Forum menu
It’s as if many people go purely for the experience of having personal servants to boss around, inflating their own sense of self-importance.
Something I've noticed ☹
I once waited over an hour for food in Wetherspoons
Ironically, if you do eat in wetherspoons try the pizza, as far as I know it's the only thing the make fresh. Slightly hit or miss but I've had a couple there which were pretty good.
Two pages on a pizza topic and nobody mentioned their wood-burning oven and artisan triple-fermented dough?
The thread title asks whether you say anything concerning "shit service", I certainly would because cockups occasionally occur - orders are misunderstood, misplaced, forgotten, etc,
But shit food I wouldn't, no point really, I would never go back again to an establishment which served me what I considered to be shit food.
I would, and have, however, returned to establishments that have previously provided me with pisspoor service, if I have really liked the food, level of hygiene, ambience, etc.
Rarely, very rarely, it has to be health threatening. A family member is more than a little picky which makes eating out with them awkward/irritating/embarrassing.
However I picked up one pizza, opened the box a few metres down the road and turned back. I politely made an offer: demostrate it's safe to eat by eating it yourself and you can keep my money, refund, or refuse to refund and I'll take it to the public health people for analysis. It simply wasn't cooked and smelt dreadful. They chose to refund. The closed sign went up not long after.
I cooked my own pizza on the wood burner two days ago. 😉 Deep pan pizzas on the wood burner are ace - bubbling top, crispy base.
Edit: and do you tip when everything is great? My last meal out was with a multinational group and an institution picked up the tab so it was paid with a credit card. No-one left a tip. The food was great, the atmosphere more than pleasant, the staff enthusiastic. No tips, it felt really odd... .
"Edit: and do you tip when everything is great? My last meal out was with a multinational group and an institution picked up the tab so it was paid with a credit card. No-one left a tip. The food was great, the atmosphere more than pleasant, the staff enthusiastic. No tips, it felt really odd… ."
probably why most places here in the UK add 12.5% gratuity as a matter of course. I often wonder how much of it gets through to the waiters, so prefer to tip in cash, sometimes in addition to the 12.5%, sometimes asking for that to be removed...
probably why most places here in the UK add 12.5% gratuity as a matter of course
Do they? Some do but far from most.
Yes, they do!
The last time I ate pizza at an Italian restaurant was many years ago in the Toon.
The pizza was plain and came with 6 or 8 slices of salami (whatever they called). Basically just dough with salami toppings. Very basic. Not impressed at all and I never go back to any Italian restaurant since then. Not cheap too.
Bottom line if they don't sprinkle MSG on the food that's a complete fail for me LOL!
MSG! Don't leave home without it!
Why complain? It's not going to improve the food at all or immediately because the cook's skills in only up to that level. S/he has performed to his/her best and that cannot be improved in a short time. Either replace the meal with something else that s/he can cook better or just go somewhere else.
Food that cannot go very wrong for me are: Indian (spice take care of the taste), Chinese (only HK chefs I prefer), Fish & Chips (if locals like it I like it), Persian (only if their people visit) and Classic Burgers (only selected few). Tried food from my country once ... 4/10, I will never go back again put it this way and I am embarrassed to eat there. Food my country is easy to cook but also very easy to get it wrong.
I'm with SR - I think many do nowadays, and most do once it becomes a larger party for exactly that reason, that it's easier than seeing who wants to boost the CC bill, who wants to leave a paper note, etc.
We were in Brighton a few weeks ago and had pizzas in Fatto a Mano. They were superb. Would definitely go back. Very good staff too.
Odd, Zeff’s is one of my favourite restaurants. Their pizzas are usually top notch
Agreed, I have eaten there for years. 2 years ago the pizza was a bit salty on one visit, but still great.
probably why most places here in the UK add 12.5% gratuity as a matter of course
I don't agree with this though, it may be becoming more accepted but in my experience only once in every 4 or 5 places we visit...so no way 'most'.
No doubt I'm going to the wrong places.
Odd, Zeff’s is one of my favourite restaurants. Their pizzas are usually top notch.
