Restaurant Menu Prices in the United Kingdom

How much does eating out cost in the UK?

At Greggs, a latte and a sausage roll can cost less than £5. A sit-down pizza and a soft drink at a casual chain can top £20. Britain has both ends of the scale, often on the same high street.

Across the 386 menu items we track for 33 UK chains, the middle price is about £6.95 (roughly $9.20). The cheapest things we list cost £1.19, such as a medium Coke at McDonald's or a Wendy's Frosty. The dearest is a £29.49 large pizza at Pizza Hut. Most of what people actually order sits somewhere between £3 and £12.

The point is that "cheap" and "expensive" depend on what you order, and where. This guide explains how UK menu prices really work, what turns up on the bill, and how to spend less without giving up the food you like.

What do the most popular UK chains charge?

Here is a snapshot of everyday orders, taken from the menus on this site. Dollar amounts are approximate.

Two things stand out. First, coffee prices vary a lot for what is basically the same drink. A latte is £3.52 at Caffè Nero, £4.20 at Starbucks and £4.75 at Costa. Second, some of these prices come from delivery-app menus, which tend to run above the price at the counter. So the shop price may well be lower. We explain why below.

Which chains are cheapest, and which cost the most?

If you rank chains by the middle price of the items we list, a clear pattern shows up.

Cheapest end: Greggs (about £2.85), Caffè Nero (about £3.52), McDonald's (about £3.59), Wendy's (about £3.88), Pret A Manger (about £3.95) and Wetherspoons (about £4.05). These are bakeries, coffee shops and pub-food sellers where the typical order is a single item.

Priciest end: Chipotle (about £13.50), Pizza Express (about £12.40), wagamama (about £12.33) and Gourmet Burger Kitchen (about £11.95). These are table-service or made-to-order places where one item is a full meal.

That is the key to reading the numbers fairly. A £13 burrito bowl is a whole lunch. A £2 sausage roll is a snack. Compare like with like, or the ranking will mislead you.

Why do UK prices look different on a delivery app?

Many of the prices on our UK pages come from menu aggregators and delivery listings, checked in late August and early September 2026. We say so on every page. It matters, because delivery apps often charge more than the shop counter does.

Chains set their own delivery-menu prices. Some add a small markup to cover the platform's commission. On top of that, the app usually adds a delivery fee, a service fee and sometimes a small-order fee. Those extras can add several pounds to a single burger.

If you order delivery a lot, our delivery markup calculator shows the true extra cost as a percentage. Collecting the food yourself, or ordering through the chain's own app, is often cheaper.

Do you have to tip in the UK?

No, not in most places. Tipping in the UK is a thank-you, not an obligation.

• Fast food and takeaways (McDonald's, KFC, Greggs): no tip expected.
• Coffee shops: leaving small change is kind, but nobody will mind if you don't.
• Pubs: you order and pay at the bar, or through the pub's app at Wetherspoons. Tipping isn't usual.
• Sit-down restaurants (Pizza Express, wagamama, Nando's): many add a discretionary service charge of 10% to 12.5% to the bill. It's optional. Ask for it to be removed if the service was poor.

There's one useful legal point. Since 1 October 2024, the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act has required employers to pass on tips and service charges to staff in full, with no deductions except tax. If you do leave a tip, more of it now reaches the person who served you.

What tax is included in a UK menu price?

The price on a UK menu already includes VAT. There is nothing added at the till.

The standard rate is 20%. It applies to meals eaten in a restaurant and to hot food taken away. Cold takeaway food, such as a packaged sandwich, is generally zero-rated, which is why the "hot versus cold" line sparked the famous 2012 "pasty tax" row.

For you, the practical result is simple. The price you see is the price you pay, apart from any optional service charge.

What are the classic British dishes on chain menus?

British chains sell more than burgers. If you want a taste of local habits, look for these:

• Sausage rolls and bakes at Greggs. A sausage roll is £1.70 on our list, and a steak bake is £2.90.
• Breakfast baps and baguettes at coffee shops and bakeries. A bacon bap is around £5 at Costa.
• Pub classics at Wetherspoons: battered cod and chips at £7.35, chicken tikka masala at £7.15 and a traditional breakfast at £3.95.
• Peri-peri chicken at Nando's. It began in South Africa and has become a UK habit, especially for casual group meals.
• Doner kebabs at German Doner Kebab, where the OG kebab is £10.29 on our list.

Curry is now as British as fish and chips. You'll find it at pubs and at thousands of independent curry houses that no chain listing will ever capture.

How can you save money eating out in the UK?

A few habits make a real difference.

1. Pick the right chain for the job. A bakery is cheaper than a café for a light lunch. A pub is cheaper than a casual-dining restaurant for a hot meal.
2. Check the app before you order. Chains such as McDonald's and KFC often run app-only deals that beat the menu price.
3. Go at lunchtime. Many restaurants run set menus or lunch offers on weekdays.
4. Skip the bottled drink. Ask for tap water. Licensed restaurants in England and Wales must give it to you free.
5. Collect rather than deliver. You'll dodge the delivery and service fees.
6. Share sides and starters. Portions at pizza and grill chains are often generous.

Browse UK menus by type

Here is where to start, depending on what you're after.

• Fast food: McDonald's, KFC, Burger King, Five Guys, Popeyes
• Pizza: Domino's, Pizza Hut, Papa John's, Franco Manca
• Coffee and bakery: Costa Coffee, Starbucks, Pret A Manger, Greggs, Krispy Kreme
• Casual dining: Nando's, wagamama, TGI Fridays, Byron
• Quick and healthy: Leon, Itsu, Wasabi, Subway

Travelling in from abroad? Our currency converter turns pounds into your own currency in a couple of taps, and the tip calculator helps you split a bill fairly.

How accurate are these prices?

We want to be straight with you. UK chains don't publish one national price list. Prices change from shop to shop, between London and the regions, and between the counter and delivery apps.

Our figures come from UK menu aggregators and delivery-app listings, checked in late August and early September 2026. For chains that don't publish prices online, we lean on third-party sources and mark those menus for re-checking. Treat every figure as a good, representative guide rather than a promise that a particular branch will charge exactly that. We show the date we last verified each menu on its page. You can read exactly how we work on our methodology page, and compare UK prices with other countries in the Price Index.