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.
If you have something slow cooked like a lamb shank or casserole it would have been made earlier and reheated in most eating establishments. Gordon Ramsay got bad publicity for serving 'boil in the bag' Lamb shanks a few years ago because people didn't understand they took hours to cook.
Weatherspoons food - IMO - is awful. Eaten there twice and never again. Had 5 bean chilli which was stuck to the plate - over pinged.
Yes, they are rather let down by the quality of the food but it's great to have somewhere without music blaring and drowning conversation. They also tend to be very clean - the 'spoons in Crediton has the nicest and cleanest lavatories I've ever seen in a pub.
Harvester is actually not bad for food. Of course it's utterly unimaginative but what they do, they do pretty well. My local one unfortunately has terrible acoustics. Hard floors, glass tables without cloths, wooden chairs, floor-to-ceiling glass windows - sounds ricochet around the room and it's a bloody nightmare with a few noisy kids in there.
I would say wetherspoons. I've eaten at a couple and it was okay although maybe a bit of background music would have been nice for a bit more atmosphere.
The original ethos of Weatherspoons was to have no music, no fruit machines and no TV, along with big bars and lots of staff so that there'd be very little queuing for drinks. They also promoted the full pint, but that didn't last long. Most of that seems to have gone by-the-by now, very few staff, machines and TV's everywhere, but so far they seem to have stuck to the no music rule.
If you have something slow cooked like a lamb shank or casserole it would have been made earlier and reheated in most eating establishments. Gordon Ramsay got bad publicity for serving 'boil in the bag' Lamb shanks a few years ago because people didn't understand they took hours to cook.
yes, and pies, if people have to wait three quarters of an hour for a fresh made pie they`re going to moan about that too.
Wetherspoons is my favourite, I enjoy eating there and never had a bad experience, it's nice to go there and have a catch up with friends or lunch with a colleague, also a good place to get the pre drinks in on a night out.
I used to think harvester was decent but recently I have had a few bad experiences so haven't gone back
Haven't eaten from Hungry Horse in years but they were pretty decent.
I'm not sure if it's considered a chain pub but Toby Carvery do a very nice Carvery that my mum loves, we go every few months.
One thing that does make me laugh about Wetherspoons "We encourage our pubs to enter the ‘Best Bar None’ schemes (run by local authorities and the police, to encourage good behaviour in town centres), promoting a safe and secure environment." They certainly don't make a good job of either this (I live about 100 feet from the Wetherspoons here) or of this "All pubs are requested to become a member of the local pubwatch scheme (which promotes a safe and responsible drinking environment)" considering the cheap booze and encouragement they give all buying spirits to double up or go large.
Spoons is the place the crowds go at the weekend to get tanked up before they hit the really expensive places. The noise before and after they shut, and the trouble that goes with it, is hardly safe or responsible.
I'm quite a big fan of Wetherspoons tbh, they have a nice selection of continental beers for a decent price - for example Erdinger is £2.95, about the same price as Fosters or Carlsberg in most pubs. Their soft drinks are also reasonably priced, and the breakfast is probably the best thing on the menu.
They also have converted some pretty nice buildings that would otherwise be lost to some awful conversion to modern flats.
Yes, they're not bad at all for the price. I've just found out that they do an all-you-can-eat buffet cooked breakfast for about £4.
And no halal meat either...;-)
Actually one of my biggest complaints was that there wasn't enough meat (halal or otherwise) just one serving but now they have an xl plate which is double the meat so I'm happy
Actually the best Carvery I ate was at a place called The Grasshopper in Westerham, really good food and plentiful meat. It was great.
I really don't mind Wetherspoons, it's cheap and cheerful and as others have said, they're always clean. There's a few in the centre of Leeds, one of which is really quite nice, it's called the Cuthbert Broderick and has a huge sun terrace overlooking Millenium Square. It gets absolutely packed when the weather is warm.
I don't mind Harvester either, only been once but liked the salad bar and enjoyed the sundaes.
Can't stand chain pubs. Or plastic pubs as I prefer to call them. They have no character or personality or individuality. You go in one and they all look the same. All newly refurbished places that smell of fresh paint and trendy decor. The staff all wear uniforms and you're just a number. Customers go there to eat cheap microwaved pre-portioned rubbish and staff don't bother to make conversation with you other than to ask for your order. There's no atmosphere or banter between locals and strangers.
I much prefer to go to an independently run locals pub or freehouse that hasn't had the corporate makeover where locals sit and chat to you and the staff and owners know you by name and treat you like a friend rather than just a table number. Places with age and character and atmosphere with a real lived in feel about them. Not somewhere that's newly refurbed make to look old with fake fixtures and imitation wooden beams pretending to be olde worldy yet the place wreaks of plastic.
