, the YouGov survey identified several dishes with considerably lower approval ratings.
Peanut butter milkshake and al chigae, a fish egg soup, ranked amongst the least favoured options in the research, generating a positive reaction from just 26 per cent and nine per cent of participants, respectively.
The stark contrast between these items and the top-rated traditional dishes highlights Britain's enduring preference for familiar, conventional cuisine over more experimental or international offerings.
The comprehensive survey results suggest that while culinary diversity continues to expand across the UK, the nation's heart remains firmly attached to time-honoured British classics that have graced dinner tables for generations.
As for the most famous British foods, YouGov revealed that despite securing third place for popularity, fish and chips is unequivocally the most well-known dish, with 100 per cent of respondents having heard of the beachy favourite.
If you're after some coastal cuisine, a town in the north of England has been crowned the fish and chip capital of the UK.