Why can't larger pub chains beat Wetherspoons?
Discussion
Go to a Wetherspoons pub and you can order on an App, choose from a wide range of standard and weekly featured beers, good wines, decent food and pay buttons for all of it.
It's easy to assume it has economies of scale to allow it to do this (which of course it does) and yet it is only the 5-6 largest pub chain. Why can't or don't the larger ones do the same? My local Greene King, for example, is about £5 more for 2 drinks, a huge difference for such a small order. It does have an App but food is poor/more variable and also a lot more than Wetherspoons.
I know some the Wetherspoons pubs are a bit basic/budget but many of the newer ones are very nice indeed.
Are these just old companies stuck in their ways?
It's easy to assume it has economies of scale to allow it to do this (which of course it does) and yet it is only the 5-6 largest pub chain. Why can't or don't the larger ones do the same? My local Greene King, for example, is about £5 more for 2 drinks, a huge difference for such a small order. It does have an App but food is poor/more variable and also a lot more than Wetherspoons.
I know some the Wetherspoons pubs are a bit basic/budget but many of the newer ones are very nice indeed.
Are these just old companies stuck in their ways?
I don't know so this is just a theory....
Wetherspoons operates more like McDonalds than a chain of pubs. Its competitiveness comes from the implementation of a common set of processes and procedures. Managers are not there to manage a pub but to oversee the implementation of those processes. Thus the quality of the product and service is not dependant on the Manager in place at one particular location.
I may be wrong but I don't think any of the comparable pub chains operate in this way. They're simply many pubs all owned by the same company where the Landords are exactly that and given autonomy on what they do - or more than Wetherspoons would give. Providing the sales stack up - all's good.
Replicating the Wetherspoons model would require a pretty major overhaul technically and operationally. I think there's also the risk that any brand differentiator that exists would be eroded. For example; most people will say "I'll meet you in Wetherspoons". I don't think half the people in a Wetherspoons could tell you the name of the pub. People wouldn't say "I'll meet you in the Greene King or in the Stonegate". For those chains, the pubs are the brand not the chain.
Wetherspoons operates more like McDonalds than a chain of pubs. Its competitiveness comes from the implementation of a common set of processes and procedures. Managers are not there to manage a pub but to oversee the implementation of those processes. Thus the quality of the product and service is not dependant on the Manager in place at one particular location.
I may be wrong but I don't think any of the comparable pub chains operate in this way. They're simply many pubs all owned by the same company where the Landords are exactly that and given autonomy on what they do - or more than Wetherspoons would give. Providing the sales stack up - all's good.
Replicating the Wetherspoons model would require a pretty major overhaul technically and operationally. I think there's also the risk that any brand differentiator that exists would be eroded. For example; most people will say "I'll meet you in Wetherspoons". I don't think half the people in a Wetherspoons could tell you the name of the pub. People wouldn't say "I'll meet you in the Greene King or in the Stonegate". For those chains, the pubs are the brand not the chain.
BoRED S2upid said:
Why would they want to? Spoons is the Greggs of the pub world not everyone wants to eat / drink at Greggs.
Because money. There are some crappy Spoons pubs but there are also a lot of very nice ones. Ours was totally refurbished and now is the nicest one in town with the cheapest prices by far. Literally nothing the other pubs have is better and they want £5 a round more for a poorer selection of drinks and variable levels of food quality.Frimley111R said:
Go to a Wetherspoons pub and you can order on an App, choose from a wide range of standard and weekly featured beers, good wines, decent food and pay buttons for all of it.
It's easy to assume it has economies of scale to allow it to do this (which of course it does) and yet it is only the 5-6 largest pub chain. Why can't or don't the larger ones do the same? My local Greene King, for example, is about £5 more for 2 drinks, a huge difference for such a small order. It does have an App but food is poor/more variable and also a lot more than Wetherspoons.
I know some the Wetherspoons pubs are a bit basic/budget but many of the newer ones are very nice indeed.
Are these just old companies stuck in their ways?
We have a couple of pubs near us. One started up a happy hour 1700-1800. Almost everyone in Pub 1 just moved to Pub 2.It's easy to assume it has economies of scale to allow it to do this (which of course it does) and yet it is only the 5-6 largest pub chain. Why can't or don't the larger ones do the same? My local Greene King, for example, is about £5 more for 2 drinks, a huge difference for such a small order. It does have an App but food is poor/more variable and also a lot more than Wetherspoons.
