“No more cravings, no more bloating. Now, in the end, you don’t have to buy desserts.
“You’re going to feel better, take care of your health and save money while you’re at it.”
In the past year, The Guardian decided to explore the intriguing ‘free bread’ theory more extensively.
Ken Grant, a seasoned expert in the culinary world with more than four decades of experience, generously shared his insights.
He suggested: “I would say that, in some cases, an establishment has a good baker and a great recipe and just want to showcase.”
“In other cases, it might be to reduce consumption in an ‘all you can eat’ situation.”
“In other cases, it is simply a delightful pairing to get the taste buds flowing and might induce further requests for other options or courses.
“But I will say: if the bread is not good at the start of any meal, it can easily spoil the entire meal.”
Others had different ideas.
One person wrote: “It’s because bread defrosts quicker than the meal.”
Someone else added: “Most restaurants in the UK don’t do this now, in my experience.”
“Bread is now one of the starters listed. Even in places where it appears to be complimentary, you are generally charged for it.”
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