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During World War II, government-supported British Restaurants served over 600,000 people a day offering nutritious, affordable, and tasty meals, at mealtimes. These canteens were about more than food; they boosted morale and supported those experiencing food and fuel insecurity.

These public dining rooms operated in a diverse range of spaces, including community centres, workplace canteens, school dining halls, and even prefabricated temporary buildings.

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1. Storytelling & Movement Building

Share the history of public social dining

Elevate community voices and lived experiences (while we still have some!)

Mobilise public and institutional support through campaigns

Convene coalition partners

2. Advocacy & Policy Influence

Make the case for social dining as part of our public infrastructure with expected public health outcomes

Engage policymakers, local authorities, and health institutions

Advocate for legislative and funding commitments

3. Research & Evidence Generation

Build a robust evidence base

Facilitate pilots, data collection, and case studies

Provide insights to shape policy and funding models

4. Venture Design & Scalable Solutions

Develop blueprints for modern social dining models (community/charitable model, new purpose-built model, existing commercial restaurant model)

Test and refine sustainable funding approaches (e.g., outcomes-based funding)

Create scalable models that integrate with existing public services

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For customers, a choice of places across the week both in neighbourhoods and on the high street, to sit and eat a price-capped meal alongside others- restoring the national mealtime.

For food producers, a route to market for British, seasonal and sustainable produce.

For retailers, be part of a movement that shares a story to reignite the joy of shared dining.

For civic organisations, manifesting a Right to Food, in a dignified, sociable, sustainable manner and for those experiencing poverty, the development of pre-loaded meal ‘credit cards’.

Building social food infrastructure and social capital, increasing our national capacities around food security and sustainability, improving public health and contributing to a thriving food economy.

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A model which promotes a one-plate, price-capped meal, served at a set mealtime, across a range of venues both commercial, charitable and civic.

Recruiting hospitality, community food groups and civic provisioning in a collaborative, turn-taking way which means choice across the week and across a geographic area for the consumer, and a manageable commitment for providers.

Using existing resources and partners to maximise reach and scope.

Recruiting sustainable restaurants association-accredited outlets, suitable independent restaurants, schools and community food initiatives to join the coalition.

Crafting a compelling coalition-building narrative and evidence-base around why eating in groups is a future food behaviour.

Raising investment for bespoke high street canteens with catering kitchens (which can supply meals at-scale and also provide a catering-sized ready meal service for community groups who have local needs but who may not have local capacity).

Providing grants for existing community food sector to improve spaces and their capacity to offer weekly, price-capped meals under the model.

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Canteen Culture Coalition is bringing back the nation’s mealtime. 

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Canteen Culture Coalition is bringing back the nation’s mealtime. 