Diners frequently confused by unfamiliar ingredients, research finds

Over 90% of diners admit they don't always recognise ingredients on menus, according to research.

The ‘Food for Thought' research of 2,000 diners commissioned by Barclaycard found that a quarter of restaurant-goers were too embarrassed to ask front of house staff to explain ingredients or dishes to them.

As a result, over half (55%) said they had been disappointed by dishes arriving not as they had expected.

Though they are increasingly frequent ingredients, 50% of respondents had never heard of kimchi (pictured), while 62% hadn't heard of girolles and 57% wouldn't recognise burrata.

To help those diners who struggle with less familiar terms, Barclaycard is testing its ‘Transplater' app at Frederick's restaurant in Islington, London, which offers images and descriptions of unfamiliar ingredients.

Frederick's owner Matt Segal said: "Our customers welcome trying new and varied dishes, so we frequently introduce interesting ingredients while ensuring classic favourites that they know and love are also on the menu.

"We're very excited to test Transplater, it would be a great innovation to see in the future to encourage customers to be more adventurous when ordering and try different foods. It would be a menu winner for us."

Barclaycard Payment Solutions director Kirsty Morris added: "We know that restaurateurs pour their heart and soul into creating new and exciting dishes, but it's clear diners can be put off by the embarrassment of having to ask what certain ingredients are. This is why we have developed a prototype app that restaurants could adopt to help diners feel more confident in their menu choices."