Can't stand chain pubs. Or plastic pubs as I prefer to call them. They have no character or personality or individuality. You go in one and they all look the same. All newly refurbished places that smell of fresh paint and trendy decor. The staff all wear uniforms and you're just a number. Customers go there to eat cheap microwaved pre-portioned rubbish and staff don't bother to make conversation with you other than to ask for your order. There's no atmosphere or banter between locals and strangers.
I much prefer to go to an independently run locals pub or freehouse that hasn't had the corporate makeover where locals sit and chat to you and the staff and owners know you by name and treat you like a friend rather than just a table number. Places with age and character and atmosphere with a real lived in feel about them. Not somewhere that's newly refurbed make to look old with fake fixtures and imitation wooden beams pretending to be olde worldy yet the place wreaks of plastic.
Which part of "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. " did you miss?
Which part of "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. " did you miss?
Just the sheer mention of these places makes my blood boil. They have NO RIGHT to be called pubs. They are eating establishments which sell beer. That's as far as it goes.
Every single locals pub in our town has been ruined by being turned into one of these plastic eating establishments and we no longer have any real locals pubs left anymore. As an ex licensee and someone who has been brought up in real boozer locals pubs I can't express to you how much I hate these emotionless, soul destroying places. They have killed off every traditional pub round here. You can no longer go out for a pint and have a good time socialising with local regulars. It's all "yes sir what's your table number" and God forbid you ever ask for a Coke because the robotic staff will sharp inform you that it's Pepsi. They may as well staff the place with cyborgs "We-are-here-to-serve!" "We can't do anything if it isn't in our script" "Please don't ask us any complicated questions as we are only trained to take your order and ask "Is everything alright with your meal sir."
Yes. All of those on the list are like this. Ghastly places not fit to be called a pub. A pub is a place where people go to socialise and enjoy themselves and meet people and play games. A place with warmth, character and atmosphere where you're one of the locals and the staff know you by name and treat you like an individual. These places are just commercialised profit shops where the customer is just a number. Sell it cheap, get em in, get em out. There's nothing personal or individual about them whatsoever. The food is all frozen microwaved trash warmed up by people who have the gall to class themselves as chefs when in fact all they are is microwave operators.
I like Table Table, always a good meal and not badly priced. We're going tonight, as I had a voucher from my points card for two free burger meals
Table Table aren't bad for food - they are slightly above the "pub grub" quality level but still reasonably priced. However, they are more like restaurants with a bar than a pub that does food. I don't think I'd go in one just for a drink unless there was no other choice.
They are owned by Whitbread which explains why they are often part of new Premier Inn developments and that the coffee is always Costa.
Harvester is very nice, though I have only ever eaten in there, no drinking. I had an excellent fillet steak in there once. It matched (in some cases exceeded) the more expensive steaks I've had in more fancy-shmancy places.
But my have chain pub is Slug & Lettuce, they have 50 per cent off the menu every Monday, and the food is superb. Especially the chocolate fondant and the chicken curry. Again, I don't really drink in there, just eat.
Just the sheer mention of these places makes my blood boil. They have NO RIGHT to be called pubs. They are eating establishments which sell beer. That's as far as it goes.
Every single locals pub in our town has been ruined by being turned into one of these plastic eating establishments and we no longer have any real locals pubs left anymore. As an ex licensee and someone who has been brought up in real boozer locals pubs I can't express to you how much I hate these emotionless, soul destroying places. They have killed off every traditional pub round here. You can no longer go out for a pint and have a good time socialising with local regulars. It's all "yes sir what's your table number" and God forbid you ever ask for a Coke because the robotic staff will sharp inform you that it's Pepsi. They may as well staff the place with cyborgs "We-are-here-to-serve!" "We can't do anything if it isn't in our script" "Please don't ask us any complicated questions as we are only trained to take your order and ask "Is everything alright with your meal sir."
Yes. All of those on the list are like this. Ghastly places not fit to be called a pub. A pub is a place where people go to socialise and enjoy themselves and meet people and play games. A place with warmth, character and atmosphere where you're one of the locals and the staff know you by name and treat you like an individual. These places are just commercialised profit shops where the customer is just a number. Sell it cheap, get em in, get em out. There's nothing personal or individual about them whatsoever. The food is all frozen microwaved trash warmed up by people who have the gall to class themselves as chefs when in fact all they are is microwave operators.
