Living on Rations - Day 6: The British Restaurant

The hubby and I will be out most of today so we will be eating out.

In the war people ate out as a way to stretch their rations further as restaurants were exempt from rationing. This led to resentment as the rich could afford to eat out regularly and extravagantly. To restrict this rules were put in place no meal could cost more than five shillings; no meal could consist of more than three courses; meat and fish could not be served at the same sitting. Establishments known as British Restaurants were set up by the Ministry of Food. They supplied another almost universal experience of eating away from home. British Restaurants were run by local authorities, who set them up in various premises such as schools and church halls.

By mid-1941 the London County Council was operating 200 of these restaurants; during 1942 to 1944 there were around two thousand of them. Here a three-course meal cost only 9d. Standards varied, but the best were greatly appreciated and had a large regular clientele. Similar schemes were run in other towns and cities.