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The best / your favourite chain pub
degsyhufc
Posts: 59,251 Forum Member
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What do you think is the best chain pubs for food, drink and atmosphere?
I'm thinking of food mainly as they all seem to have similar menus although I think Wetherspoons are cheaper than the others.
The types i'm thinking of are
Wetherspoons
Greene King / Hungry House
Ember Inns
Flaming Grill
Sizzler
Beefeater
Harvester
etc.
The topic is about those chains so don't just say they're all rubbish or that your local is better and cheaper. That's not the point.
I'm thinking of food mainly as they all seem to have similar menus although I think Wetherspoons are cheaper than the others.
The types i'm thinking of are
Wetherspoons
Greene King / Hungry House
Ember Inns
Flaming Grill
Sizzler
Beefeater
Harvester
etc.
The topic is about those chains so don't just say they're all rubbish or that your local is better and cheaper. That's not the point.
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Comments
The Green King ones I have been in recently have had quite a good atmosphere with live sport and decent music. But on the downside the toilets in all the ones I have been in were absolutely rank! Like something out of the 1970s!
I've been in countless Wetherspoons and they have been almost identical. Reasonable drink prices and spotlessly clean but no atmosphere whatsoever .
Sometimes I think Wetherspoons dont know if they are a pub or a cafe.
Loved the Scream chain when they had the Rhubarb and Custard Brothers cider but it's been discontinued now.
Marstons pubs aren't too bad either, especially not with the 2 for 1 deal they have on all the time. I wouldn't ever pay full price for their meals though - you can get better quality in a proper restaurant.
Flaming grill is pretty good, at least the one I've been to is. Decent service, a very nice house white, and the steaks are generally good. (Wish they wouldn't insist on serving steaks on a bed of onions though - I always ask for them without, otherwise the whole steak tastes of onion and nothing else.)
ETA: My favourite would be Wetherspoons though - consistent quality, cheap, and a regularly changing menu.
This is my current favourite ale and eatery: http://www.stubbingwharf.com/
Hungry Horse are rank for food, which is a shame as my local is one! However, in their defence, reasonable price for drink and a pretty lively atmosphere.
Wetherspoons wouldn't be my first choice but if I'm visiting a town I don't know then they can be a safer, if more boring, option than picking a random independent pub. Most Spoons are OK but you do find the occasional one which is badly run, shabby and attracts the wrong sort of crowd.
I don't think I have been in a Harvester in about 20 years and the only time I go into a Beefeater is when I go out with my parent for a meal as it's the only pub near them which does, what they call, "proper food". I'd never go into one for a just a drink.
I'm sure we all prefer the Ritz to a Travelodge and The Ivy to McDoanalds, but sometimes you don't have the choice.
Likewise. No doubt we will be accused of being hipsters.
Did you not even read the OP? You have done what was specifically requested not to be done. I think everyone prefers proper pubs but that's not what this thread is about.
Personally my favourite chain is the Hungry Horse. Normally when the Girths visit a chain pub we have the kids in tow and the Horse is great for them. I've never had a bad meal in there either.
I think with chain pubs its about know what to order. Never order steak for example as they normally poorly cooked and rubbish quality meat, whereas something like scampi, which they just have to deep fry, you can't really go wrong.
I like Beefeater, but I'm put off by it because the service at our local one is always so awful, it is diappointing. I like Flame Grill. And I like Vintage Inn pubs too.
I always go for the food that hasn't been microwaved to avoid that.
how do you ascertain that by just looking at a menu? even in pubs that don`t use 3663 and cook their own food some dishes are microwaved.
I have steak normally, that's not microwaved. There are other items that are probably reheated but would be reheated anywhere anyway, such as lamb shanks.
ah yes, i didn`t think of steak. some things are fine if they`re microwaved with respect rather than whacked in for indiscriminate blasting, vegetables are the worst.
I like Hall & Woodhouse pubs who are mainly based in the South of the UK for a bit more upmarket pub grub and good beers.