Expensive food

[Nirvanauk]

Wetherspoons is usually great value quality food and beer, but one Tuesday in December it was phenomenal, I took a screenshot of the bill, it includes 2 pints too .
It's a shame some of you won't go, you really are missing out.

View attachment 873410

Went in one once by mistake. Got stuck to the carpet and the missus had to pull me off.

 

[PhilMary]

But why does fish and chips cost near to £20 in most grunt pubsteraunts! I know the hospitality trade is struggling so what is driving the costs

Greed.

 

[Fragle]

Went in one once by mistake. Got stuck to the carpet and the missus had to pull me off.

Lucky you

 

[Dolmen]

Wetherspoons is usually great value quality food and beer, but one Tuesday in December it was phenomenal, I took a screenshot of the bill, it includes 2 pints too .
It's a shame some of you won't go, you really are missing out.

View attachment 873410

Well I’ll be damned, I have been in there, as a child in the early 60’s, think I saw Summer Holiday there. Under 10, however, still allowed to get the bus there, in those days, from Huthwaite with my brother

 

[Riverbankannie]

I think thats the pub we stayed at a few years ago.
Parking round the back for vans.
They were very busy but still managed to get us a table.
Wife said it was the best sunday lunch she had ever had .

Yes, that’s right, they have their own campsite which I noticed yesterday.

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[Helen Ariel]

But why does fish and chips cost near to £20 in most grunt pubsteraunts! I know the hospitality trade is struggling so what is driving the costs

Food inflation has been huge over recent years, energy prices, insurance, wages is a huge increase, rent, pandemic losses to recoup and the list goes on. Restaurants and pubs are struggling and closing down all over the place. They aren't raising prices for fun as it's incredibly risky for them especially during a cost of living crisis. I know cheap community owned pubs that are struggling to keep the doors open and also work for the owners of a group of high end restaurants and it's a worrying time for them.

 

[chaser]

Can't say I have ever seen or paid a service charge, what sort of places do this?
If we go out for any sort of meal, not often,granted, we look at the menu and it says some sort of price, if it looks ok we have it but don't expect something else to be added after we have eaten without being told about it at the beginning.
Surely this must be against some law.
Money by false pretense perhaps.

 

[Dolmen]

Can't say I have ever seen or paid a service charge, what sort of places do this?
If we go out for any sort of meal, not often,granted, we look at the menu and it says some sort of price, if it looks ok we have it but don't expect something else to be added after we have eaten without being told about it at the beginning.
Surely this must be against some law.
Money by false pretense perhaps.

A lot of places we visit (most) have a service charge added, especially in the cities, I don’t think I have ever seen it added without it being declared although it’s often small print at the bottom of the menu and can vary considerably eg sometimes it is only for groups of 6 or more, typically 12.5% or 15%

 

[chaser]

A lot of places we visit (most) have a service charge added, especially in the cities, I don’t think I have ever seen it added without it being declared although it’s often small print at the bottom of the menu and can vary considerably eg sometimes it is only for groups of 6 or more, typically 12.5% or 15%

We Don't do cities, maybe that's the answer
Havnt seen it in uttoxeter.

 

[dazandandrea]

Went in one once by mistake. Got stuck to the carpet and the missus had to pull me off.

We love spoons.
Great value for money.

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[Thornebt]

Wetherspoons is usually great value quality food and beer, but one Tuesday in December it was phenomenal, I took a screenshot of the bill, it includes 2 pints too .
It's a shame some of you won't go, you really are missing out.

View attachment 873410

That's a bargain but I don't understand how two meals at £9.70 add up to £10.92!

 

[chaser]

Surely if they are running a business, all costs should be included in the cost of the meal on the menu not rely on adding something at the end when you have eaten.

 

[chaser]

That's a bargain but I don't understand how two meals at £9.70 add up to £10.92!

Yes I noticed that but presumed it was two for one.

 

[Grianan]

We usually tip about 10% …, one local restaurant now includes 5% service charge which means they lose out …. Bizarre.

We tend to only eat out for birthdays etc other than an occasional Sunday lunch at a local eatery that is absolutely divine - hope it is same standard today as we’re going for Mothers Day - and a wee restaurant in the community centre near our holiday house which is also top notch so we try to go whenever we visit.

 

[namwaldog]

We stayed local & had a couple of nights at The Marina Campsite at Maryport, Cumbria last month. We were recommended to try The Lifeboat Inn on the harbour there for the Sunday Carvery.

Selection of Roast meats, self service vegetables etc, 2 pints of locally brewed real ale.....£28.30 and no Service Charge.

I can trough, but there was enough meat to ask for a doggy bag to take back to the MH for the following day.

This from an independent pub, not a chain.

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[scotjimland]

no way would we pay for expensive pretentious food served on a roof tile with a service charge ..

chippy does us... eat in or takeaway .. same price

 

[Nirvanauk]

Can't say I have ever seen or paid a service charge, what sort of places do this?
If we go out for any sort of meal, not often,granted, we look at the menu and it says some sort of price, if it looks ok we have it but don't expect something else to be added after we have eaten without being told about it at the beginning.
Surely this must be against some law.
Money by false pretense perhaps.

