No more 'chips with everything' as Brits sample foreign foods

Britons are growing more adventurous when it comes to foreign food, and most UK holidaymakers are now prepared to speak up if they have a bad experience in a restaurant

A poll by the TripAdvisor company revealed Britons are twice as likely as some Europeans to leave a restaurant without paying, the survey found.

Faced with the prospect of sampling delights such as sheep eyes, fried tarantulas, camel humps and jellyfish, only 17 per cent of Britons said they would not try any of them.

This compared with 64 per cent of Italians and 33 per cent of Germans who could not face any of the dishes.

More than half (53 per cent ) of Britons were considering a "gastro getaway" in the next 12 months, while 31 per cent said they had chosen a hotel based purely on its food reputation.

TripAdvisor spokesperson Emma O'Boyle said: "Our research not only shows that British travellers should no longer be the butt of culinary jokes but also that Britons are no longer prepared to shut up when faced with bad food.

"Let's hope this marks the demise of the old 'chips with everything' reputation."