A very disappointing lunch. Should pubs and restaurants be more honest.

Aveline

welbeck I agree. Pub grub is pub grub. What do you expect?
If there are huge pre printed menus then the majority of items are bound to come from a freezer. When out we tend to go for the day's special as it's more likely to have had more effort put in by the chef - or is on its last legs and must be eaten!!

So you need to know your pubs- and wher you get fresh home cooked food. We know so many great ones in our area. Don't go to chains- go to your independent ones, and get to know them.

But it would be great that it should be clear on the menu. Why not?

Callistemon21

Fleurpepper

Callistemon ''But we're British!! 😁
We're used to bad food 😁''

doing Britain down again! I totally disagree. British food can be fabulous. But we desserve honesty and clear labelling- provenance of meats, as Joseanne says, and if bought in and re-heated of cooked in house.

We know so many great pubs with very reasonable food all cooked in house, at a decent price too. We also go to a Michelin starred one from time to time- but yes, a bit more pricey. The price should not decide how and where the food is cooked- honest and clear labelling should.

Oh, not me! Why would you think that?
I'm not the one to do the British down

It was tongue-in-cheek.
Im surprised you didn't get it!

LOL I got it, which is why I replied also tongue and cheek.

I love British food- not all of it, mind. And it is amazing how it has changed from the early 70s too. We are surrounded by great restaurants, cafés and pubs of every kind, with a big variety of prices and styles. We avoid chains because we know food is bought in and re-heated most of the time.

And yes, if I order beef, or lamb, etc- I would like to know the provenance. I'd much prefer to pay a bit more for local lamb, etc- than imported from NZ. In many countries, it is a legal requirement to indicate provenance of meat on the menu btw.

Of course some of our favourite restaurants in England serve foreign food, from Italian, to Turkish or Indian, etc. and that is wonderful too.

We avoid any chains we are fortunate that we have good local independent restaurants within walking distance.

Unfortunately our local pubs are now all chains we have a 10 minute drive to a very good independently owned pub where we know all the food is prepared and cooked on the premises. Even during the winter it is advisable to book a table for lunch, in the summer at the weekend it’s advisable to book two/three weeks in advance to avoid disappointment.

It’s good to bear in mind that restaurants/pubs whatever their price bracket tend to provide what the clientele wants and returns for. If more of us gave constructive criticism when a meal is not what we envisaged and/or didn’t frequent less than adequate establishments they would have to adapt or go out of business.

Totally agree. In fact, I shall make a point, whenever ordering, to ask if it is cooked fresh on the premises (for most of the pubs we go to, no need, I know it to be the case). And they are not more expensive, not much, anyhow. Very happy for simple and honest food.

That's a good point, that the quality of the food, its presentation and service, is probably determined by its price, though it shouldn't really be so. We eat out a lot in Cornwall where most restaurants show the provenance of their food because they are very proud of local produce.

Kate1949

I couldn't care less how it is prepared. If I enjoy it, that's fine.

How did we get to this age ( well some of us ) 😄 without knowing all this stuff.
Most of my Saturdays as a child were spent in a Manzies pie and mash shop. Lots of people were convinced the pies were made from lord knows what😱

Oops, sorry, I didn't mean to post that. I was just looking at one of the places we frequent.

Joseanne

That's a good point, that the quality of the food, its presentation and service, is probably determined by its price, though it shouldn't really be so. We eat out a lot in Cornwall where most restaurants show the provenance of their food because they are very proud of local produce.

£175 per person? 😲
I'd want a trip out on the fishing boat included in that 😁

Joseanne

Oops, sorry, I didn't mean to post that. I was just looking at one of the places we frequent.

It quite unnerved me 😁

If I were to go to a pub chain/chain restaurant, I'd know what to expect and yes, pre-prepared food would be part of that. We are lucky to have some fantastic local restaurants around here which take pride in using locally sourced ingredients, prepared fresh - and looking at some of the prices quoted on here, they're certainly not expensive. DH and I don't go out to eat often, but we do go to one restaurant in Edinburgh which probably few people even know about, but where we have consistently enjoyed real fine dining - almost to Michelin standards, I would say, for around £20 for three courses. The food has never been any other than top notch.

