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

Peaseblossom

I agree you should be informed. I've just had a bad experience myself.
Went to Prezzo on 2nd February 2023 at lunchtime. Had received a Prezzo voucher as part of a Christmas present (at my request). My friend had a tuna and basil pizzette which she said was very nice, and I had sea bass with roasted vegetables. My sea bass was very small and overcooked and the vegetables were inedible, as the skins were tough. I'm wondering if they were bought as frozen, because I often cook roasted vegetables and they are never like this. The meal was very small and needed another element such as potatoes. It was expensive at £17.95. The prices have risen and it wasn't cheap before. I sent it back and had to wait for another meal to be prepared. I went for the chicken caesar salad. This meant my friend had finished her meal before I even got mine, not the first time this has happened. This spoils the occasion. I don't drink wine, but she had red wine and I had strawberry lemonade from the 2 drinks for £7.75, so I got the rough end of the deal. Soft drinks are so overpriced. Won't be going back in a hurry.

Yer pays yer money......I've been to couple of these chains a couple of times and not impressed though never heard of Prezzo? I'd think that they'd be ok with junk food but wouldn't have fish anywhere other than a proper restaurant preferably a seafood speciality joint too, everyone thinks it easy money serving food-its not, pity is so many people accept mediocre to appalling as the 'norm' , as they know not what they do! Or don't know what really good food should be like in first place.

I'd obviously like others prefer them to be better in terms of provenance.
As a vegetarian though I'd appreciate it if they knew what was vegetarian without having to be cross-examined.
Lots of restaurants put a v symbol next to things that aren't. It drives me mad. I'd rather they just said "don't know".

We've had lunch in Wetherspoons today. I had small cod and chips (delicious). DH had small all day breakfast, sausage, bacon, fried egg, chips, beans. He had a pint of beer and I had a large Pino Grigio. The bill was £17. Didn't bother us whether it was freshly prepared or not. It was Wetherspoons, so it wasn't!

The thing about WS is that it is so popular they get a large takeup and can keep prices low. One of my nicest luches was at Wetherspoons in Paradise Circus B'ham some years ago. Excellent quality and value (under £10 each).

Kate1949

We've had lunch in Wetherspoons today. I had small cod and chips (delicious). DH had small all day breakfast, sausage, bacon, fried egg, chips, beans. He had a pint of beer and I had a large Pino Grigio. The bill was £17. Didn't bother us whether it was freshly prepared or not. It was Wetherspoons, so it wasn't!

The last time we went to a WS and my meal was so dreadful, DH had cod and chips and his meal was fine. Not outstanding, obviously, but good.
Fish and chips is generally freshly cooked wherever you go.

We visit Wetherspoons wherever we go on holiday in the UK. The meals are usually very acceptable. We've only had a bad one once. We complained and they gave us a voucher for a free meal.

Kate1949

We've had lunch in Wetherspoons today. I had small cod and chips (delicious). DH had small all day breakfast, sausage, bacon, fried egg, chips, beans. He had a pint of beer and I had a large Pino Grigio. The bill was £17. Didn't bother us whether it was freshly prepared or not. It was Wetherspoons, so it wasn't!

Surely they didn't buy breakfast ready cooked?

I don't know how they do it Fleur. It was a big pub, packed out and the meal came within 5 (ish) minutes of ordering.

most people are not foodies. it's a minority interest.
most people don't care.
i agree with Kate1949, whose comments often are on point; you either enjoy it or not, return or not.

Can't see how it's a 'minority interest'. We all have to eat.

Back in October we had a weekend away, first evening we had an average meal in the restaurant full price wine, following evening went to WS in town, again an average meal drinks half price.
It was early evening so quiet, just as we were leaving the students were arriving and there was a bouncer on the door, if it was a couple of hours later I don’t think we would be happy.

Blondiescot

Can't see how it's a 'minority interest'. We all have to eat.

That's just it. We should take the time to think about what we are choosing and being served, in terms of its provenance, how it is prepared and presented, what different nutrients it gives us, tastes, culinary traditions etc. Most of the time we just comment, "hmm that is OK or that isn't too good" without giving much thought as to what we really expected.
I'm not saying everyone should be a foodie when dining out like me, but why shouldn't the actual food and how it is cooked become a big topic of conversation during the meal? We do care.

