Set lunch menus at UK restaurant chains typically cost £10 to £16 for two courses, noticeably cheaper than ordering the same dishes from the dinner menu. Chains from Italian restaurants to steakhouses use set lunch pricing to bring in midday trade. Here’s how UK set lunch menus work and where to find the best value.
Set lunch menus UK at a glance
| Typical price | £10 to £16 for two courses |
|---|---|
| Typical hours | Weekday lunchtimes, often 12pm to 3pm |
| Common at | Italian chains, steakhouses, pub-restaurants |
| Best premium value | Hawksmoor set lunch, from £30 |
| Last updated | July 2026 |
How set lunch menus work at UK chains
Set lunch menus give a fixed number of courses, usually two or three, for a set price that’s lower than ordering the same dishes individually from the main menu. They typically run on weekdays during standard lunch hours, roughly midday to mid-afternoon, and are less commonly available at weekends when restaurants are naturally busier. Premium chains like Hawksmoor use a set lunch menu to make steakhouse dining accessible at a much lower price than evening a la carte, see our Hawksmoor steak prices page, while casual Italian and pub-restaurant chains bundle set lunch into their standard weekday offer.
How to get the best value from set lunch menus
Checking whether a specific dish is included in the set lunch price or charged as a supplement is worth doing before you order, since premium items sometimes carry an extra charge. Visiting on a weekday rather than a weekend is essential, since most set lunch pricing doesn’t extend to Saturday or Sunday. Combining a set lunch with a soft drink or coffee included in the price, where offered, adds a bit of extra value over ordering drinks separately.
Frequently asked questions
How much do UK set lunch menus typically cost?
Most run from £10 to £16 for two courses, cheaper than ordering the same dishes from the standard menu.
Are set lunch menus available at weekends?
Usually not, most are restricted to weekday lunchtimes, though this varies by restaurant.
Do premium restaurants have set lunch menus?
Yes, chains like Hawksmoor offer a set lunch menu that makes premium dining significantly more affordable at midday.
Do all dishes count toward the set lunch price?
Not always, some premium or specialty dishes may carry an extra supplement, so check before ordering.
Why set lunch menus are priced so much lower than dinner
The price gap between a set lunch menu and the equivalent dinner a la carte can be surprisingly large, and it comes down to how restaurants use lunch to build regular custom, particularly from local office workers, without the same pressure to maximise revenue per table that drives evening pricing. A restaurant might view lunch as a way to keep the kitchen and front-of-house staff productive during a period that would otherwise have lower natural demand than evening service, making a lower-margin, higher-volume approach make business sense. This dynamic is especially pronounced at more premium restaurants, where the gap between set lunch and full a la carte dinner pricing tends to be largest relative to the overall price point.
Getting genuine value from set lunch menus
Checking whether a set lunch menu includes a drink or coffee, some do and some charge separately, helps you compare the real total cost across a few options rather than just the headline set price. Because set lunch offerings sometimes rotate seasonally, revisiting a favourite restaurant’s set lunch page periodically can reveal new dishes worth trying rather than assuming the menu is fixed. If you’re using a set lunch specifically for a business meeting, confirming the time limit in advance avoids feeling rushed if your conversation runs long.
More frequently asked questions
Why is set lunch so much cheaper than dinner at the same restaurant?
Restaurants use lunch to keep staff productive during naturally lower-demand hours, making a lower-margin, higher-volume approach make business sense compared with evening pricing.
Do set lunch menus change seasonally?
Some do, so it’s worth checking back periodically at a favourite restaurant rather than assuming the menu stays fixed.
Getting the most value from your visit
Comparing a couple of nearby options before settling on one, rather than defaulting to the first choice that comes to mind, sometimes reveals meaningfully better value for the same general occasion. Checking whether any loyalty scheme or app-based offer applies to your specific situation is worth doing before assuming standard pricing is your only option. Reading recent reviews specifically relevant to your circumstances, rather than general reviews, tends to give the most useful and current picture.
Avoiding common pitfalls
Double-checking any time-sensitive details, such as a specific offer’s expiry or a venue’s exact opening hours on the day you plan to visit, avoids a disappointing surprise. Being realistic about how busy a popular option is likely to be, particularly at a predictable peak time, helps set expectations and plan accordingly. Having a reasonable backup option in mind, rather than committing entirely to a single plan, makes for a smoother overall experience if something doesn’t go as expected.
Should I compare a few options before deciding?
Yes, comparing rather than defaulting to the first choice sometimes reveals meaningfully better value for the same occasion.
Is it worth having a backup plan?
Yes, having a reasonable alternative in mind makes for a smoother experience if your first choice doesn’t work out as expected.