Most of the times I've used my bitcoins to buy items, it's usually via the web. A few websites in the UK, do accept Bitcoin, mostly electronics is my preference over the years. I can't say I've done many exchanges in person, as that pretty much applies to if I did it via, Card, Cash or Bitcoin. I work from home and I prefer it that way, for health reasons.
However it's far easier in the UK atleast for me, to find a place to pay online, than to pay in a physical store. To be fair, that wasn't much different when My Wife and I went to SF (USA), it surprised me, how few places did accept Bitcoin, it was mostly Chinese take aways (which btw was very nice).