Fish and chips tops poll of Britain’s national dishes with 49 per cent
A YouGov poll found that 49 per cent of Britons regard fish and chips as the UK’s national dish, putting it ahead of roast dinner and chicken tikka masala. The result challenges the curry’s long-standing claim to the title and revives a debate about how Britain’s food reflects its national identity.
Roast dinner came second, named by 24 per cent, while only three per cent chose chicken tikka masala. The poll also found that 52 per cent eat a roast at least monthly, compared with 35 per cent for fish and chips and 21 per cent for chicken tikka masala. In 2001, former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook called the curry a British national dish, citing Britain’s adaptation of outside influences.
In short
- Fish and chips topped the poll at 49 per cent.
- Roast dinner came second with 24 per cent.
- Only three per cent chose chicken tikka masala.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Fish and chips has a strong claim to the title because it is widely recognised, closely associated with British seaside towns and working-class food traditions, and was named by nearly half of those polled. Its popularity as a symbol need not depend on how often people eat it; a national dish can represent shared cultural memory as well as everyday habits.
The case against
A national dish could instead reflect the country’s diverse history and the way food changes through migration and cultural exchange, as Robin Cook argued for chicken tikka masala. The poll measures what respondents identify as emblematic, not which dish is most frequently eaten: roast dinners were eaten monthly by more people, while Britain’s food identity may be too varied to be represented by a single dish.
Explained simply
Fish and chips is made from battered fish and chips, and has long been associated with British seaside towns and takeaway meals. A roast dinner, usually served with roast meat and vegetables, is a regular meal for many households.
Britain’s food has also been shaped by migration and cultural exchange. Chicken tikka masala, which combines Indian cooking traditions with a sauce adapted to British tastes, became a familiar example of that influence.
In 2001, Foreign Secretary Robin Cook described curry as a British national dish, arguing that adapting food from elsewhere was part of the country’s story. The debate reflects different ways of defining a national dish: by its history, its popularity or its place in everyday life.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Britain’s national dish really IS fish and chips – and only three per cent of people think it is chicken tikka masala”.