Nandos - what would you like sir?

[anonymous-user]

Trabia = Chemical Chaos's brother?

[C70R]

Trabi601 said:

I generally go to places where I won't get irritated by other customers.

If a place attracts those in tracksuits and children with silly names, I know I'll spend the entire meal getting increasingly agitated. So I don't go to Nando's, as that appears to be their usual clientele. For the same reasons, I don't got to TGI Fridays, Hungry Horse, Frankie & Benny's, or any number of other places where tracksuits or Crosshatch / Lonsdale etc., branded clothing is in abundance.

So, indulge me. Where do you eat if you're in a hurry, want to spend around £10/adult and aren't looking for gourmet food?

This has been my ongoing bugbear with PH's apparent hatred/snobbery around Nando's. I'm not for a moment suggesting it's the pinnacle of culinary experiences. It simply provides reasonable quality food, at a convenient speed, and for relatively modest outlay.

To the dissenters, answer me this:
If I'm in a town/city and want to eat relatively healthily, within half an hour, and for ~£10/head, where are the preferable options from which you look down your nose at Nando's?

ETA - I was in M&S earlier, and realised that I could easily spend >£6 on a sandwich and a pack of crisps. By contrast, Nando's looks a bloody bargain!

Insert Coin said:

Trabia = Chemical Chaos's brother?

Certainly seems to have the same autistic/verbal-diarrhoea posting style, and the 'look how rebellious and crazy I am' lilt.

Edited by C70R on Thursday 11th May 15:01

[AndStilliRise]

Let me get some popcorn..

[hyphen]

AndStilliRise said:

Let me get some popcorn..

They don't do popcorn in Nando's

[FiF]

But suppose one doesn't "look down your nose at Nando's" but simply don't like to eat what is on offer? Why is there an assumption that it's got to be a snobbery thing rather than a simple matter of taste?

[C70R]

FiF said:

But suppose one doesn't "look down your nose at Nando's" but simply don't like to eat what is on offer? Why is there an assumption that it's got to be a snobbery thing rather than a simple matter of taste?

Go read the quotes in my post at the top of page 2. The prevailing sentiment is one of snobbery, but the same plonkers go curiously quiet when asked about alternatives. I just think that Nando's is one of those things that unhappy middle class people think it's clever to look down on.

[FiF]

Well we're going to have to agree to differ on that. Having been twice, have no problem with the place or the staff and customers, but don't care for the food. Simple answer, so not an option for me. But you carry on trying really hard to force your views on others.

[zygalski]

C70R said:

Go read the quotes in my post at the top of page 2. The prevailing sentiment is one of snobbery, but the same plonkers go curiously quiet when asked about alternatives. I just think that Nando's is one of those things that unhappy middle class people think it's clever to look down on.

I'd never eat there, or Harvesters or anything similar. Not snobbery, but why pay for crap food?
I'd rather go to any half-decent pub, one of those ones that doesn't have a generic plastic Brake Bros freezer to fryer menus with 6 different types of 'fries' on it.

[C70R]

zygalski said:

C70R said:

Go read the quotes in my post at the top of page 2. The prevailing sentiment is one of snobbery, but the same plonkers go curiously quiet when asked about alternatives. I just think that Nando's is one of those things that unhappy middle class people think it's clever to look down on.

I'd never eat there, or Harvesters or anything similar. Not snobbery, but why pay for crap food?
I'd rather go to any half-decent pub, one of those ones that doesn't have a generic plastic Brake Bros freezer to fryer menus with 6 different types of 'fries' on it.

That's lovely and all, but it's​ not really an alternative doesn't do anything as quickly, cheaply and conveniently as Nando's.
I'd also much rather a good pub, but if I'm eating at Nando's chances are that I have less time, am spending less, and am probably nowhere near a "good pub". I'm still struggling to see a clear argument for an alternative.

[SidJames]

Stig said:

Table service.

self service at table...ipad jobbie. nailed down of course.

[Tickle]

C70R said:

Go read the quotes in my post at the top of page 2. The prevailing sentiment is one of snobbery, but the same plonkers go curiously quiet when asked about alternatives. I just think that Nando's is one of those things that unhappy middle class people think it's clever to look down on.

My comment you quoted was regarding that I don’t eat fast food. I eat clean through the week, with all my meals prepared by myself for in work and for dinner, I’ve done this for quite a while and it works for me. When I do have a bit of a blowout meal I cook at home on a weekend, hence me posting in the ‘Photo of your Dinner’ thread quite often and in the ‘PH Cooking Completions’ and steak threads.

I just don’t eat fast food or in chain restaurants for that matter, it’s not because I am better than people who eat at fast food restaurants it’s because I enjoy food and what goes into it, by this I don’t mean expensive meals either just good, fresh ingredients.

I recently worked in London for a couple of months and had a list of independent bistros to try for evening meals (I put a thread up on here for recommendation as it was my first time in London and I hadn’t a clue where to start). On a couple of occasions when stuck for lunch options we could of gone to a chain restaurant/fast food place but never. I found a place that had good quality food at a decent price, under £8 with a drink (Ma’s Kitchen on the Cut, Southwark). Other places that we found when stuck were delis and Borough Market.

I don’t spend much time in towns or cities, so this may be why I am never caught short with limited places to a quick bite; however, when in London or Manchester I seem to see other options than chain restaurants.

