I've just had lunch in Wetherspoons
Discussion
Bacon Is Proof]...[he said:
had made such a bad business decision that it led to a widespread campaign to completely boycott his bars.....
These boycotts would be much more effective if the people boycotting where customers previously which they normally aren't.The one thing you can definitely hold against Wetherspoons is they alway seem to be short staffed with long waits to be served.
The Mad Monk said:
The truth doesn't to a lot of people-doesn't fit their narrative. There is a Wetherspoons 5 mins away from where I live. Lovely old place-good mix of customers-very good Guiness last Monday for a good price.
Truckosaurus said:
Bacon Is Proof]...[he said:
had made such a bad business decision that it led to a widespread campaign to completely boycott his bars.....
These boycotts would be much more effective if the people boycotting where customers previously which they normally aren't.The one thing you can definitely hold against Wetherspoons is they alway seem to be short staffed with long waits to be served.
I've never had a meal delivered to my table quicker, anywhere.
There really are some incredibly pompous people who post here. I may not be "own my own yacht" rich but I'm comfortable enough to be able to eat out wherever I want and order whatever I want from the menu. If the Mrs and I visit somewhere new though, we invariably seek out the Wetherspoons at some point during our stay. We have been to some amazing buildings (Harrogate and Llandudno stick in my memory) and some really grim places (Wick, horrific) but they are solid pub food and cheap drinks. Maybe it's because we're happier in the company of grounded people over those who brag about how expensive their last meal was. We're equally at home in a nice steak house or a cosy country pub with our dog snuggled by the fire. Maybe because we both grew up as council kids and both became reasonably successful in our chosen careers we can blend between all aspects of social backdrop, but that just means I genuinely feel sorry for those who feel that something such as a pub is beneath them. You really don't know what you're missing.
okgo said:
If I cared enough about your opinion I’d click on your profile and make some silly comment too (I haven’t updated my car profile for years FYI).
They’re budget pubs. They do it well, the best even. But to suggest they’re in any way ‘decent’ is quite amusing, 99% of the positive posts here have been about the price. For those that don’t care about that, there’s a million places better.
If you don’t care then why respond They’re budget pubs. They do it well, the best even. But to suggest they’re in any way ‘decent’ is quite amusing, 99% of the positive posts here have been about the price. For those that don’t care about that, there’s a million places better.
Of course they are budget that’s the point.
Wealth whispers, I see, get that humble brag in to show you don’t care about cost, you’re one of them I see.
Food is just fuel, whether I pay £25 or £500 the end result is the same.
The Mad Monk said:
That doesn't contradict my previous post.All they have going for them is price, remove the need to shop on price and they offer nothing. Hardly a wealth whisper is it, all my local pubs charging 5 or more for a pint are full of people, most of them under 35, I don't live in Belgravia, so they must just be normal people.
Even the bloke who seeks them out in new places (do you take tea bags on holiday too?) who professes not to care about the cost manages to mention cost as a key driver in the 4th line of his post. That is their 'thing' - nothing wrong with it, but those of us who have said they're grim have all more than likely visited more than one of these places, and made that call. I see a meal out or drinks out as more than just 'fuel' so I pick places that I enjoy, hardly revolutionary.
I'm going to the New Forest at the weekend, the thought of trying to find the local spoons is utterly bizarre when there will be 100 other places doing a trade down there that will be better.
Even the bloke who seeks them out in new places (do you take tea bags on holiday too?) who professes not to care about the cost manages to mention cost as a key driver in the 4th line of his post. That is their 'thing' - nothing wrong with it, but those of us who have said they're grim have all more than likely visited more than one of these places, and made that call. I see a meal out or drinks out as more than just 'fuel' so I pick places that I enjoy, hardly revolutionary.
I'm going to the New Forest at the weekend, the thought of trying to find the local spoons is utterly bizarre when there will be 100 other places doing a trade down there that will be better.
Edited by okgo on Wednesday 17th November 09:58
Truckosaurus said:
Vasco said:
...
I've never had a meal delivered to my table quicker, anywhere.
Which may well be true, but you probably spent longer queueing at the bar to order than they did cooking it I've never had a meal delivered to my table quicker, anywhere.
With regards to waiting times, I'll apologize to anyone who has had to wait for more than one other round to get served before them but then I've been enjoying pubs for decades before all this madness. Some of the youngest customers look confused at my apology and explain that the wait at 'Spoons was 40mins and an hour and a half at other establishments! They've never been in a pub under normal conditions though, what a time to be born!
Apps may speed up service times for those that use them but they slow down service for everyone else (they effectively allow queue jumping) and slow down service overall.
Couple of weeks ago our pub took more money than any of the others in the company and with fewer staff, despite being one of the smaller pubs in a less central area so the big boss popped in to see how we did it.
One of the first things he noticed was how much quicker we were when we didn't have to fanny around with app orders, so he'll be reviewing their use in his other pubs.
As staff we would much rather have interaction with our customers, and our customers would much rather have interaction with us.
But then we're an actual pub, not warehouse clearance for piss and chips with glitter and stools.
Apps may speed up service times for those that use them but they slow down service for everyone else (they effectively allow queue jumping) and slow down service overall.