I don't really care how it's prepared. If I eat in a chain pub I expect meals to come pre-packaged, because I know that they couldn't do it for the price if they needed to employ qualified expensive kitchen staff. But if it's a big family meal out, there's enough choice for everyone, including the children. And it doesn't cost the earth.
I know a number of small cafes which cook everything fresh, ranging from an Italian to a basic English caff. Their food is great and you can usually see the kitchen.
I really don't want to have great long menus with every cooking detail shared. Ask if you feel you really need to know.

SuzieHi

Interesting post, thank you.

Glorianny 'I really don't want to have great long menus with every cooking detail shared.'

no-one, but no-one is asking for this! A list of provenance at the back of menu would be very simple

beef UK
lamb NZ
chicken EU

etc.

And next to each main either HC or BI (home cooked, bought in)- or similar. Codes we all understand easily- same for menu boards. Not complicated.

A lot of places now seem to have stopped stating that food is GF because they are keen to promote the fact that they offer vegetarian and vegan options.

GF is not a matter of choice for some people.

Totally agree- has anyone said that it is?

Fleurpepper

Glorianny 'I really don't want to have great long menus with every cooking detail shared.'

no-one, but no-one is asking for this! A list of provenance at the back of menu would be very simple

beef UK
lamb NZ
chicken EU

etc.

And next to each main either HC or BI (home cooked, bought in)- or similar. Codes we all understand easily- same for menu boards. Not complicated.

OK for a beef roast dinner then. Which would appear usually As Roast Beef, Roast and mashed potatoes, broccoli, carrots and yorkshire pudding.
You would require
RoastBeef (UK) Roast potatoes (UK) mashed potatoes (BI) broccoli (EU) carrots (UK) Yorkshire pudding (BI) (HC except for specified products).
Why do I need to know any of that?
I have friends who are vegetarian, vegan and gluten intolerant they ask if there is any question about a meal. They may ask for it to be served without something. Some places will indicate what is suitable but they usually check as well. It isn't difficult to ask questions about the food.

Fleurpepper

Totally agree- has anyone said that it is?

Not on here, no.

I mean experiences, the slight eyes skyward look occasionally when ordering.

No, we were only talking about meat products.

Would you not like to know if your beef is home raised or imported from Argentina. Or your chicken local or from factory farm in Eastern Europe. Etc.

I think in Europe, it was made a legal requirement at the time of Mad Cow Disease.

Fleurpepper

No, we were only talking about meat products.

Would you not like to know if your beef is home raised or imported from Argentina. Or your chicken local or from factory farm in Eastern Europe. Etc.

I think in Europe, it was made a legal requirement at the time of Mad Cow Disease.

Don't eat much meat and really don't care where it comes from. But why should a meat eater be permitted to demand the provenance of their food but a vegetarian ignored?
And actually veg flown in from anywhere bothers me far more than meat origins.
As does the provenance of fish.
But I have the sense to know that if I'm eating a cheapish meal it's highly unlikely to conform to any rigid standards. So while farmed salmon may be something I wouldn't usually buy I accept it's what you get in chain pubs.
As I say you can ask. (of course the staff in Wetherspoons probably won't know).

What do you want them to say, “all our food is pre-prepared, boil in the bag or microwaved"

I think you get what you pay for and if you don't like somewhere then don't go back.

Akways on the look-out for organic treats at an upmarket farm bakery selling local ice cream staff told me the ice cream was "yes, organic" when asked if it was vegetarian or organic saying it was made on the same farm the milk came from in their own dairy and the cows were in the fields. I don't think people necessarily know what they are serving.

I do like to k ow where things are grown and where and how animals are reared but in a recession I think I'm in a minority.

Fleurpepper

No, we were only talking about meat products.

Would you not like to know if your beef is home raised or imported from Argentina. Or your chicken local or from factory farm in Eastern Europe. Etc.

I think in Europe, it was made a legal requirement at the time of Mad Cow Disease.

Unless it’s stated on the menu that it’s local, free-range (so hardly often) I don’t eat chicken except at home - it’s almost bound to be battery farmed, and the cheaper the prices, the more likely it is.

Agreed- but why should we be left to guess? Make it Law that is had to be stated, with code (code can be printed at the back or bottom of menu). Much better- honest, and then we can choose accordingly. Price is not necessarily an indication btw.

Even more legislation for hospitality venues to adhere to?! Things are bad enough for them without this. Eat out and take a chance it's not individually hand picked and personally cooked or just stay at home. Your choice.