My local Wetherspoons has plenty of regulars…what makes you think any 'eating establishment which sells beer' chain has no regular customers? These places are for everyone, locals and non, regulars and non.
Just the sheer mention of these places makes my blood boil. They have NO RIGHT to be called pubs. They are eating establishments which sell beer. That's as far as it goes.
Every single locals pub in our town has been ruined by being turned into one of these plastic eating establishments and we no longer have any real locals pubs left anymore. As an ex licensee and someone who has been brought up in real boozer locals pubs I can't express to you how much I hate these emotionless, soul destroying places. They have killed off every traditional pub round here. You can no longer go out for a pint and have a good time socialising with local regulars. It's all "yes sir what's your table number" and God forbid you ever ask for a Coke because the robotic staff will sharp inform you that it's Pepsi. They may as well staff the place with cyborgs "We-are-here-to-serve!" "We can't do anything if it isn't in our script" "Please don't ask us any complicated questions as we are only trained to take your order and ask "Is everything alright with your meal sir."
Yes. All of those on the list are like this. Ghastly places not fit to be called a pub. A pub is a place where people go to socialise and enjoy themselves and meet people and play games. A place with warmth, character and atmosphere where you're one of the locals and the staff know you by name and treat you like an individual. These places are just commercialised profit shops where the customer is just a number. Sell it cheap, get em in, get em out. There's nothing personal or individual about them whatsoever. The food is all frozen microwaved trash warmed up by people who have the gall to class themselves as chefs when in fact all they are is microwave operators.
Whilst I do agree with your sentiment, the OP has specifically requested that this thread not go down this route. Start a new thread if you want to discuss how awful they are
I much prefer a proper local when it’s just me and mates, but when I’m out with the wife and 2 small children (especially somewhere I don’t know well), then its invaluable to have a pub you can go to that you know will welcome children, have a menu suited for them and will allow you to feed your family without breaking the bank.
My local Wetherspoons has plenty of regulars…what makes you think any 'eating establishment which sells beer' chain has no regular customers? These places are for everyone, locals and non, regulars and non.
I agree with this, my local Wetherspoons has a lot of regulars, elderly people, younger people, families, as well as the pre-drinking crowd who like to have a few cheap shots before heading into town. The food is always good, the staff are friendly and it has lovely comfortable sofas, plus a log fire.
I'd rather go there than some down at heel old boozer, where you get stared at suspiciously if you're not a regular, and the only food available is a pie or a pickled egg.
Can't stand chain pubs. Or plastic pubs as I prefer to call them. They have no character or personality or individuality. You go in one and they all look the same. All newly refurbished places that smell of fresh paint and trendy decor. The staff all wear uniforms and you're just a number. Customers go there to eat cheap microwaved pre-portioned rubbish and staff don't bother to make conversation with you other than to ask for your order. There's no atmosphere or banter between locals and strangers.
I much prefer to go to an independently run locals pub or freehouse that hasn't had the corporate makeover where locals sit and chat to you and the staff and owners know you by name and treat you like a friend rather than just a table number. Places with age and character and atmosphere with a real lived in feel about them. Not somewhere that's newly refurbed make to look old with fake fixtures and imitation wooden beams pretending to be olde worldy yet the place wreaks of plastic.
You're very lucky to live near one then. I don't know where my nearest independent pub is, certainly not within walking distance.
Weatherspoons always seem to be housed in lovely old buildings. The one in Colwyn Bay is an old theatre, and you can actually sit on the balcony to eat.
Weatherspoons always seem to be housed in lovely old buildings. The one in Colwyn Bay is an old theatre, and you can actually sit on the balcony to eat.
There's one in Torquay that was a church. It's really nice inside.
Comments
If you have something slow cooked like a lamb shank or casserole it would have been made earlier and reheated in most eating establishments. Gordon Ramsay got bad publicity for serving 'boil in the bag' Lamb shanks a few years ago because people didn't understand they took hours to cook.
Yes, they are rather let down by the quality of the food but it's great to have somewhere without music blaring and drowning conversation. They also tend to be very clean - the 'spoons in Crediton has the nicest and cleanest lavatories I've ever seen in a pub.
Harvester is actually not bad for food. Of course it's utterly unimaginative but what they do, they do pretty well. My local one unfortunately has terrible acoustics. Hard floors, glass tables without cloths, wooden chairs, floor-to-ceiling glass windows - sounds ricochet around the room and it's a bloody nightmare with a few noisy kids in there.
