Great British menu! It's the return of Winston Churchill's wartime state-funded diners... but you won't need ration books this time!

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 13:20 EDT, 29 August 2026 | Updated: 13:20 EDT, 29 August 2026 It was an idea championed by Winston Churchill in his days as wartime Prime Minister – to set up government-backed eateries selling good healthy food at a reasonable price.By 1943, more than 2,000 of his publicly- funded ‘British Restaurants’ were serving cheap hearty meals to millions of customers across the UK every week.Now, more than 80 years later, the concept of state-sponsored dining is, you could say, being reheated.For the first ‘public diner’ in Scotland for decades is about to open. And if the new venture in Dundee is deemed a success, others could soon be introduced in towns and cities around the country.The aim is to encourage people to improve their diets by offering a wholesome alternative to junk food and ultra-processed ready-meals.The project has been masterminded by the charity Nourish Scotland. Deputy director Anna Chworow said: ‘Everyone accepts the idea of public transport, public libraries and the National Health Service – which are all funded by government. So why not food too?‘Public diners were a success in Britain in the 1940s and are still common in Poland, Turkey, India, Mexico and Brazil. The interior of a typical community feeding centre, where people could enjoy a warm, home-cooked meal Wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill, whose government set up public restaurants‘They’re not like a soup kitchen or food bank. They’re for everyone.’The idea is partly inspired by the public restaurants set up by Churchill’s government in 1940 to help people who had been bombed out of their homes, or who had run out of ration coupons.They were also intended to reduce energy consumption by cooking communally and improve the national diet, with meals costing around nine old pennies. The first of the new generation of public diners will open in the coming weeks on Dundee’s High Street.To keep things simple and reduce waste, the restaurant will offer a limited menu on any given day, although the choices available will change regularly.Exact menus are still being finalised – but crisps, fizzy drinks and alcohol will definitely not feature.Ms Chworow said: ‘People have said they want mince and tatties, so they will be on the menu, although we’re also keen to include lots of fresh vegetable and pulses.‘If there are chips, perhaps they’ll be oven-baked rather than fried. It’s still being decided.’ A young boy enjoys a meal at a 'British Restaurant' during the Second World WarPrices will be set at around the cost of a supermarket ready-meal – with discounts being discussed for children, Young Scot card holders or customers who buy a multi-meal ‘season ticket’.Ms Chworow expects it will particularly appeal to students, who may not have access to good cooking facilities, and families with young children who struggle to find the time for home cooking.The Dundee diner – and another in Nottingham – is being funded by the Government’s UK Research and Innovation agency.Although it will operate on a not-for-profit basis, it is hoped that the diner will eventually run as a financially sustainable enterprise.