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Old 17-12-2016, 19:42
WombatDeath
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A new Italian restaurant opened in my town a couple of weeks ago. It does the nicest pizza I've ever eaten but I suspect it will fail because we've already got Pizza Express, Ask and Prezzo within a couple of minutes' walk.

Anyway, that got me thinking about chain restaurants. I think that an independent Italian is going to struggle here, but we've got several independent Indians. And then it occurred to me that this country doesn't seem to have national Indian or Chinese restaurants, but we do have French, Japanese, Mexican and a shedload of Italian chains.

Does anyone know why? It seems weird to me, given how much we collectively appear to like both chain restaurants and Indian and Chinese food.
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Old 17-12-2016, 20:09
brangdon
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Isn't Everest a national chain of Indian restaurants?
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Old 17-12-2016, 20:21
LostFool
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Does anyone know why? It seems weird to me, given how much we collectively appear to like both chain restaurants and Indian and Chinese food.
A few possible reasons in this article about Indian restaurants. The same probably applies to Chinese:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7934918.stm
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Old 17-12-2016, 21:42
Pumping Iron
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There the Real China Buffet and I've read Din Tai Fung could be coming over here soon, that's possibly my favourite chain, specialising in steamed dumplings.

I can't think of any Indian chains though.
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Old 17-12-2016, 23:23
Pumping Iron
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Oh and there's Wagamama
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Old 17-12-2016, 23:58
pugamo
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There's Cosmo too
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Old 18-12-2016, 09:30
walterwhite
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There's a few but nothing really on the scale of Pizza Express etc.
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Old 18-12-2016, 21:06
too_much_coffee
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Isn't Everest a national chain of Indian restaurants?
Everest are an Indian Dessert and Kulfi manufacturer who supply many Indian Restaurants and also provide printed dessert menus free of charge.

The only Indian chain was Shimla Pinks based around the Midlands but they went out of business.

Other than that there are "Fusion" restaurants, like Cosmo, Jimmy's World, Red Hot Restaurants, etc., all owned by Indians but offering a selection of world foods.
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Old 19-12-2016, 07:55
bluefb
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Perhaps it's easier to establish chains for those other cuisines, but with the large number of South Asians here, and the fact many of them go into the restaurant trade, there's far more competition in that market, making it more difficult to establish a monopoly.
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Old 19-12-2016, 09:27
walterwhite
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Everest are an Indian Dessert and Kulfi manufacturer who supply many Indian Restaurants and also provide printed dessert menus free of charge.

The only Indian chain was Shimla Pinks based around the Midlands but they went out of business.

Other than that there are "Fusion" restaurants, like Cosmo, Jimmy's World, Red Hot Restaurants, etc., all owned by Indians but offering a selection of world foods.
Cosmo looks like it is Chinese owned but I get your point.
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Old 21-12-2016, 21:29
Brandy211
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There the Real China Buffet and I've read Din Tai Fung could be coming over here soon, that's possibly my favourite chain, specialising in steamed dumplings.

I can't think of any Indian chains though.
There,s also Global buffet.

Dishoom Indian chain

Most "Indian" restaurants in the UK aren't actually Indian, but Bengali restaurants.

www.ashokarestaurants.com/
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Old 22-12-2016, 10:02
noise747
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The only one I go in now and again is Wetherspoons and i have not been in there for months. i do not like chain restaurants normally, went in Frankies and Benny's last year, never again, awful place. Saying that i am not a restaurant person anyway, I more of a cafe type person, go in and have a sarnie and coffee or something like that.
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Old 23-12-2016, 01:48
Brandy211
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The only one I go in now and again is Wetherspoons and i have not been in there for months. i do not like chain restaurants normally, went in Frankies and Benny's last year, never again, awful place. Saying that i am not a restaurant person anyway, I more of a cafe type person, go in and have a sarnie and coffee or something like that.
I have noticed while shopping, Morrison,s have an offer of a 3 course meal plus coffee/tea in the afternoons, far cheaper than wetherspoons or a café.

A bargin £7 for the lot

I recall seeing as part of the deal:
Soup or prawn cocktail (with salad & bread)
Lamb shank, fish & chips & other mains
Apple crumble, bread & butter pudding, other desserts too

At that price, must be cheaper than cooking at home
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Old 23-12-2016, 11:33
tiacat
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Good question, although what French chains are there?

I also dont agree that an independent Italian would falter next to a chain Italian, we have just the thing in our town a fantastic Italian next to Prezzo and there is a Ask and Pizza express nearby too. You can never get a table in the independent.
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Old 23-12-2016, 12:46
GiraffeGirl
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Good question, although what French chains are there?

I also dont agree that an independent Italian would falter next to a chain Italian, we have just the thing in our town a fantastic Italian next to Prezzo and there is a Ask and Pizza express nearby too. You can never get a table in the independent.
Café Rouge and Cote Brasserie

I've never been to either so can't comment on them
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Old 23-12-2016, 13:03
welwynrose
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Café Rouge and Cote Brasserie

I've never been to either so can't comment on them
We go to both regularly and for a chain they're good
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Old 23-12-2016, 14:29
LostFool
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I have noticed while shopping, Morrison,s have an offer of a 3 course meal plus coffee/tea in the afternoons, far cheaper than wetherspoons or a café.
Of course the advantage of Wetherspoons is they serve beer.