The original ethos of Weatherspoons was to have no music, no fruit machines and no TV, along with big bars and lots of staff so that there'd be very little queuing for drinks. They also promoted the full pint, but that didn't last long. Most of that seems to have gone by-the-by now, very few staff, machines and TV's everywhere, but so far they seem to have stuck to the no music rule.
yes, and pies, if people have to wait three quarters of an hour for a fresh made pie they`re going to moan about that too.
I used to think harvester was decent but recently I have had a few bad experiences so haven't gone back
Haven't eaten from Hungry Horse in years but they were pretty decent.
I'm not sure if it's considered a chain pub but Toby Carvery do a very nice Carvery that my mum loves, we go every few months.
Yes, they're not bad at all for the price. I've just found out that they do an all-you-can-eat buffet cooked breakfast for about £4.
And no halal meat either...;-)
Spoons is the place the crowds go at the weekend to get tanked up before they hit the really expensive places. The noise before and after they shut, and the trouble that goes with it, is hardly safe or responsible.
They also have converted some pretty nice buildings that would otherwise be lost to some awful conversion to modern flats.
That's true. Until they were renovated my local used to have horrible toilets so most people would pop next door to use the ones in Wetherspoons.
Actually one of my biggest complaints was that there wasn't enough meat (halal or otherwise) just one serving but now they have an xl plate which is double the meat so I'm happy
Actually the best Carvery I ate was at a place called The Grasshopper in Westerham, really good food and plentiful meat. It was great.
I don't mind Harvester either, only been once but liked the salad bar and enjoyed the sundaes.
Defector's Weld http://defectors-weld.com/
I much prefer to go to an independently run locals pub or freehouse that hasn't had the corporate makeover where locals sit and chat to you and the staff and owners know you by name and treat you like a friend rather than just a table number. Places with age and character and atmosphere with a real lived in feel about them. Not somewhere that's newly refurbed make to look old with fake fixtures and imitation wooden beams pretending to be olde worldy yet the place wreaks of plastic.
Which part of "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. " did you miss?
Just the sheer mention of these places makes my blood boil. They have NO RIGHT to be called pubs. They are eating establishments which sell beer. That's as far as it goes.
Every single locals pub in our town has been ruined by being turned into one of these plastic eating establishments and we no longer have any real locals pubs left anymore. As an ex licensee and someone who has been brought up in real boozer locals pubs I can't express to you how much I hate these emotionless, soul destroying places. They have killed off every traditional pub round here. You can no longer go out for a pint and have a good time socialising with local regulars. It's all "yes sir what's your table number" and God forbid you ever ask for a Coke because the robotic staff will sharp inform you that it's Pepsi. They may as well staff the place with cyborgs "We-are-here-to-serve!" "We can't do anything if it isn't in our script" "Please don't ask us any complicated questions as we are only trained to take your order and ask "Is everything alright with your meal sir."
Yes. All of those on the list are like this. Ghastly places not fit to be called a pub. A pub is a place where people go to socialise and enjoy themselves and meet people and play games. A place with warmth, character and atmosphere where you're one of the locals and the staff know you by name and treat you like an individual. These places are just commercialised profit shops where the customer is just a number. Sell it cheap, get em in, get em out. There's nothing personal or individual about them whatsoever. The food is all frozen microwaved trash warmed up by people who have the gall to class themselves as chefs when in fact all they are is microwave operators.
Table Table aren't bad for food - they are slightly above the "pub grub" quality level but still reasonably priced. However, they are more like restaurants with a bar than a pub that does food. I don't think I'd go in one just for a drink unless there was no other choice.
They are owned by Whitbread which explains why they are often part of new Premier Inn developments and that the coffee is always Costa.
But my have chain pub is Slug & Lettuce, they have 50 per cent off the menu every Monday, and the food is superb. Especially the chocolate fondant and the chicken curry. Again, I don't really drink in there, just eat.
My local Wetherspoons has plenty of regulars…what makes you think any 'eating establishment which sells beer' chain has no regular customers? These places are for everyone, locals and non, regulars and non.
Whilst I do agree with your sentiment, the OP has specifically requested that this thread not go down this route. Start a new thread if you want to discuss how awful they are
I much prefer a proper local when it’s just me and mates, but when I’m out with the wife and 2 small children (especially somewhere I don’t know well), then its invaluable to have a pub you can go to that you know will welcome children, have a menu suited for them and will allow you to feed your family without breaking the bank.
I'd rather go there than some down at heel old boozer, where you get stared at suspiciously if you're not a regular, and the only food available is a pie or a pickled egg.
You're very lucky to live near one then. I don't know where my nearest independent pub is, certainly not within walking distance.
There's one in Torquay that was a church. It's really nice inside.