I’m afraid it’s the norm these days.

 

[JockandRita]

We Don't do cities, maybe that's the answer
Havnt seen it in uttoxeter.

Nor do we, and certainly not seen a service charge at anywhere we've dined, be it Spoons or otherwise.

We love spoons.
Great value for money.

So do we, with none of the ones we frequent, having sticky carpets. I've been served more dodgy pints by some tied brewery pubs, (all refused or returned), than by any of the varying Spoons pubs, since their inception.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[St3v3]

. Restaurants and pubs are struggling .....

Have you looked at any financial statements for the big chains?

 

[scotjimland]

Problems with service charges​

Usually, restaurants either leave the service charge entirely to the discretion of the customer or automatically add a charge to the bill.

According to UK law, service charges added by the restaurant are entirely optional.

If you aren't happy with the service or if you'd prefer to calculate your own tip, you can ask for it to be removed and for a new bill to be printed.

Pubs and restaurants | MyLawyer

www.mylawyer.co.uk

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[EuroTrotters]

We love spoons.
Great value for money.

for Leffe Blonde yes

 

[Langtoftlad]

Wetherspoons is usually great value quality food and beer, but one Tuesday in December it was phenomenal, I took a screenshot of the bill, it includes 2 pints too .
It's a shame some of you won't go, you really are missing out.

View attachment 873410

I never went in Wetherspoons as it wasn't dog friendly but I've popped in a couple of times recently...

OMG ! The food was absolutely dire.

Beer was just about OK but not in top notch condition.

 

[Spriddler]

One of the reasons that hospitality prices especially Indian etc have risen so much is the conservative immigration policy changes

The car wash at my local garage has shut down and chatting to the owner of the shop on the site he said that the guy who had it used to pay the Eastern European staff £60 a day, but under the new regs he couldn't afford to continue.
The wash staff, single young guys, living 3 or 4 to a rented room were happy with £60 a day cash but a person with a family living in a rented home or having a mortgage couldn't live on that so wages/prices have to rise. The same must apply to other establishments employing foreign labour.

 

[scotjimland]

The Unruly Pig, a local ' gastropub' restaurant that charge £25 p/p for 'no shows' or cancellation with less than 48hrs notice .. !

“No shows”/ late cancellations are an industry wide problem, so we request card details to secure all reservations. No charge is made on the card unless you fail to dine with us or there is any form of late cancellation (within 48 hours of the reservation). In that event, a charge of £25 per person (to include children) is made. Please be aware the charge will also be applied in the event of any drop in the number of guests dining (again only within 48 hours of the reservation) : please always call

The reviews on Trust Pilot are less than complimentary ..

 

[chaser]

The car wash at my local garage has shut down and chatting to the owner of the shop on the site he said that the guy who had it used to pay the Eastern European staff £60 a day, but under the new regs he couldn't afford to continue.
The wash staff, single young guys, living 3 or 4 to a rented room were happy with £60 a day cash but a person with a family living in a rented home or having a mortgage couldn't live on that so wages/prices have to rise. The same must apply to other establishments employing foreign labour.

That's what I don't get about the government raising the minimum wage, it's not them that are paying it, maybe employers are paying as much as the job pays now so it will end up with the firm going out of business and the employee out of a job.

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[The Wino]

The last two times we ate at Spoons I had a bit of the blue plastic bag they'd microwaved the veg in on my plate! Not been for about 5 years now and hardly before that. I'd sooner go to our local chippy

 

[chaser]

The last two times we ate at Spoons I had a bit of the blue plastic bag they'd microwaved the veg in on my plate! Not been for about 5 years now and hardly before that. I'd sooner go to our local chippy

No service charge at either

 

[HKF]

Wetherspoons is usually great value quality food and beer, but one Tuesday in December it was phenomenal, I took a screenshot of the bill, it includes 2 pints too .
It's a shame some of you won't go, you really are missing out.

View attachment 873410

OMG, look at the calories for 1 meal

 

[scotjimland]

That's what I don't get about the government raising the minimum wage,

The minimum wage is to prevent exploitation ... and to give people a 'living wage '

millions of people employed in the service industry, health care, shop assistants, etc, work for minimum wages.. currently £10.42 per hour ..

My wife Jan works is a senior care assistant working for minimum wages .... what she earns would not keep a family without Universal Credit .. a government benefit .. which you and I pay for in taxes..

 

[MattR]

But why does fish and chips cost near to £20 in most grunt pubsteraunts! I know the hospitality trade is struggling so what is driving the costs

In addition to the other comments, when you're eating in a gastro pub, it is likely you'll be in a plusher environment, taking a lot longer to eat your meal than if you were in the chippy. The pub table might get two, possibly 3 meals eaten on it a night - most likely around 1.5 on average. The chippy might get 4 or 5 in a service.

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