It's a funny thing BG, I too need to head west quite frequently as l have in laws living in Poole. Whenever l have taken the A272 option l seem to have been held up, either behind a slow moving tractor that l couldn't overtake, or in a traffic jam around Petworth!
The only downside to that, is that you are trekking quite a long way north before you really gert started. I think, like some others on here, I'd probably hug the coast and stick to the A/M27, A35, A38 etc.
Having eyeballed the menu, I'd die for their American Breakfast. Worth ignoring the so called quieter and quicker coastal route, and sticking to the A303 just to try their breakfast l would have thought.