Customers should complain more often about bad quality pub food in a bid to raise standards, according to the Campaign for Real Food (CARF).
The organisation's founder, Tom Finlay, said an increase in the number of complaints would force licensees serving poor quality food to improve their offer.
He also warned that there were still too many pubs in the UK that were not up to standard.
"People are too reticent about complaining," he said.
"Recently I had such an appalling meal in a pub that I took it back and walked out.
"I didn't even ask for my money back. We have to get on our soap boxes and make the British people the biggest moaners in the world, then perhaps we'll get somewhere."
He said the campaign would concentrate on urging pubs to move towards employing professional chefs and using fresh produce rather than ready-made meals.
The organisation also announced that it had teamed up with the Campaign for Real Ale in its fight to improve the quality of pub grub at the launch of the Good Beer Guide earlier this month.
"The Campaign for Real Ale has been doing a fantastic campaign for a lot of pubs serving real ale. We need to do the same for food," said Finlay.
His comments follow trade anger last month over criticism directed at pub food by celebrity chef Ainsley Harriot who told Metro newspaper that it "let Britain down".
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