Familiar eateries best for parties

NEARLY half of British people would reject a fancy restaurant in favour of a tried and tested local eatery if they were celebrating a financial windfall, research has shown.

About 46% of people said they would go to their favourite local restaurant to celebrate, compared with 44% who would opt for somewhere “flashy” where they had never eaten before&.

But those questioned would not opt for a local restaurant to save money, with 33% of those questioned saying cost did not count when it came to paying for the celebration. Twenty-six percent said they would pay between £40 and £79 per person.

French restaurants would be the most popular choice for celebrating a windfall, with 22% of people, while 19% would opt for Italian food, 15% would go to a Thai restaurant and 14% would have British cuisine.

Only 8% said they would mark the special occasion with a curry in an Indian restaurant, while just 3% would cook a meal at home.

Psychologist Donna Dawson said: “The reason we tend to choose a tried and tested, familiar restaurant is not because we are cheap or unadventurous, but because we know what to expect at a time when we want to increase face, not lose it”.