Couple of weeks ago our pub took more money than any of the others in the company and with fewer staff, despite being one of the smaller pubs in a less central area so the big boss popped in to see how we did it.
One of the first things he noticed was how much quicker we were when we didn't have to fanny around with app orders, so he'll be reviewing their use in his other pubs.
As staff we would much rather have interaction with our customers, and our customers would much rather have interaction with us.
But then we're an actual pub, not warehouse clearance for piss and chips with glitter and stools.
okgo said:
All they have going for them is price, remove the need to shop on price and they offer nothing. Hardly a wealth whisper is it, all my local pubs charging 5 or more for a pint are full of people, most of them under 35, I don't live in Belgravia, so they must just be normal people.
Even the bloke who seeks them out in new places (do you take tea bags on holiday too?) who professes not to care about the cost manages to mention cost as a key driver in the 4th line of his post. That is their 'thing' - nothing wrong with it, but those of us who have said they're grim have all more than likely visited more than one of these places, and made that call. I see a meal out or drinks out as more than just 'fuel' so I pick places that I enjoy, hardly revolutionary.
I'm going to the New Forest at the weekend, the thought of trying to find the local spoons is utterly bizarre when there will be 100 other places doing a trade down there that will be better.
You're not being very fair, seemingly heavily anti.Even the bloke who seeks them out in new places (do you take tea bags on holiday too?) who professes not to care about the cost manages to mention cost as a key driver in the 4th line of his post. That is their 'thing' - nothing wrong with it, but those of us who have said they're grim have all more than likely visited more than one of these places, and made that call. I see a meal out or drinks out as more than just 'fuel' so I pick places that I enjoy, hardly revolutionary.
I'm going to the New Forest at the weekend, the thought of trying to find the local spoons is utterly bizarre when there will be 100 other places doing a trade down there that will be better.
Edited by okgo on Wednesday 17th November 09:58
I also probably wouldn't use Wetherspoons if there were '100 other places' - I may use them if I'm in an area with few all-day pubs and I want a *quick* meal. I think some people on this thread are either very snobbish or simply don't understand that different people have different needs, at different times, and in different places.
focusxr5 said:
There really are some incredibly pompous people who post here. I may not be "own my own yacht" rich but I'm comfortable enough to be able to eat out wherever I want and order whatever I want from the menu. If the Mrs and I visit somewhere new though, we invariably seek out the Wetherspoons at some point during our stay. We have been to some amazing buildings (Harrogate and Llandudno stick in my memory) and some really grim places (Wick, horrific) but they are solid pub food and cheap drinks. Maybe it's because we're happier in the company of grounded people over those who brag about how expensive their last meal was. We're equally at home in a nice steak house or a cosy country pub with our dog snuggled by the fire. Maybe because we both grew up as council kids and both became reasonably successful in our chosen careers we can blend between all aspects of social backdrop, but that just means I genuinely feel sorry for those who feel that something such as a pub is beneath them. You really don't know what you're missing.
To many people there is a clear difference between a Wetherspoons and a 'normal pub'.I happily go in normal, old fashioned, traditional, bog standard pubs (as long as they serve decent real ale) but I wouldn't go in a Wetherspoons out of choice. So no, I don't feel that a pub is beneath me at all, but I do feel that a Wetherspoons is 'beneath me' to use your own phrase.
There isn't anything wrong with liking Wetherspoons, and it all comes down to personal choice, but in your example I cannot understand why you would habitually seek out Wetherspoons in new places when you could be enjoying local independent pubs, bars and restaurants. It seems to be the equivalent of going to a McDonalds every time you go on holiday and ordering from the same menu.
lord.vader said:
Food is just fuel, whether I pay £25 or £500 the end result is the same.
That is a really silly thing to say, but you already know it is.Bacon Is Proof said:
As staff we would much rather have interaction with our customers, and our customers would much rather have interaction with us.
But then we're an actual pub, not warehouse clearance for piss and chips with glitter and stools.
It's a broad market - and we are all different - but it's been a long time since I actually wanted to interact with the staff.But then we're an actual pub, not warehouse clearance for piss and chips with glitter and stools.
Allow me to get my phone out, bang in an order and carry on with the people I am socialising with vs queueing at a bar is a no brainer IMHO. Particularly as my wife seems to have a habit of finishing her drink just as the food arrives.
I also don't see it as queue jumping - quite the reverse - it is an enforced queue with no preference for regulars, or the cheeky chap who is just good at getting served. There's no standing in the wrong place at the bar etc etc.
RobbieTheTruth said:
otolith said:
RobbieTheTruth said:
That's not the point though. Bacon suggested he may be a more successful businessman than Tim Martin.
Bacon appeared to suggest that there was more than one way to judge success and that he was happy with his own.He suggested he may be more successful as he had one of the best businesses in the UK
Are you honestly that interested in Mr Bacon?
Given his successful business(es), perhaps you'd care to commission him to pen an autobiography and then read that at your leisure to satisfy your fascination with Bacon's life/career?
Are you particularly unsuccessful and thus irked by the apparent success of a fellow PH forum poster?
Nonce.
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