I know some the Wetherspoons pubs are a bit basic/budget but many of the newer ones are very nice indeed.
Are these just old companies stuck in their ways?
We go to both so I asked Pub 2 why don't they just have a happy hour. Brewery said no^ was their answer!
^it's also GK as your example
My assumption then is that some breweries must have more money than sense and/or don't care about individual pubs in their chain.
TX.
Alickadoo said:
A friend of mine went to see Arsenal play (yes, I know) last week. They went for a drink in an unnamed pub afterwards. A pint of beer for him and a glass of wine for her was £18. It was suggested that they should have gone to 'spoons - it hadn't occurred to him!
My neighbours' son lives in E.London and earns pretty well. Him and his girlfriend couldn't get over that you could buy a decent bottle of wine in Spoons for less than two glasses in London. They were absolutely wrecked in one afternoon 
. It must have made going back to London prices a bit tough though...Yup spoons is the Maccy Dees of the pub world and non the worse for that. Consistent products at set prices, if you dont like the beer or the food well thats fine, bugger off elsewhere and pay more for it. I would argue that Spoons, like Maccy Dees, is a high quality product. You get exactly what you pay for regardless of where you are.
I am quite partial to Spoons in airports, it’s generally very quick and efficient without costing the earth. Oh and who doesn't like a pint with the holiday breakfast?
I am quite partial to Spoons in airports, it’s generally very quick and efficient without costing the earth. Oh and who doesn't like a pint with the holiday breakfast?
Frimley111R said:
Alickadoo said:
A friend of mine went to see Arsenal play (yes, I know) last week. They went for a drink in an unnamed pub afterwards. A pint of beer for him and a glass of wine for her was £18. It was suggested that they should have gone to 'spoons - it hadn't occurred to him!
My neighbours' son lives in E.London and earns pretty well. Him and his girlfriend couldn't get over that you could buy a decent bottle of wine in Spoons for less than two glasses in London. They were absolutely wrecked in one afternoon . It must have made going back to London prices a bit tough though...I have a conflicted opinion on Wetherspoons, I like that they provide a competitive offer and rejuvenate interesting buildings.
As a food and drink snob my perception is they're likely serving low quality s
te but can't really back this up having only been in 2 and both were some time ago. I also don't like Brexit Tim.
So Spoons fans, where should I try in London for a Saturday lunchtime experiment? I'll go for a main course and a glass of "decent wine".
As a food and drink snob my perception is they're likely serving low quality s
te but can't really back this up having only been in 2 and both were some time ago. I also don't like Brexit Tim.So Spoons fans, where should I try in London for a Saturday lunchtime experiment? I'll go for a main course and a glass of "decent wine".
No music, no telly = less overheads but also less atmosphere.
I’ve been to 2 recently and can’t enjoy it.
It’s defo a pop in for lunch thing or get a quick 4 pints in before moving to a nicer pub.
Also, the clients are rough. Low prices attract the dregs.
—
On a side note. Possibly “hearsay” is that they buy near end of life beers at a cheaper price
I’ve been to 2 recently and can’t enjoy it.
It’s defo a pop in for lunch thing or get a quick 4 pints in before moving to a nicer pub.
Also, the clients are rough. Low prices attract the dregs.
—
On a side note. Possibly “hearsay” is that they buy near end of life beers at a cheaper price
Djtemeka said:
No music, no telly = less overheads but also less atmosphere.
I ve been to 2 recently and can t enjoy it.
It s defo a pop in for lunch thing or get a quick 4 pints in before moving to a nicer pub.
Also, the clients are rough. Low prices attract the dregs.
On a side note. Possibly hearsay is that they buy near end of life beers at a cheaper price
The end of life beers thing was debunked years ago by Wetherspoons, they can’t buy the quantities they require on end of life deals. I ve been to 2 recently and can t enjoy it.
It s defo a pop in for lunch thing or get a quick 4 pints in before moving to a nicer pub.
Also, the clients are rough. Low prices attract the dregs.
On a side note. Possibly hearsay is that they buy near end of life beers at a cheaper price
Economy of scale is in their favour, massive orders reduces unit price
Djtemeka said:
No music, no telly = less overheads but also less atmosphere.
I ve been to 2 recently and can t enjoy it.
