Wetherspoons vs Young's:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Wetherspoons had more branded searches than Young's among pub chains in the United Kingdom. Wetherspoons had about 673,000 branded searches, while Young's had 2,900. Wetherspoons made up 80.1% of all pub chain searches we track, and Young's accounted for 0.35%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about pub chains, Wetherspoons appeared in two of the four answers and Young's in one. Wetherspoons was mentioned before Young's in every answer.
Who do people search for more?
Wetherspoons, about 232 searches for every 1 for Young's
Who does AI mention more?
Wetherspoons, mentioned in 2 of 4 answers, Young's in 1
Who does AI recommend more?
Wetherspoons, named ahead of Young's in every answer
Follow Wetherspoons vs Young's and get free monthly updates on what changed
By continuing you'll get index updates and occasional product news from Brandwave. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy
Top pub chains in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, Wetherspoons was mentioned in two out of four: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in the 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. Wetherspoons was listed before Young's in every answer.
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
Ember Inns0 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 Wetherspoons or Young's more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Wetherspoons 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 Wetherspoons, Young'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 Wetherspoons and Young's comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Wetherspoons was ahead of Young's in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Wetherspoons’ share of searches among pub chains in the United Kingdom moved from 78.8% to 80.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 823K to 673K.
- 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.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Wetherspoons in the United Kingdom fell 18.2% over 12 measured months, from 823K to 673K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Wetherspoons’ 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.
Wetherspoons
1 branded search term
- wetherspoons
Young's
1 branded search term
- youngs pubs
Other head-to-heads among pub chains
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.