Approval is the Society’s pass-or-fail assessment of whether an establishment serves a proper full English breakfast. The test is simple: the plate should be assembled deliberately, with attention to presentation and ingredient selection as defined by the standards, and served appropriately.
This page summarises the approval baseline. The Society’s full standards framework is published separately in the English breakfast standards, with individual standards covering composition, core components, accompaniments, preparation and presentation, and disqualification.
To qualify as a full English under the Society’s framework, these five core components must appear together as a single, deliberate plate, in recognisable traditional forms as defined in the reference guide. If any one core component is missing or replaced, the baseline is not met.
Beyond this core, the breakfast should be prepared in a manner that respects the tradition from which it comes. Ingredients should be appropriate, cooking should be careful and considered, and the plate should be assembled deliberately for presentation, presented with care, and served with pride.
Traditional accompaniments such as beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, or toast should be included, but they support the English breakfast plate, but they do not define it.
Approval also considers whether preparation and presentation preserve the recognisable role of each component on the plate. A simple breakfast may qualify, and an elaborate one may not, if execution obscures, diminishes, or materially alters what the dish is meant to be. Establishments seeking practical advice on meeting these standards may consult the Society’s commercial guidance.
Taken together, these principles define the English Breakfast Society’s baseline approval standard: a recognisable English breakfast, properly prepared and presented with care. Approval is concerned with preserving the integrity of the breakfast itself, ensuring it remains true to the tradition it represents.
The Society maintains a public register of establishments that serve what we class as a proper English breakfast. “Approved” status is issued to places that demonstrate demonstrate alignment with the Society's published baseline definition and preparation standards.
Approval confirms the presence of a proper English breakfast and is granted on a simple pass-or-fail basis, recorded annually by the Society. It does not rank breakfasts or venues, publish scores, reviews, or “best of” lists, compare one establishment to another, or constitute advertising or a promise of custom. Approved establishments may display the English Breakfast Society Approved mark for the year of approval only with the Society’s permission.
Establishments wishing to be considered for approval may submit an application here.