If this makes me a snob who looks down his nose at others so be it, I will continue being an un-happy middle class plonker who enjoys his food

[zygalski]

C70R said:

That's lovely and all, but it's? not really an alternative doesn't do anything as quickly, cheaply and conveniently as Nando's.
I'd also much rather a good pub, but if I'm eating at Nando's chances are that I have less time, am spending less, and am probably nowhere near a "good pub". I'm still struggling to see a clear argument for an alternative.

Hi again.
A pot noodle is cheaper, quicker & arguably more convenient than Nandos. Especially if you arrange a pot noodle evening at your friends.

Edited by zygalski on Friday 12th May 12:56

[C70R]

Tickle said:

C70R said:

Go read the quotes in my post at the top of page 2. The prevailing sentiment is one of snobbery, but the same plonkers go curiously quiet when asked about alternatives. I just think that Nando's is one of those things that unhappy middle class people think it's clever to look down on.

My comment you quoted was regarding that I don’t eat fast food. I eat clean through the week, with all my meals prepared by myself for in work and for dinner, I’ve done this for quite a while and it works for me. When I do have a bit of a blowout meal I cook at home on a weekend, hence me posting in the ‘Photo of your Dinner’ thread quite often and in the ‘PH Cooking Completions’ and steak threads.

I just don’t eat fast food or in chain restaurants for that matter, it’s not because I am better than people who eat at fast food restaurants it’s because I enjoy food and what goes into it, by this I don’t mean expensive meals either just good, fresh ingredients.

I recently worked in London for a couple of months and had a list of independent bistros to try for evening meals (I put a thread up on here for recommendation as it was my first time in London and I hadn’t a clue where to start). On a couple of occasions when stuck for lunch options we could of gone to a chain restaurant/fast food place but never. I found a place that had good quality food at a decent price, under £8 with a drink (Ma’s Kitchen on the Cut, Southwark). Other places that we found when stuck were delis and Borough Market.

I don’t spend much time in towns or cities, so this may be why I am never caught short with limited places to a quick bite; however, when in London or Manchester I seem to see other options than chain restaurants.

If this makes me a snob who looks down his nose at others so be it, I will continue being an un-happy middle class plonker who enjoys his food

I know Ma's kitchen well. Isn't it the place that closes at 5pm during the week, 3pm on Saturdays and doesn't even open on Sundays?
The food is almost certainly better quality/value, but it fails the convenience test.

Just a question, apropos of nothing. If you don't eat fast food, why did you feel the need to come onto a thread about fast food, for people who eat and obviously enjoy fast food, just to announce it?
Obviously the standard reply of "It's an open forum and I'll type what I want" applies, but it strikes me as a very weird behaviour. I wouldn't go striding into a thread entitled "Which BBQ?" just to reply with "None of them. They are all rubbish. I don't like BBQs.".
Amateur sociologists might point towards attention-seeking or sociopathic behavioural traits...

[C70R]

zygalski said:

C70R said:

That's lovely and all, but it's? not really an alternative doesn't do anything as quickly, cheaply and conveniently as Nando's.
I'd also much rather a good pub, but if I'm eating at Nando's chances are that I have less time, am spending less, and am probably nowhere near a "good pub". I'm still struggling to see a clear argument for an alternative.

Hi again.
A pot noodle is cheaper, quicker & arguably more convenient than Nandos. Especially if you arrange a pot noodle evening at your friends.

Edited by zygalski on Friday 12th May 12:56

For future reference, if you need to try that hard to be funny, there's a good chance that it's probably not funny.

[anonymous-user]

never been but worked at the plant that supplied the chicken. did get 20 chicken thigh burgers from the factory shop which were nice. Just never got round to it.

[feef]

Hummus with the peri peri oil
Wings Roulette, coleslaw and corn on the cob

[iphonedyou]

C70R said:

For reference, The Ivy should never be held up as a standard-bearer. The food is mediocre, the menu is c.50% overpriced, and the clientele annoy me in a way that nobody in Nando's could ever.

The place has been trading on its name for at least 5 years, and attracts the sort of tw*t who goes out to dinner 'to be seen'. Pretentious, new-money, badly dressed. I would actually rather eat at Nando's.

So you've had a good cry at all the snobs in this thread pissing on a place you presumably, given your reaction, own and have nurtured since it was nothing more than a nebulous, nascent spark of an idea buried deep in your brain - then go all inverse snobbery over somewhere else on exactly the same criteria? Mediocre food, overpriced, annoying clientele..?

OK.

[AndStilliRise]

Think i might go tonight. Half chicken with chips.

[Ben Jk]

Half chicken (sometime whole) extra hot with chips and coleslaw.

Everytime

[zygalski]

C70R said:

zygalski said:

C70R said:

That's lovely and all, but it's? not really an alternative doesn't do anything as quickly, cheaply and conveniently as Nando's.
I'd also much rather a good pub, but if I'm eating at Nando's chances are that I have less time, am spending less, and am probably nowhere near a "good pub". I'm still struggling to see a clear argument for an alternative.

Hi again.
A pot noodle is cheaper, quicker & arguably more convenient than Nandos. Especially if you arrange a pot noodle evening at your friends.

Edited by zygalski on Friday 12th May 12:56

For future reference, if you need to try that hard to be funny, there's a good chance that it's probably not funny.

Well you certainly taught me a lesson.
Now off you go to your crappy restaurant to pay to eat st food served by snotty teenagers who really couldn't give a toss if you enjoy yourself or not & have probably gobbed on your nachos & cheese.