The Sunday roast at The Great Exhibition in East Dulwich.
It’s no secret that everyone’s been pinching the pennies recently. Bills are on the up and the cozzy livs is getting out of hand – which means that we, the consumer, are opting to cook and eat at home rather than going out.
In fact, according to a YouGov report in 2025, 38% of UK diners were eating out less than they did in 2024 – with rising costs stated as the main reason. And this is affecting the hospitality industry too, with nearly one pub closing every day in the UK in 2025, due to both the rising costs of managing a hospitality business, and the changes in consumer behaviour.
I don’t know about you – but the Sunday roast is just something I can’t go without. A British tradition, a way to finish the week surrounded by your loved ones and a huge plate of quality food, it’s not just a meal – it’s a way of life. So as DesignMyNight's resident Sunday roast expert, I wanted to find out: Is The Great British Sunday Roast Actually Cheaper In A Pub Than At Home?
Putting together a shop on Ocado, we at DesignMyNight made a premium roast for 6 guests, using high-quality ingredients (including a delightful-looking leg of lamb). This came to £124.30 in total - £20.70 per person. And when looking at pubs across London, we found you can get a great one for around the same mark - if not less.
Here are just a few of the pubs in London where you can get a roast for around £21 (and in some cases, under):
- The Great Exhibition, East Dulwich – half chicken at £20, 21-day-aged rump of beef or pork belly at £22
- The Barley Mow, Westminster - £21 for pork belly or half chicken, £23 for sirloin of beef
- The Joiner’s Arms, Camberwell – chicken or pork belly £16.95, with striploin beef at £18.95
- Cat & Mutton, Hackney – pork belly £18.50, half chicken £19, roast beef £21.25
- The Globe, Brentford – carvery (roast meat of your choice) for £22
- Hare & Hounds, Osterley – porchetta for £21.50, chicken supreme £22
I know there are going to be a lot of naysayers going, "but I could make a roast much cheaper than that!". And I won't deny it. But you wouldn't be getting the same quality as you would by going to one of London's standout pubs - which is reflected in the Ocado ingredient choices - where your meal will be cooked by skilled chefs and served right to your table without you having to lift a finger (or do the dishes, for that matter). On top of that, by going to your local pub, you're getting that all-important community feel and the chance to connect with others on a social level in a warm, inviting atmosphere - the kind that you can't always get at home.
Should you stop making roasts at home entirely? Of course not. But how about next time you're thinking about staying in for one, you consider heading to your lovely local instead.
