Let's just get one thing out of the way before we launch into this. We LOVE an airport beverage. No matter how much sleep you've had, no matter where you're going, there's nothing that screams "I'm on holiday!!" like having a beer/prosecco/bloody Mary at 5am.
It's a 'Brits on tour' tradition that we're all for up-keeping.
But there's a reason why you might want to select the bar in which you honour this time-old tradition carefully, and perhaps give the nearest Wetherspoons a body-swerve altogether.
The Mirror investigated the cost of various food and drink at Stansted and Gatwick airport's Pret, Wetherspoons and Nando's compared with their other high street branches.
The paper found that Wetherspoons hikes its prices quite considerably at the airports, compared to elsewhere.
In fact, while a pint of Fosters will set you back £3.25 at a high street branch of the pub, customers can expect to pay a whopping £4.70 for the same beer at London Stansted airport.
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And it's not just the drinks that are inflated. A traditional breakfast that costs £4.95 on the high street is £8.30 at Gatwick North and £9.65 at Stansted.
Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon told The Mirror: “There is a mark up between our high street pubs, mainly as a result in the difference between rent and rates.
“Airports are at the top end of the scale in respect of these costs.”
Of course, all beer is likely to be pricey at an airport but just make sure you shop around a bit first before you settle in. Wetherspoons may not be the cheapest option!
Jess Edwards is Cosmopolitan UK’s Deputy Editor, working to deliver the very best experiences across the brand's platforms (print, social, video, digital), products and events, including a focus on our membership offering, Club Cosmo. Jess has worked in the media industry for almost 20 years and at Cosmopolitan for over 10 years, joining the brand as Fashion Editor and later going on to lead the digital team as Site Editor. With her background in lifestyle journalism, it is no surprise that you’re most likely to find her in the Fashion section and exploring the very best in hospitality via our Travel pages.
