Frankie & Benny’s finds that 2.2 million parents consistently break their diets at family restaurants

London. 6 September 2018. Frankie & Benny’s has conducted a survey which found that 2.2 million* parents have consistently broken their diets at family restaurants due to lack of choice, being forced to eat something that wasn’t as healthy as they would have liked. In response to these findings, Frankie & Benny’s have launched a new menu, featuring a ‘Feel Good’ range – a mix of healthier and lighter dishes made with parents in mind.

The stats show that this alarming trend is rife throughout every region in the UK, with more than 1 in 3 parents in Scotland and the South of England breaking their diets, and more than 1 in 5 parents in London, the North, the Midlands, and the East of England.*

The survey from YouGov also found that one in eight (12%)** parents of children aged 18 and under have gone without any food when eating out with children. This suggests a lack of diet-friendly options are ruining what should be a happy occasion.

Over half (51%)*** of parents who dine out at family restaurants decide where to eat based more on what their children want, rather than what they want. Children can be fussy, but that shouldn’t mean that parents are forced to eat unhealthy meals. Modern parents should be able to embrace a health-conscious lifestyle without having to go hungry during family meals out.

To combat this issue, Frankie & Benny’s have launched the ‘Feel Good’ range, available at their restaurants across the UK. All starters on the ‘Feel Good’ range are under 400 calories, and mains are under 650 calories. The menu caters to a variety of modern diets, with a variety of vegetarian, vegan, low-carb, high-protein and gluten-free options. It features 30 healthy dishes, including Skinny Chicken Pizza, Summer Salad, and High-Protein Nashville Skewers.

Oliver Hopkins, Brand Manager at Frankie & Benny’s said: “At Frankie & Benny’s, we’re all about family. We love being that restaurant to go where you know you’ll have a great time with the family. Because of this, we know we need to cater to all audiences.
We pride ourselves in offering something for that fussy teenager who turns their nose up at almost everything, the kid who just wants to tuck into a burger, and parents seeking to watch their calorie count. The Feel Good range expands our vegan, vegetarian and low-calorie options to cater to those preferences.”

12% of the British population now follow a meat-free diet, so Frankie & Benny’s has increased its vegan options by 600% / sixfold. One in 10 people in the UK now avoids gluten altogether, with more and more people choosing to cut it out of their diet due to intolerance, or for the health benefits associated. The Feel Good range has increased gluten-free options at Frankie & Benny’s by 55%.

Low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets like the Dukan diet, the Paleo diet, and the Keto diet have also taken the UK by storm in recent years. Frankie & Benny’s has responded by adding four high-protein options to the menu.


Holly Davies, Head of Product Innovation at Frankie & Benny’s, said: “At Frankie & Benny’s we want to provide choice for all the family, and our guests are increasingly looking for ways to tailor their diet to their lifestyle. Our new Feel Good range means that you can eat out on fewer calories, but still enjoy great tasting food.”

You can see the full Feel Good range online at: https://www.frankieandbennys.com/feelgoodrange

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About Frankie & Benny’s

Offering big flavours and massive choice, the Frankie & Benny's menu is filled with New York and Italian classics. Renowned as a place for families looking for a fun, comforting dining experience, Frankie & Benny’s seeks to remind us that, while family time can be full of ups and downs, when the food’s right and service is right it is the best time ever.

Press contact
Oliver Hopkins, Brand Manager at The Restaurant Group PLC

Oliver.Hopkins@trgplc.com

Or for more information on the survey, please contact:
Jack Little, Outreach Executive at Tug Agency

Jack.little@tugagency.com

Editor’s notes

*Based on 8 million families in the UK with children 18 or under and who eat out. Calculated by Tug Agency using Office of National Statistics baseline of 19 million UK families.

**All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. The total sample size was 4280 adults, of which 1031 are parents of children aged 18 and under. Fieldwork was undertaken between 20th - 23rd July 2018. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

*** All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. The total sample size was 4463 adults, of which 1018 are parents of children aged 18 and under. Fieldwork was undertaken between 12th - 16th July 2018. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).