How Brunch Took Over The World

Brunch – the brilliant blend of breakfast and lunch – has become a staple of any city dweller’s existence. There’s nothing better than spending a relaxing afternoon tucking into a mountain of Eggs Benedict, a bagel overflowing with meat and cheese, or a dangerously high stack of fluffy pancakes.

It’s no surprise that the popularity of brunch has rocketed over the last few years in the UK and its birthplace, the US, but the popularity isn’t limited to western countries.

According to David Just, an economics professor at Cornell University’s School of Applied Economics and Management, the popularity of brunch can be traced from its transition from a meal enjoyed by families, to a treat for friends: “for families with children, mid-morning meals aren’t something you can engage in very often. If you think of religious families, they’re probably disappearing on Saturdays and Sundays from restaurants...Young people want to kick back, relax, and socialise.”

According to Google search data, the number of worldwide queries for ‘brunch’ has increased by 249,000, to reach 550,000 monthly searches over the past year. This incredible number of brunch seekers reflects huge growth for this innovative dish across the globe, especially in Asia and the Middle East.

What is the capital of brunch seekers? America popularised the concept of brunch, with TV, film, and the media doing much for the widespread adoption of the idea and a flurry of new brunch spots opening up across the country.

This enthusiasm has remained, with the US public performing an average of 165,000 searches every month. The popularity of brunch looks likely to continue in the US, as the number of searches has risen by 263% nationally over the last five years.

Four of the top brunch-seeking cities in the world are found in America, with Washington, New York, Boston, and San Francisco among the top 10. Brunch fandom appears to be contagious, with Canadian interest for brunch rising by 234% in the past year.

The UK and Europe

But what about the UK? It seems we’re no slouches in the brunch game either, with a flurry of new and exciting brunch locations opening in the last five years. Cultural hotspots like London, Brighton, Liverpool, and Manchester contain the highest number of brunch-seekers according to Google data, with cosmopolitan capital London topping the list by a huge margin.

It’s telling that seven European destinations were named on a recent list of the best brunches in the world, with London’s spectacular (not to mention 24-hour) Duck and Waffle featured in the top destinations for the area.

It’s not just the United Kingdom that has a growing affinity with a relaxed, late-morning treat – European interest in brunch has increased exponentially over the last few years. Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, and Germany are now among the top countries who are searching for it.

Brunch across the world

There’s been a 186% rise in global searches for brunch, with countries as diverse as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates enjoying substantial rises in brunch popularity.

The United Arab Emirates has taken to the Western notion of brunch in a big way, with hotels in Dubai and Abu Dhabi turning decadent ‘Friday brunch’ into a major attraction. A key selling point for many is offering incredible, buffet-style servings that include a ‘dizzying’ array of premium dishes that can stretch out all afternoon.

Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong have all emerged as some of the fastest growing brunch cultures in the Far East, with westernised establishments opening frequently. But what’s the reason for the burgeoning popularity of the dish?

The rising popularity of the Far East as a travel destination for the UK and US is likely to have contributed to the opening of cafes and restaurants that specialise in dishes like eggs benedict, pancakes, and New York style bagels, to appeal to the enormous influx of western visitors looking for home comforts while travelling.

Another theory is that almost all the top brunch destinations are also home to incredible nightlife (New York, Los Angeles, Berlin, Bangkok, London, et al), and waking up late to refuel with eggs is a symptom of the thousands of hungover travellers passing through them each year.

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