Best Chain restaurant?
Discussion
I've always had decent meals at Prezzo and my girlfriend loves it. In-fact most Italian chains are alright as long as you just want a half-decent pizza.
Hated Loch Fyne in Bristol when we went. Food was overpriced and the service was dreadful.
Went to Coal recently and paid £6 for a bottle of cider, that surprised me seeing as I don't live in London and it's just a scabby chain restaurant. It wasn't great anyway.
5 Guys was massively overpriced and very average after being talked up by friends a lot. Quite like the random drinks machine with it's 1000 options but £12 odd for an ok-ish fast food burger seemed utterly bonkers.
Hated Loch Fyne in Bristol when we went. Food was overpriced and the service was dreadful.
Went to Coal recently and paid £6 for a bottle of cider, that surprised me seeing as I don't live in London and it's just a scabby chain restaurant. It wasn't great anyway.
5 Guys was massively overpriced and very average after being talked up by friends a lot. Quite like the random drinks machine with it's 1000 options but £12 odd for an ok-ish fast food burger seemed utterly bonkers.
My big gripe with chain restaurants these days is simply price - I can accept the food is going to be average to poor with the occasional decent treat, that's understandable given the whole ethos of the places and the speed they are expected to put food on the table from a relatively extensive menu.
It just seems ridiculous that I'm expected to pay £15 for some ribs or £10 for a burger which has the same attention given to it as emptying the bins. I want my stuff to be "made" for that money, not taken through the final stage of a process that began in a lab (unless it belongs to Ferran Adrià or similar).
This is where Wetherspoons has the edge, yes the food is average but they make it cheaper than I can at home and generally give me a beer for £1 with the meal. I'd rather pay for a decent independent to serve me something but it's a lottery when you are in a new place (even with help from apps like Foodspotting, TripAdvisor etc).
I have 2 issues these days, a wife who can't eat dairy and a 3 year old - this means I often find myself forced into convenience rather than enjoying a treat. For that I thank the chains but at the same time I just wish they would adjust the prices to reflect the items they serve. Having said this they are always full at meal times so I guess the likes of the Harvester down the road are appealing to many people who go out for a "treat" there.
As an aside the new Nandos burger made with two chicken thighs is good.
Spitfire2 said:
scdan4 said:
Loch Fyne has also promoted itself onto our "will never darken their doors again" list. Terrible over a couple of visits .......
Same here. And that's based on eating at the one beside Loch Fyne. I seem to go on and off with Wagamama these days, mostly due to the hit and miss service. The food is pretty good, but I can't stand their excuse that everything is cooked "fresh" to explain stuff arriving at completely random times. Once had my ramen arrive waaay before my other half's dish; wasn't willing to let the noodles go cold and stodgy, so we had to take it in turns to watch each other eat... Much prefer Tampopo whenever I'm near one, where they can time stuff properly.
Went to TGIs for the old man's birthday recently. Plenty of staff around the place, but all looking at the floor to avoid customer eye contact or singing "happy birthday" every five minutes. Food was quickly piling up on the pass and going cold. I warned my lot not to order steak for that reason, but none of them listened. Rares arrived closer to medium, and mediums may as well have been well-done after 10 additional minutes under the 'tanning booth'.
Went to TGIs for the old man's birthday recently. Plenty of staff around the place, but all looking at the floor to avoid customer eye contact or singing "happy birthday" every five minutes. Food was quickly piling up on the pass and going cold. I warned my lot not to order steak for that reason, but none of them listened. Rares arrived closer to medium, and mediums may as well have been well-done after 10 additional minutes under the 'tanning booth'.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Spitfire2 said:
scdan4 said:
Loch Fyne has also promoted itself onto our "will never darken their doors again" list. Terrible over a couple of visits .......
Same here. And that's based on eating at the one beside Loch Fyne. Christ.
One that really surprised me was Hardrock Cafe. I took my son out for a meal in Edinburgh, and said he could choose. He chose there, and I went along with it to appease him, and was amazed. Excellent cocktails, good quality ingredients cooked very well, and reasonably priced. I'd always assumed it was an overpriced sh*thole for tourists.
tomsugden said:
One that really surprised me was Hardrock Cafe. I took my son out for a meal in Edinburgh, and said he could choose. He chose there, and I went along with it to appease him, and was amazed. Excellent cocktails, good quality ingredients cooked very well, and reasonably priced. I'd always assumed it was an overpriced sh*thole for tourists.