It s defo a pop in for lunch thing or get a quick 4 pints in before moving to a nicer pub.
Also, the clients are rough. Low prices attract the dregs.
On a side note. Possibly hearsay is that they buy near end of life beers at a cheaper price
Nonsense.I ve been to 2 recently and can t enjoy it.
It s defo a pop in for lunch thing or get a quick 4 pints in before moving to a nicer pub.
Also, the clients are rough. Low prices attract the dregs.
On a side note. Possibly hearsay is that they buy near end of life beers at a cheaper price
https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/news/killing-off-an-...
Venisonpie said:
As a food and drink snob my perception is they're likely serving low quality ste but can't really back this up having only been in 2 and both were some time ago
It's not ste but can't really back this up having only been in 2 and both were some time agote food. But nor is it fine dinning. They get their food in what is essentially 'kits' from one of the biggest commercial food suppliers (that my friend works at which is why I know). They make two orders for the entire chain a year which means they get the best possible price. There's nothing wrong with the food but it's nothing spectacular - the sort of thing you might knock up at home on a Wednesday evening; no locally-sourced artisan cheeses or free-range boar chops. It's just stuff that's warmed or fried and served. A 'gets the job done' dining experience. StevieBee said:
It's not ste food. But nor is it fine dinning. They get their food in what is essentially 'kits' from one of the biggest commercial food suppliers (that my friend works at which is why I know). They make two orders for the entire chain a year which means they get the best possible price. There's nothing wrong with the food but it's nothing spectacular - the sort of thing you might knock up at home on a Wednesday evening; no locally-sourced artisan cheeses or free-range boar chops. It's just stuff that's warmed or fried and served. A 'gets the job done' dining experience.
Which I think is about spot on.te food. But nor is it fine dinning. They get their food in what is essentially 'kits' from one of the biggest commercial food suppliers (that my friend works at which is why I know). They make two orders for the entire chain a year which means they get the best possible price. There's nothing wrong with the food but it's nothing spectacular - the sort of thing you might knock up at home on a Wednesday evening; no locally-sourced artisan cheeses or free-range boar chops. It's just stuff that's warmed or fried and served. A 'gets the job done' dining experience. Alickadoo said:
Djtemeka said:
No music, no telly = less overheads but also less atmosphere.
I ve been to 2 recently and can t enjoy it.
It s defo a pop in for lunch thing or get a quick 4 pints in before moving to a nicer pub.
Also, the clients are rough. Low prices attract the dregs.
On a side note. Possibly hearsay is that they buy near end of life beers at a cheaper price
Nonsense.I ve been to 2 recently and can t enjoy it.
It s defo a pop in for lunch thing or get a quick 4 pints in before moving to a nicer pub.
Also, the clients are rough. Low prices attract the dregs.
On a side note. Possibly hearsay is that they buy near end of life beers at a cheaper price
https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/news/killing-off-an-...
StevieBee said:
Venisonpie said:
As a food and drink snob my perception is they're likely serving low quality ste but can't really back this up having only been in 2 and both were some time ago
It's not ste but can't really back this up having only been in 2 and both were some time agote food. But nor is it fine dinning. They get their food in what is essentially 'kits' from one of the biggest commercial food suppliers (that my friend works at which is why I know). They make two orders for the entire chain a year which means they get the best possible price. There's nothing wrong with the food but it's nothing spectacular - the sort of thing you might knock up at home on a Wednesday evening; no locally-sourced artisan cheeses or free-range boar chops. It's just stuff that's warmed or fried and served. A 'gets the job done' dining experience. 
Djtemeka said:
No music, no telly = less overheads but also less atmosphere.
I ve been to 2 recently and can t enjoy it.
It s defo a pop in for lunch thing or get a quick 4 pints in before moving to a nicer pub.
Also, the clients are rough. Low prices attract the dregs.
Ours has TV but mostly BBC News but they do have some sport on. It was refurbished a year or two ago and is very nice inside, definitely not what they used to be. I ve been to 2 recently and can t enjoy it.
It s defo a pop in for lunch thing or get a quick 4 pints in before moving to a nicer pub.
Also, the clients are rough. Low prices attract the dregs.
You will get a wide range of people in them but who doesn't love a good pub with good beers etc at rock bottom prices? It does also depend on where that pub is though as there are definitely some rough ones!.
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