As publicans are aware, eating out is big business in the UK today and pubs are at the forefront of this food revolution.
Last year, The Publican teamed up with Britvic and interviewed 460 consumers for the Pub-Goers survey. It discovered that 60 per cent of drinkers rate pub food as good while a further 13 per cent think it is excellent.
In the countryside things are even better - 50 per cent of pub-goers believe rural and village pubs serve excellent food.
What's more, quality of food came top of the list of factors considered when choosing a pub. Similarly The Publican Market Report 2001, a survey of 1,000 licensees, revealed that more than 75 per cent of pubs offer their customers food, ranging from light bar meals to restaurant-quality fare.
As pub food grows in quality and importance, many publicans are investing time, effort and money in their catering operations.
It is no secret that the pub trade neglected food for many years and as a result has struggled to throw off the image of pub food as curling ham sandwiches and stale crisps. But over the last decade changes in society mean pubs have had to raise food standards.
People have more money to spend but less time to spend it, and that means they are becoming more fussy about where they eat. Add to this customers who are well-travelled and have sophisticated tastes, and there is a real challenge for pub food.
Similarly the drink-drive laws that have left rural pubs struggling have led to a shift in the sector. Country publicans discovered customers were willing to drive further and stay longer if they improved their food offering - and now many rural pubs provide some of the best food in Britain.
If pubs were late coming to food, there is no doubt they have embraced it with gusto.
Gastropubs, which were unheard of 10 years ago, are now common and across Britain the best chefs, some of whom have even been awarded the top accolade of a Michelin star, are cooking in pubs.
As such, pub food is now highly popular and can cater for every occasion, from a simple weekday snack to Sunday lunches.