A London chef criticized diners who just get water and share dishes. He says it's about the atmosphere, not the money.

• A London chef sparked online debate when he criticized diners who don't spend much.
• "Restaurants are not public benches, " Hugh Corcoran said on Instagram, prompting praise and criticism.

A London chef has sparked a debate about the affordability and culture of eating out after he criticized diners who don't spend enough.

Hugh Corcoran, whose lunch spot opened last month and sits just 18 people, wrote on Instagram that it had become "apparently completely normal" for four people to order a starter, two main courses, and "a glass of tap water" between them.

"Restaurants are not public benches, you are there to spend some money," he continued in the post, which gained more than 1,000 likes and 190 comments. "Hear hear," wrote one commenter. Another asked: "How many people have the luxury of going out for a boozy lunch midweek?"

Speaking to Business Insider, Corcoran said he was forced to turn away more convivial people because of diners who don't order much.

"It's not so much about the money, it's about the atmosphere and coming in with an attitude of 'we're here to enjoy ourselves,'" he said.

"It's not like we're struggling economically because of these people. It's maybe one or two people a week, but it's very frustrating for us," he added.

In a follow-up Instagram post, Corcoran argued that dining out is a luxury you should save up for, suggesting that people order "at least one plate per person and perhaps a few glasses of wine or a dessert," spending between £40 and £100 — about $50 and $130 — per head.

Corcoran told BI his restaurant, The Yellow Bittern, was "a place for gourmands, lovers of wine and food, to come and enjoy themselves rather than somewhere just to have a quick lunch." Payment is by cash only — rare in card-friendly London — and reservations can only be made in person, by phone, or by postcard.

One positive review compared the experience to going "for lunch in 1982." The site includes a bookshop. Corcoran runs the establishment with a magazine editor and a bookseller.

James Hacon, a restaurant consultant and industry commentator, told BI that life is tough for London eateries right now.

"Restaurants are already on a knife edge anyway at this point," he said. "There's very few people making anything meaningful in terms of profit in the restaurant industry."

Recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of inflation on food costs have taken a hit, he said.

The hospitality industry is also dealing with minimum wage increases as well as preparing for a recently-announced increase to National Insurance — a UK earnings tax — Hacon added.

In a joint letter to the UK government, more than 200 hospitality bosses said the increase would mean job losses and raised prices, even though diners can't afford them, The Guardian reported Sunday.

Some restaurants have insisted on large minimum spends, while others have been using data from booking sites to prioritize big spenders.

Hacon said there were ways to overcome the impact of diners who only want a starter and water.

He gave examples like set menus, insisting on a minimum spend for larger groups, and offering opportunities for diners to "trade up" to fancier plates and wines once they're through the door.

"When the sun shines, it's time to make hay," he said.