I paid £56 to try Britain's most expensive fry-up at The Ritz... so how does it compare to the classic greasy spoon (with the same name) that's only £8.90 down the road?

For many Britons, there is no better way to start the day than a full English breakfast washed down with a builder's brew. Across the nation greasy spoons, brunch cafes, high end restaurants and even pubs offer the classic plate of sausage, bacon, eggs, toast, beans, tomato and toast. And while most cafes will give you change from a tenner after ordering a fry-up, Britain's poshest restaurant charges substantially more.

The Ritz Restaurant, which is inside the world's most famous hotel, offers a Full English for an eye-watering £56. But with a Michelin star - and roster of A-list and VIP guests-  is the super posh fry-up at the London hotel worth it?. I decided to test it out - as well as an £11.70 cooked breakfast at the Ritz Cafe, a classic greasy spoon just down the road from the Ritz in Hammersmith to see how they stacked up.

Across the nation greasy spoons, cafes, restaurants and pubs offer their own twist on a full English and The Ritz is no exception - but there's cost £56 and that's before any extras. In contrast the Ritz Cafe offers their own version for a fraction of the price, costing £11.70 - and that's with an extra portion of toast. THE RITZ HOTEL. Not wanting to embarrass myself, I donned a long black and gold skirt, cardigan and a pair of pointed kitten heels (not your usual greasy spoon ensemble) before tucking in.

As I arrived underneath the arches of the famous hotel I was greeted by footmen in top hats who wished me a pleasant morning before showing me in to a thickly carpeted vestibule - where another member of staff opened the door and directed me towards the cloakroom. After dropping off my coat and being given a tasselled token, I walked through the golden corridors, covered in floor to ceiling mirrors and lit by huge chandeliers, to the dining room.

There, I was whisked to my seat and offered a selection of pastries before I could even catch my breath. Having opted for the Full English I expected just that - but to my surprise I was presented with a towering mound of baked good, including a brioche (which was in fact not a brioche at all but an almond-filled oblong croissant), a normal croissant, and a pain au chocolat larger than my head. After taking my order for the food I had actually come for I, was repeatedly startled by friendly waiters dressed in tuxedos delivering fresh orange juice, Champagne, and tea.

And this was no lukewarm builder's with the bag left in. Staff at The Ritz presented me with a loose leaf concoction in a fine silver pot, with a cup and saucer in white and Tiffany blue. The hot drink came with its own urn filled with boiling water, a silver strainer and a jug of milk. Billed as the most luxurious breakfast on offer in the UK, and boasting a Michelin Star, it doesn't get fancier than t he five-star hotel in Mayfair, London.

Before I could even take a sip, more food arrived - as I was suddenly presented with a rack of toast, a dish filled with butter and six miniature jams. As I began to wonder when my fry up would appear, two women on a table next to me ordered a portion of caviar to finish off their meal. At a cost of £750 for 50g of the delicacy, I decided perhaps I'll give that one a miss. After my starter of pastries, the star of the show arrived.

On the large plate, decorated with the insignia of the hotel, sat two pieces of thin bacon, slightly burnt around the edges and a Cumberland sausage. Snuggled up next to it was a Portobello mushroom head, five perfectly roasted cherry tomatoes carefully placed on top, and a tower of bright yellow (but tragically flavourless) scrambled eggs. After setting my plate down, the waiter returned in a flash with a tray of little silver containers and I was offered ketchup, brown sauce, French or English mustard and a selection of other condiments.

Heinz had never looked so dressed up, but I declined. As I sat down and browsed the menu I was presented with a pot of tea, a glass of fresh orange juice and a mountain of pastries. The tea came in a fine silver teapot with a cup and saucer in white and Tiffany blue along with its own urn filled with boiling water, a silver tea strainer and a jug of milk. The full English included two pieces of thin bacon, slightly burnt around the edges, a Cumberland sausage, a Portobello mushroom head, five perfectly roasted cherry tomatoes and a tower of bright yellow, flavourless scrambled eggs.

After polishing off the plateful, a waiter removed the debris and presented me with some fresh warm toast, taking away the completely full rack of toast I hadn't managed to try yet. It was time to tuck in and see if the ornate presentation really did make a difference. The fry-up was certainly a treat for the eyes - but sadly, wasn't as much of a win when it came to the tastebuds. The components didn't feel particularly luxurious and I had to thoroughly salt and pepper the eggs and tomatoes.