Nicholson’s vs Young's:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Young's had more branded searches than Nicholson’s among pub chains in the United Kingdom. Young's had about 2,900 branded searches, while Nicholson’s had 1,900. Young's made up 0.35% of all pub chain searches we track, and Nicholson’s accounted for 0.23%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about pub chains, Young's appeared in one of the four answers and Nicholson’s in none.
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Top pub chains in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, Young's was mentioned in one out of four: in one of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in the Google AI Overview. Nicholson’s did not appear in any of the four answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Wetherspoons2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Greene King2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Hungry Horse1 of 4Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Fuller's1 of 4Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Young's1 of 4Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Vintage Inns0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Marston's0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Sizzling Pubs0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Chef & Brewer0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Nicholson’s0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
See every answer about pub chains
4 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best pub chain in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Which pub chain is best for a cheap meal and a pint?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's a good pub near me for Sunday lunch?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“pubs near me”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best pubs near me”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United Kingdom on October 23, 2026.
Is Nicholson’s or Young's more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Nicholson’s and Young's by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all 11 pub chains we track, month by month, from searches in United Kingdom.
Share of searches by month for Young's, Nicholson’s. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Wetherspoons | Greene King | Hungry Horse | Vintage Inns | Marston's | Sizzling Pubs | Chef & Brewer | Ember Inns | Fuller's | Young's | Nicholson’s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 78.8% | 7.1% | 5.8% | 1.7% | 1.2% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.2% | 0.28% | 0.12% | 0.34% |
| Nov 2025 | 79.8% | 7.2% | 4.8% | 1.8% | 1.2% | 1.8% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 0.28% | 0.13% | 0.28% |
| Dec 2025 | 81.4% | 7.3% | 4% | 1.8% | 0.8% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.2% | 0.29% | 0.1% | 0.16% |
| Jan 2026 | 78.3% | 7% | 4.7% | 2.6% | 1.2% | 2.1% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 0.34% | 0.18% | 0.15% |
| Feb 2026 | 79.2% | 7.1% | 4.8% | 1.7% | 1.2% | 2.6% | 1.7% | 1.2% | 0.23% | 0.18% | 0.13% |
| Mar 2026 | 78.5% | 8.6% | 4.7% | 1.7% | 1.2% | 2.1% | 1.4% | 1.2% | 0.23% | 0.23% | 0.18% |
| Apr 2026 | 77.4% | 7% | 5.7% | 2.1% | 1.4% | 2.6% | 1.7% | 1.4% | 0.28% | 0.33% | 0.22% |
| May 2026 | 77.4% | 7% | 5.7% | 2.1% | 1.4% | 2.6% | 1.7% | 1.4% | 0.28% | 0.28% | 0.33% |
| Jun 2026 | 80.5% | 5.9% | 4.8% | 1.8% | 1.4% | 1.8% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 0.29% | 0.29% | 0.29% |
| Jul 2026 | 77.9% | 7% | 5.7% | 1.7% | 1.4% | 2.6% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 0.28% | 0.34% | 0.28% |
| Aug 2026 | 79.7% | 5.9% | 5.9% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.4% | 1.2% | 0.23% | 0.23% | 0.23% |
| Sep 2026 | 80.1% | 5.9% | 4.8% | 2.2% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.4% | 1.2% | 0.35% | 0.35% | 0.23% |
How has the Nicholson’s and Young's comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands 3 times in the 12 months ending September 2026: Young's took it in January 2026, Nicholson’s took it in May 2026, Young's took it in July 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Nicholson’s’ share of searches among pub chains in the United Kingdom moved from 0.34% to 0.23%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 3.6K to 1.9K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Young's’ share of searches among pub chains in the United Kingdom moved from 0.12% to 0.35%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.3K to 2.9K.
How did search popularity change for United Kingdom pub chains in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Young's rose from 11th to 10th among pub chains in the United Kingdom.
In September 2026, Nicholson’s fell from 10th to 11th among pub chains in the United Kingdom.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Nicholson’s’ and Young's’ names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Nicholson’s
1 branded search term
- nicholsons pubs
Young's
1 branded search term
- youngs pubs
Other head-to-heads among pub chains
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