Have you been in the last couple of years? It was awful. Like it hasn’t moved with the vegetarian/vegan food revolution of the last 10+ years. Cheese soufflé was just cheesy scrambled eggs, MrsTH’s ‘stuffed avocado’ was half an avocado with some chopped onions in place of the stone, and her margherita pizza was identical to mine, sans ‘shrooms.
I guess they are playing to a captive audience with the cinema, as if they relied on word of mouth, based on recent form, they’ll be out of business sharpish. We only went based on my memory of it from long past visits. Parents, who have a flat up there, haven’t been for years as it’s crap compared to the competition
probably why most places here in the UK add 12.5% gratuity as a matter of course
Round here the norm is only to add service to the bill if its a group
probably why most a few places here in the UK add 12.5% gratuity as a matter of course.
There FTFY.
Yes, they do!
I’ve only seen this a handful of times and yes I do check.
OK, 'cos I'm bored I've just checked a few and I'd say most of the major chains do - Prezzo, Pizza Express, Beefeater, Strada, Cafe Rouge, Zizzi, Ask...... which is where I've done most of my eating out since having kids. The indies may be less likely to.
I never go into chain restaurants if I can help it and there is only one amongst the dozens round here anyway
the joy of kids I'm afraid, keeping them away so you posh grown ups can have nice meals out 😉
In fairness since they got older we do use more indies..... and then since my daughter turned 18, we're back to a different set of chains; specifically ones like Las Iguanas, Turtle Bay, Cosy Club, so her and my wife can cane the cocktail menus!
which is where I’ve done most of my eating out since having kids. The indies may be less likely to.
As an aside, I took my 9 year old to a family run Italian last week and they couldn't have been nicer. Cracking pizza for her, free soft drink, job done.
Oh for sure, there's a local Italian we used to use before it closed and they were great. It's just that if you're in another town / on holiday then knowing what you're going to get and avoiding kiddie meltdowns due to hanger is key to family harmony.
Had a nice pizza at Pizza Express the other day .
Well if it’s good enough for royalty……..
OK, ‘cos I’m bored I’ve just checked a few and I’d say most of the major chains do
That explains it. I rarely do chains not even when the kids were young.
Odd, Zeff’s is one of my favourite restaurants. Their pizzas are usually top notch.
Have you been in the last couple of years? It was awful.
I haven't (I should've said so in my earlier post, sorry). If they've gone downhill that's a real shame.
Tipping in the UK is a bit weird. Unlike the US, we have to pay our staff a living wage so it's not necessary. An automatic x% 'gratuity' on top of a large bill, that could be the cost of an entire extra meal.
I don't like it, it feels disingenuous. Like, you're artificially making your prices look cheaper than they are. You want to charge an extra 12.5%, that's fine but just add it on to the price shown on the menu, don't go "surprise!" on the bill at the end.
Italian restaurants are so often disappointing in Britain. They often look inviting and the staff are friendly but the food is often mediocre. Since TJ is lurking on this thread it needs to be said that the best pizzas I've eaten in Scotland are just three minutes from his house. Cheap too.
Pierinos? Best Pizza around here IMO.
I've seen pizzas returned because the base was burnt (from a wood fired oven).
I had a pizza from pizza express with the base so thin it has a huge unintended hole in the middle.
I had a pizza once which was wet from all the 'water' that I suspected the toppings were stored in and hasn't been drained very well before being tossed in the wood fired oven. I politely asked if this was normal to have a wet pizza and they asked me to say where I normally got my pizza from, so I said the Aldi freezer department for 1/15th of the price and they never have water on them after a trip to the oven.
Most my pizzas are are now air fried after being snapped into quarters over the edge of the kitchen work surface in 5 minutes 😭
most of the major chains do – Prezzo, Pizza Express, Beefeater, Strada, Cafe Rouge, Zizzi, Ask
The major chains are not “most restaurants”.
Razzos is where I meant TJ. Used to go to Pierinos years ago but have heard they are good too
Most my pizzas are are now air fried after being snapped into quarters over the edge of the kitchen work surface in 5 minutes 😭
Is that the emoji of every Italian/chef/anyone who’s had a pizza, once they become aware of the preceding story?
You couldn’t even pick up a slice without it breaking off. The boss last didn’t really want to hear it.
