Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced a new “eat out to help out” scheme in his mini budget today (July 8).
The scheme will mean Brits can enjoy half-price meals in restaurants and it’ll run throughout August.
Brits will be able to dine out between Monday and Wednesday and cut the price of their bill.
Each person will be able to enjoy a discount of up to £10, however, alcohol will not be included in the scheme.
The discount can be used unlimited times and includes kids’ meals, too.
So, for example, a family of four could eat out and see their bill slashed from £80 to £40.
The chancellor is hoping to encourage Brits to spend the cash they would’ve used on holidays on eating out and boost the UK economy.
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Businesses will need to register to join the scheme.
They’ll be able to do so on Monday (July 13) through a simple website, Sunak said.
Each week in August, businesses can then claim the money back. The funds will be paid into their bank account within five working days.
Sunak revealed: “For the month of August, we will give everyone in the country an Eat Out to Help Out discount.”
He added: “There are 1.8 million people who work in this industry. They need our support. With this measure we can all eat out to help out.”
Not doing enough
However, some have accused the government of not doing enough.
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One accused the chancellor of giving “zero help” to those “falling through the cracks”.
“Excellent for those that can AFFORD to eat out. There are many self employed who have had zero help from the government #fallingthroughthecracks,” one tweeted.
Can barely scrape enough money to put food on my table, let alone eat out.
“Eat out to help out is a nice line but jars when many millions of families don’t have enough money to eat properly at home and without help from emergency, charitable food provision #minibudget,” tweeted another.
How tacky is this? I can’t fathom going to anywhere I enjoy to go and have £10 off. I’m sorry but to me this doesn’t feel right. Just btw “Eat Out to Help Out” is a terrible slogan. https://t.co/Z1snqb4gO0
— Valentyna Holloway (@ValentyneDreams) July 8, 2020
Just adding insult to our ever growing injury!
Here have 50% off food that you can’t afford because the Gov’t denied you financial support.
Can barely scrape enough money to put food on my table, let alone eat out- I don’t know whether to 😂 or 😭#newstarterjustice#excludeduk— Emily (@Emily43329272) July 8, 2020
Many of us are struggling to afford food to eat at home, thanks to being #ExcludedUK. We’ve lost months of income and not a penny of Government support. My family won’t be heading to restaurants and the cinema. This is so out of touch with the reality of people’s lives.
— Kirsty (@kirstyhannam) July 8, 2020
Others accused the scheme of not being generous enough.
“Haha, capped at £10 off per person,” one laughed.
“If this includes McDonald’s, it’ll be carnage,” another predicted.
“So restaurants put up their prices Monday to Wednesday – customers told they are getting 50% off – restaurant doubles takings?” mused another.
Others had a canny way of getting around the £10 cap.
“Am I missing something?”
“So you have a starter in one restaurant, a main in another and desert in a third!!!” one tweeted.
“It’s a shame this is happening during a pandemic when we’re supposed to be keeping our distance though,” said another.
Another concurred.
“Am I missing something or is the ‘eat out to help out’ scheme just the government subsidising you to spread coronavirus?” they said.
As a newly unemployed person relying on free school meal vouchers to feed my kids, could I have my share as a voucher to pay my electricity bill please?
— Me here (@halsey_sonja) July 8, 2020
“Sorry your nan died and you weren’t allowed to go to the funeral, here’s 50% off Toby Carvery*”
*Mon-Weds only
— Black Pat Butcher (@Sophie_Paul) July 8, 2020
I don’t know what planet this government is on, but it’s not the same one as me. Encouraging people to go out and mingle with a financial incentive, mid-pandemic…. er… what?
— Kathryn Machray (@kem10) July 8, 2020
Hmm ‘eat out to help out’ voucher for everyone in UK from @RishiSunak
As a shielded and long term vulnerable person no thanks.— ME🌍(blue tick) (@MEfrom73) July 8, 2020
Others compared it to having a Tastecard, where you enjoy 50% off meals in certain restaurants on set days.
“So the governments big unique plan was to give everyone a Tastecard trial for August. Enjoy your burger and chips with a side of corona! It also doesn’t help those who can’t/can barely afford to eat out in the first place. What a joke,” they said.
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