There's nothing wrong with Hard Rock Café. You know what you're going to get (was in the one in Venice a few weeks ago - it was the only place we could find that was baby friendly and the food was decent, albeit a bit on the pricey side - a pint of beer was about £8.50 however). I've been in a fair few of them all over the world (Europe, North America, Middle East & the Caribbean) both on business and leisure travel to a) have a pint, b) get one of their fridge magnets and c) the odd dirty burger
.They are consistent with one exception - the one in London was bloody awful when I last went in there about 3 years ago. No excuse really as it was the one that started them all off...
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Spitfire2 said:
scdan4 said:
Loch Fyne has also promoted itself onto our "will never darken their doors again" list. Terrible over a couple of visits .......
Same here. And that's based on eating at the one beside Loch Fyne. Can't believe so many people like Wagamama. Also can't believe the number of people who go to Wasabi for lunch. As a rule, oriental restaurants run by non-orientals (can also substitute oriental for any other cuisine) will be tasteless and unauthentic.
Anyway my vote goes to Patty and Bun, craving it right now as I type
MacW said:
Page 5 and nobody has touted Hawksmoor?
Pistonheads is not what it used to be.
It's because Goodman is better Pistonheads is not what it used to be.
Anyway my vote goes to Patty and Bun, craving it right now as I type
Thankyou4calling said:
Good call. Bahama Breeze on I Drive.
Also the Outback Steakhouse chain and red Lobster, would love those in the UK
+2 on Bahama Breeze.Also the Outback Steakhouse chain and red Lobster, would love those in the UK
There were 2 or 3 Outback Steakhouses in the UK up until a few years ago (Essex way I think) but they shut down due to poor trade. Same as Hooters.
thetapeworm said:
My big gripe with chain restaurants these days is simply price - I can accept the food is going to be average to poor with the occasional decent treat, that's understandable given the whole ethos of the places and the speed they are expected to put food on the table from a relatively extensive menu.
It just seems ridiculous that I'm expected to pay £15 for some ribs or £10 for a burger which has the same attention given to it as emptying the bins. I want my stuff to be "made" for that money, not taken through the final stage of a process that began in a lab (unless it belongs to Ferran Adrià or similar).
This is where Wetherspoons has the edge, yes the food is average but they make it cheaper than I can at home and generally give me a beer for £1 with the meal. I'd rather pay for a decent independent to serve me something but it's a lottery when you are in a new place (even with help from apps like Foodspotting, TripAdvisor etc).
I have 2 issues these days, a wife who can't eat dairy and a 3 year old - this means I often find myself forced into convenience rather than enjoying a treat. For that I thank the chains but at the same time I just wish they would adjust the prices to reflect the items they serve. Having said this they are always full at meal times so I guess the likes of the Harvester down the road are appealing to many people who go out for a "treat" there.
As an aside the new Nandos burger made with two chicken thighs is good.
Had no idea Nandos had finally bucked their ideas up and put the thighs in a bun, I'll be heading there as soon as I'm back in the UK It just seems ridiculous that I'm expected to pay £15 for some ribs or £10 for a burger which has the same attention given to it as emptying the bins. I want my stuff to be "made" for that money, not taken through the final stage of a process that began in a lab (unless it belongs to Ferran Adrià or similar).
This is where Wetherspoons has the edge, yes the food is average but they make it cheaper than I can at home and generally give me a beer for £1 with the meal. I'd rather pay for a decent independent to serve me something but it's a lottery when you are in a new place (even with help from apps like Foodspotting, TripAdvisor etc).
I have 2 issues these days, a wife who can't eat dairy and a 3 year old - this means I often find myself forced into convenience rather than enjoying a treat. For that I thank the chains but at the same time I just wish they would adjust the prices to reflect the items they serve. Having said this they are always full at meal times so I guess the likes of the Harvester down the road are appealing to many people who go out for a "treat" there.
As an aside the new Nandos burger made with two chicken thighs is good.
Thankyou4calling said:
toon10 said:
Whenever I'm in Florida I always stop by a Bahama Breeze. One of the better chains although none in the U.K.
Good call. Bahama Breeze on I Drive.Also the Outback Steakhouse chain and red Lobster, would love those in the UK
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