It's not how I like my pizza but it is the style of the region and seems to be what the Italian pizza places in Brighton mostly serve and I'm guessing that's based on demand. So complaining about that is off imo. For a thin and crispy pizza you can pick up in a slice I find it has to be homemade.
Made me think that perhaps a large majority of their clientele had never had a decent pizza or were perhaps too engrossed in their new nose piercing/hair (Cheesus.. Brighton sucks in all the dregs that Shoreditch can’t deal with…. It’s like Basildon, but for freaky hipsters….)
Cheers for that. Now you just sound like a Richard. Brighton is an amazing place for food but like anywhere with thousands of places to eat it can be hit and miss and the really good places are booked out weeks in advance on the weekends.
Down on Brighton a day early for a party.
Went to an Italian and honestly the food, specifically the pizza, was crap….
Do you speak up and say so?
The owner seemed properly perturbed that I said that the pizza was shit.
She said that in her area of Napoli that all the pizzas were like that…. Thick dough, reminiscent of a pancake. I told her bollocks and she was seriously upset. Even the waitress (Turkish, but from Frankfurt) was on our side.
If she had said fair enough, but she was on the defensive from the off…
WTF. Kinda spoilt an otherwise lovely evening.
Which pizza restaurant was it? - I live nr Brighton. If it was crap I would have certainly sent it back - if they make some sort of "different" pizza they should have told you.
Next time you are here make sure you go to Fatto a Mano
The major chains are not “most restaurants”.
Correct, but based on a quick google, somewhere around 20% of restaurants in the UK are chains; it's not from the same stats but there are ca 35K 'full service' restaurants in the UK, and from another stat ca 10% or 700 chain restaurants closed during covid (so = 7000 total)
If the assumption is most chains add an optional charge, and some of the indies as well, I stand by my 'many' and dispute your 'a few'.
Always important to differentiate between poor service and poorly cooked food (which includes poor quality).
Both deserve comment - firm but polite and always to restaurant manager.
Good service should be expected.
Exceptional service should also be commented on.
As above, chain restaurants do not comprise the majority in the UK; they are functional and should offer consistency, food of predictable/reliable quality which won't be of the highest and competent service.
There is definitely a growing trend to apply 12.5% as a standard gratuity but it's far from widespread.
"The major chains are not “most restaurants”."
i suppose it depends where you are in the country. In the SE it appears to be the norm, not just in chain eateries.
I was up in London last weekend and was very surprised to find my favourite restaurant had followed suit.
Times are hard, VERY few restaurants make a profit and if it ain't the norm round your way it soon will be!
I much prefer it when service is included,it's part of the cost of running the restaurant so shouldn't be discretionary. Seems to be the norm in much of Europe.
Italian restaurants are so often disappointing in Britain. They often look inviting and the staff are friendly but the food is often mediocre.
Must say, we popped to a local favourite Italian just last night, and the food and the service were both fantastic as ever. Very unspectacular, looks like a converted terrace house on a busy Birmingham main road, but it's great - zero pretension, great staff, and delicious food. 🙂
Seems to be the norm in much of Europe.
IME varies country to country and if you are in tourist areas or not
Recently in Spain my Spanish pal told me that tipping is just not a part of the culture there at all. IME France it usually is expected you tip in restaurants
based on a quick google, somewhere around 20% of restaurants in the UK are chains
I'm astonished it's that low. Are they being particular about the definition of "restaurant"? McD's calls itself restaurants.
I much prefer it when service is included,it’s part of the cost of running the restaurant so shouldn’t be discretionary.
That being the case then sure, it's the hiding it that irks me.
That's why I googled 'full service' restaurants - excludes McD, BK, etc.,
I guess as well there are a lot of Curry restaurants (wow - google says 12,000)
So a restatement would say there are ca 24,000 non curry FS restaurants in the UK of which about 1/3 are chains. Does that sound more reasonable
That’s why I googled ‘full service’ restaurants
Aha, I missed that. Cheers.
edited my answer above
I much prefer it when service is included,it’s part of the cost of running the restaurant so shouldn’t be discretionary.
Actually its not. Its an extra. All tips and service charge should go directly to the staff and not be absorbed by the restaurant costs