I’m a child of the 70s – so when I grew up, eating out was reserved for high days and holidays. Such was the infrequency of our trips to the local Berni Inn, usually to mark a special birthday or promotion, that they’ve achieved near mythic status in my mind. For my kids, now 14 and 12, a visit to a restaurant is met with all the insouciance of a generation weaned on weekly pub lunches or tea at a local pizzeria.

But the cost of this casual dining habit is starting to leave a bad taste, especially now that my teenage son is tucking into full-size portions. When the bill arrived recently after an unremarkable dinner at a convenient chain restaurant with friends who were passing through London, I was soon reaching for the Rennies.

It came to £85 for three, including service, for a single

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