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What is the UK’s national dish? New survey reveals Brits’ pick in landslide victory

Surprisingly (or not), it isn't chicken tikka masala.

Emily Sergeant - 27th October 2026

If you’ve ever thought to Google the question ‘what is Britain’s national dish?’, then you probably came away thinking it’s chicken tikka masala.

But is that actually the truth? A new survey has disproved the claim, massively.

There’s no denying that chicken tikka masala – an Indian curry that’s actually widely thought to have been created in Britain – is a popular dish that’s loved by many, but despite what many headlines have claimed over the years, a new YouGov survey has revealed it’s not what Brits consider to be the country’s ‘national dish’.

YouGov conducted two online surveys earlier this month, made up of 2,079 and 2,104 adults aged 18+ living in Great Britain.

And, in their own words, Brits chose fish and chips as the country’s national dish, making it the ‘resounding’ winner with 49% of the vote.

With nearly half of the overall vote, this puts fish and chips far ahead of the roast dinner in second place, which only 24% of people picked – including the 6% who made sure to specify a beef roast.

In fact, only 3% of Brits actually name chicken tikka masala as the UK’s national dish, although 52% in the survey did confess that they eat some form of curry at least once a month, so it is still a popular pick regardless.

Fish and chips is by far the most common answer across all generations too, according to the survey (45-50%), with the biggest difference between age groups being that 18-24 year olds are less likely to have nominated roast dinner and more likely to have chosen chicken tikka masala instead.

What do Brits say is the UK’s national dish?

1. Fish and chips – 49%
2. Roast dinner – 24%
3. Chicken tikka masala – 3%
4. Curry (non-specific) – 2%
5. Full English breakfast – 2%
6. Bangers and mash – 1%
7. Cottage or shepherd’s pie – 1%
8. Other – 3%
9. Don’t know – 15%

The survey also showed that, of the three top contenders for the UK’s national dish, roast dinners are the most frequently eaten, as 52% of people said they eat them on a monthly basis – including 16% who do so every week.

Aside from the frequently mentioned dishes, some survey respondents also gave shoutouts to the full English breakfast (2%), bangers and mash (1%), and cottage or shepherd’s pie (1%).

Read more:

• Shepherd’s pie named among classic British dishes that could be ‘extinct’ within the next decade
• Cheesy pasta, roast dinner, and full English rank in Brits’ best comfort foods
• The best roast dinners in Greater Manchester and beyond

What do you think then? Do you agree with the survey’s findings? Or would you have picked something else instead?

Featured Image – Raman SQC (via Unsplash)