Blondiescot

Can't see how it's a 'minority interest'. We all have to eat.

Indeed we do.

I have met people who aren't that interested in food, but very rarely.

Local pub today, £16.

Fleurpepper

Ah yes, the Carvery is probably your best bet I Weatherspoons! So many better pub choices- we know which local pubs cook their own food, and choose them. Not more expensive than dreadful 'spoons!

Wetherspoons (not Weather-!) is not ‘dreadful’ - it’s relatively cheap and cheerful and people know what they’re getting. Nobody goes to a W-spoons expecting gourmet food.

Went to the local Beefeater. I had a delicious meal of salmon, rice and vegetables, my friend had surf and turf. We had prosecco, coffees and cokes plus 2 desserts. It was all yummy, served by 2 lovely young girls. We arrived 12.30 and stayed until 4pm. It was about £35.00 each including a well deserved tip. We could have had the cheaper meal deals bur it was our delayed Christmas get together. It certainly wasn't disappointing and it was exactly what we had ordered. No disappointments for us.

In our local Wetherspoons the chips are the best we've ever tasted either in a cheap and cheerful place or a really expensive place.

being a foodie is a minority interest.
most people just want a good feed.
or somewhere to meet and talk.
i don't like people who spend the time analysing the food.
seems fussy to me.
sort of oneupmanship. superiority.
as long as it's a clean place and wholesome food.
i. don't. care.
i am not a restaurant critic, nor would i meet with one.

Joseanne

Blondiescot

Can't see how it's a 'minority interest'. We all have to eat.

That's just it. We should take the time to think about what we are choosing and being served, in terms of its provenance, how it is prepared and presented, what different nutrients it gives us, tastes, culinary traditions etc. Most of the time we just comment, "hmm that is OK or that isn't too good" without giving much thought as to what we really expected.
I'm not saying everyone should be a foodie when dining out like me, but why shouldn't the actual food and how it is cooked become a big topic of conversation during the meal? We do care.

but that's very French...

I suppose it all depends on whether you just see food as a source of fuel (energy) or whether you actually LIKE to eat it, prepare it, cook it and so on. If you actually take an interest in what you are eating then yes, I would say that classes as being a 'foodie'. I'd definitely describe myself as one. I did a blog on the food we ate in Turkey a few weeks back, complete with photos (yes, I am that sad person!) and got really good feedback from people who said they found it both interesting and helpful. So yes, self-confessed foodie here!

well that's fine for you.
but it's a minority interest, like opera.

I beg to differ - as I said above, we all have to eat so unless you're just shovelling it in like animal fodder, food is something to be savoured and enjoyed and in my eyes, that makes everyone a foodie!

Normandygirl

All French restaurants have to display the provenance of their food.
Most places don't have extensive menus, usually 3 or 4 options for each course with a " menu de Jour" added. With the average price @ £20 per head for 3 courses, I don't think it would be economical to offer more choices.
The last meal I had in the UK in a quite expensive place, £ 90 for two of us, was dreadful. The chicken dish I ordered was described as having a " a base layer of freshly chopped tomatoes and basil" and as I am allergic to tomatoes , I asked for it to be served without that. The young girl went off and came back 10 minutes later and said I couldn't have the dish without the tomatoes because it came in a vacuum pack so couldn't be separated.
Asking for a dish without one of it's components seems a good way to find out if the dish has come pre prepared it seems

Lots of "high end" restaurants cook food in vacuum packs. It's called "sous vide". If you watch Great British Menu they often cook sous vide.

Callistemon21

^And now, another blow. In a recent survey of French restaurants, more than a third fessed up that they serve industrially prepared, and often frozen, food. Fast-food outlets, mind you, weren't even included in that poll, which was conducted by Synhorcat, a French restaurant trade group^

However, they do tell you that. WE used to go to a restaurant where there was a blackboard outside that stated teh chips were bought in frozen. Everything else was made and cooked on the premises. Sadly the owner became ill and I think died. The restaurant was empty for a couple of years - pre covid but the new owners were not as good.

The problem with frozen chips is that they could have a coating on them which contains gluten. We've encountered that problem, despite assurances they were gf.