In a bid to compare the Christmas traditions of Brits and Italians, the Italian restaurant chain found that the capital cities in particular showed a stark contrast, with two-thirds of Londoners saying they don’t eat Christmas dinner with their loved ones, while in Rome, 92% of residents eat and celebrate with family.

Both nations agreed that eating together is a great way to build relationships (82% Brits vs 90% Italians), but just one in three Brits regularly uses meal times to catch up with friends and family, compared to 88% of Italians. A shocking one in five Brits eats alone every day, with 22% saying they dine solo at least seven times a week. Only 8% of Italians say the same, with 29% saying they never eat alone.

Italians were also found to spend 10 minutes more than Brits eating lunch every day, and seven minutes longer at dinner – amounting to 103 hours, or an extra four-and-a-half days a year spent at mealtimes. Just 3% of Italians say they don’t regularly sit at the table when eating dinner, compared with a third of Brits (31%).

ASK said: "Brits should learn from the Italians. Both countries claim that eating together is an important way to build relationships but only the Italians put this into practice. This Christmas, ASK Italian hope to inspire guests to take a moment away from the grind of daily life and connect with the people around them this season over a meal – just as generations of Italians do on a daily basis."

ASK Italian has launched its Super Festivo Christmas menus to encourage families to come together this Christmas.