I don't go to Wetherspoons very often but if I'm in an area that I don't know then it's usually a safe-ish bet for a quick meal and a beer or two.
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Old 23-12-2016, 18:17
noise747
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I have noticed while shopping, Morrison,s have an offer of a 3 course meal plus coffee/tea in the afternoons, far cheaper than wetherspoons or a café.

A bargin £7 for the lot

I recall seeing as part of the deal:
Soup or prawn cocktail (with salad & bread)
Lamb shank, fish & chips & other mains
Apple crumble, bread & butter pudding, other desserts too

At that price, must be cheaper than cooking at home
Maybe if you like that sort of thing, but sitting in a supermarket cafe is a bit noisy to be honest and all you can hear is beep, beep, beep from the checkouts.
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Old 23-12-2016, 19:01
neo_wales
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The only one I go in now and again is Wetherspoons and i have not been in there for months. i do not like chain restaurants normally, went in Frankies and Benny's last year, never again, awful place. Saying that i am not a restaurant person anyway, I more of a cafe type person, go in and have a sarnie and coffee or something like that.
You've banged on about your love of a 'greasy spoon' cafe (your words not mine) local to you in the past on DS.

Eat what you want and where you want, variety is the spice of life so they say.

We had a family owned Italian restaurant open a few months ago which is local (about 15 miles) away and the food there is very good for what it is, very typical of Italian food you'd find in many a small Italian town.

Enjoy food, thats the important thing.
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Old 24-12-2016, 10:02
noise747
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You've banged on about your love of a 'greasy spoon' cafe (your words not mine) local to you in the past on DS.

Eat what you want and where you want, variety is the spice of life so they say.

We had a family owned Italian restaurant open a few months ago which is local (about 15 miles) away and the food there is very good for what it is, very typical of Italian food you'd find in many a small Italian town.

Enjoy food, thats the important thing.
There are a fair few restaurants around here, more now since the the old Market complex opened, that all that seems to be to be honest. But apart from one they are all chain resturants, like Nandos, Miller and carter, Frankie and Benny. The local one is the Beefy boys, they do burgers and that sort of stuff, but i have never been in there myself.
For some reason since that place was built we have had other restaurants open, something called the cosy club opened last year.
Other places that have opened seems to be more or less the same, sort of thing, a lot of places that sells tacos for instance.

We do have smaller independent restaurants, a Italian one somewhere, a couple of Mediterranean and even a polish one. But they are not for me, I do not like restaurants anyway, a lot of the food I would not eat, so no point in going into them.

I have not eaten out for months, in fact I think the last time i went out to eat was when i got my taste back and i went to the burger shop with my brother and sister in law. Not really a greasy joe, they make burgers hand made, I suppose what people call gourmet burgers. But £10 for a burger is a bit pricey and i doubt i will go in again.

I admit i prefer a small cafe than a restaurant as long as it is tidy and clean
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Old 31-12-2016, 22:37
zoepaulpenny
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I have noticed while shopping, Morrison,s have an offer of a 3 course meal plus coffee/tea in the afternoons, far cheaper than wetherspoons or a café.

A bargin £7 for the lot

I recall seeing as part of the deal:
Soup or prawn cocktail (with salad & bread)
Lamb shank, fish & chips & other mains
Apple crumble, bread & butter pudding, other desserts too

At that price, must be cheaper than cooking at home
So have weather spoons they have some offer on moment
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Old 01-01-2017, 10:44
walterwhite
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Good question, although what French chains are there?

I also dont agree that an independent Italian would falter next to a chain Italian, we have just the thing in our town a fantastic Italian next to Prezzo and there is a Ask and Pizza express nearby too. You can never get a table in the independent.
Cafe Rouge, Cote and Le Bistrot Pierre.
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Old 01-01-2017, 12:20
WombatDeath
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A few possible reasons in this article about Indian restaurants. The same probably applies to Chinese:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7934918.stm
Interesting article, thank you!

I also dont agree that an independent Italian would falter next to a chain Italian, we have just the thing in our town a fantastic Italian next to Prezzo and there is a Ask and Pizza express nearby too. You can never get a table in the independent.
I think that perhaps an established Italian restaurant could survive the opening of a couple of chain competitors, but opening a new independent place in the midst of established chains seems risky to me. And so far, Ask and Prezzo are heaving while the new restaurant opposite is mostly empty, despite being lovely. People here do appear to prefer chains, which I find a bit strange.
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Old 03-01-2017, 12:51
walterwhite
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Interesting article, thank you!



I think that perhaps an established Italian restaurant could survive the opening of a couple of chain competitors, but opening a new independent place in the midst of established chains seems risky to me. And so far, Ask and Prezzo are heaving while the new restaurant opposite is mostly empty, despite being lovely. People here do appear to prefer chains, which I find a bit strange.
I think people know what they're getting with a chain. It's maybe a little boring but at least it's safe.
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Old 03-01-2017, 15:07
LostFool
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I think people know what they're getting with a chain. It's maybe a little boring but at least it's safe.
It's also fairly easy to get you hands on discount vouchers for chains. I don't think I've ever paid full price in a Prezzo.
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