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Wetherspoons Food

(88 Posts)
Teetime Thu 03-Jan-19 14:19:03

Our local 'spoons' has closed because some has crashed their car into the kitchen causing a lot of damage - Freudian do you think?

KatyK Thu 03-Jan-19 19:09:19

I'm surprised Tim uses French butter. He is removing lots of French champagne, beers and German beers from his pubs when their present contracts run out.

petra Thu 03-Jan-19 19:12:06

I wouldn't call this chavvy. This is our local weatherspoons
www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=CtCwrcYs&id=B43D4E71ED29712EA001B3DC54531DAA8AD054E2&thid=OIP.CtCwrcYsrogXJeUK6g0FAQHaE7&q=parsons+barn+shoeburyness&simid=608035915864671726&selectedIndex=21&qpvt=parsons+barn+shoeburyness

KatyK Thu 03-Jan-19 19:21:57

Our local one is lovely too. I have a friend who goes pale if anyone suggests going to Wetherspoons. She doesn't drink and frowns upon those who do. She still thinks of the Spoons of the old days, when they attracted what she terms 'low life'.

Divawithattitude Thu 03-Jan-19 20:09:09

I dont think anyone mentioned Chavvy at all, and I dont think its snobbery either. If I eat out I want to eat good quality food, sausages being a great example: I like a sausage that you can taste the meat in rather than reformed pulp which has been deep fried. We have a new Wetherspoons in our town, its very popular and has its own type of customers.
I do worry that it may close some of the lovely little cafes in the town that are privately owned and run and struggle to compete on price. I have also read that they keep drink prices, specifically beer, low by selling stock that is close to its sell by date and has been bought cheaply, a little research seems to confirm that this is indeed the case.

GabriellaG54 Thu 03-Jan-19 20:21:21

I like Wetherspoons and have sampled their fare in Cardiff, Bath, Ryde, Guildford, Godalming, Woking, 4 in London, Bristol and Chichester along with many others.
Never had a bad one, breakfast, lunch or evening. Lots of the food is organic, they routinely have 5* hygiene ratings and they've won masses of awards...especially for their toilets.
Staff regularly do stuff for charity and they have an interesting magazine which keeps you up-to- date with their news.
They also have robust cctv in and outside the premises.
Prices are excellent, portions satisfying and service is 98% great when I've visited.
What's not to like?

GabriellaG54 Thu 03-Jan-19 20:23:01

Some people really are divas winkgrin

phoenix Thu 03-Jan-19 20:24:09

Chavvy has been mentioned, but only in the context of "some may think it as chavvy" (or words to that effect) no one on here said that they thought Wetherspoons was chavvy!

GabriellaG54 Thu 03-Jan-19 20:25:56

Divawithattitude
Don't believe all you read, is a thought to keep in mind.

SueDonim Thu 03-Jan-19 20:26:00

We don't have a local 'Spoons but I've been to some round the country and they've been fine. I always look at the carpets and try to work out what they're representing!

My son works near one of the first Wetherspoon's and Tim Martin is often in there, keeping a close eye on how it's being run. Also, most of them don't have piped music, which is a blessing to those of us who prefer not to have their ears assaulted by muzak.

Lynne59 Thu 03-Jan-19 20:29:49

I go there with my eldest son and his 2 little girls every Wednesday. The food is not bad - we usually have a jacket potato with tuna or chilli, and the children have a pudding after their meal. A drink each, and the whole lot comes to about £20, £25.

Lynne59 Thu 03-Jan-19 20:30:58

BlueBelle Thu 03-Jan-19 14:52:43

Some of it may be a class thing as Wetherspoons is looked on as chavvy

Chewbacca Thu 03-Jan-19 20:32:35

I love well cooked, large portions of traditional food

And I'd add at a reasonable price too. Spoons delivers this. Ok it isn't haute cuisine but if that's what you're looking for, you wouldn't choose Spoons would you? But if you're looking for a quick lunch; reasonable price; welcomes everyone with a smile and the kitchens are clean and hygienic, what's not to like?

Witzend Thu 03-Jan-19 20:35:45

IMO they're fine for what they are - a chain doing reasonably priced pub grub - nobody in their right mind is going to expect fancier food - and good coffee which is cheaper than the average.

I really like the origin of the name. The bloke who started it apparently had a teacher who told him he'd never amount to anything - the teacher's name was Mr Wetherspoon.
Such a good story, I do hope it's true.

Divawithattitude Thu 03-Jan-19 20:39:48

Gabriella, that was a partiularly bitchy comment to make.

I have also read up about the short date beer and it appears to be true, perhaps you should do the same before commenting as you did.
What a charming welcome back to Gransnet!!

Jalima1108 Thu 03-Jan-19 20:46:07

KatyK one we go to occasionally dates from the 1600s!

I like the fact that some of these chains have bought older premises which may well have fallen into disrepair.

dizzyblonde Thu 03-Jan-19 20:46:57

I like the idea of buying up short date beer, it avoids waste and as they have a high turnover it gets used quickly. We used to live opposite to one and had no problems with it. We used to go over for lunch every month or so for what DH calls a board meeting, us both being directors of his business.

Jalima1108 Thu 03-Jan-19 20:47:24

bikerhiker I read your post after I posted - yes, I agree re giving the old hotels a new lease of life.

Jalima1108 Thu 03-Jan-19 20:50:04

its very popular and has its own type of customers.
I dont think its snobbery either.
grin grin grin

Jalima1108 Thu 03-Jan-19 20:52:54

Gabriella we ate at the one in Portishead a while ago and it wasn't great, which was a pity because it's a nice new one in the revitalised marina area.
However, perhaps it's improved since then.

MissAdventure Thu 03-Jan-19 20:52:59

As long as the beer is in date.
People are going to drink it, not stand looking at it for 5 weeks.

Divawithattitude Thu 03-Jan-19 20:54:07

Jalima, am I missing something here?
Yes it has its own type of customer, young mums who want to meet up for a coffee, workers who want cheap food served quickly, I certainly dont mean this in a dergatory sense but you seem to be wanting to read something in to my comments, why is that?

KatyK Thu 03-Jan-19 20:55:49

I agree Jalima One of ours was originally a cinema and they have kept the same name and have pictures of many of the managers and staff from years gone by on the walls. It's lovely.

Jalima1108 Thu 03-Jan-19 20:59:40

Jalima, am I missing something here?
Probably
its very popular and has its own type of customers.

Sorry, I thought it did sound derogatory when coupled with the snobbery comment
Perhaps it wasn't meant like that.

I wondered what its own type of customer meant exactly, seeing that so many gransnetters on this thread seem to frequent Wetherspoons hostelries.

Purpledaffodil Thu 03-Jan-19 21:09:09

We stayed at a recently refurbished Wetherspoons hotel last summer when visiting DS2. It was beautifully done and even had aircon which was wonderful in such a hot summer. Breakfast was excellent too.

Alima Thu 03-Jan-19 21:12:45

I have been to a couple of Weatherspoons that were previously banks. Shame they haven’t bought up the empty HSBC in out town. It would be a darn sight more useful and look much better.