You can’t have missed it, especially if you live in Dublin - ‘gourmet’ is the culinary buzzword of the moment, and has been for the last few years as old ‘favourites’ get high-class makeovers. Gourmet burgers, gourmet pizzas, gourmet fried chicken, gourmet fish ‘n’ chips - they’ve all enjoyed a resurgence. Joe Macken’s pop-up restaurants alone have accounted for several ‘hip’ (or is that hipster?) revivals of much-maligned dishes (and with all the drinks served in a jam jar).

How much have they upset the established - and cheaper - brands, though? Well, 'menu innovation' is still gaining traction according to new figures released by Mintel. In a survey of UK diners, 13% said they had tried some modern twist on unhealthy favourites, from ‘make your own’ burger menus to fancy battered fish. Encouragingly for the eateries involved, 46% of those who had yet to try these gourmet remixes are interested in doing so.

Helena Spicer of Mintel picked up on chips as one dish undergoing a particular resurgence, observing “sweet potato fries were a notable trend in 2012, whilst courgette fries have been gaining traction on menus in 2013 at leading venues. Offering these options as a price bundle in the format of a ‘chip flight’ encourages diners to be more spontaneous without taking them too far out of their price comfort zone.”

That said, the old favourites are standing their ground. The classic pub grub remains particularly popular, with 57% of diners saying they had eaten in a pub or bar over the last year. Indian and Chinese eateries are close behind at 52%, and pizza & Italian restaurants at 45%. New food twists are enjoying their niche market, but old habits are tough to break.