Berni Inns

usual friday afternoon discussion about rubbish; and we got onto 80s restaurants.

So I found online a Berni Inn menu from 1984.

Menu Link
Drink link

It really is amazing how much the country has moved on in a relatively short period of time.

A schooner of port my good man!

If you’re quick, you can keep the change out of a quid.

I did a stint in the kitchens of my local Berni Inn (George and Dragon, Margaretting, Essex) when I was sufficiently hard up to require it.

No-one makes a better Prawn Cocktail than me. 🙂

Steaks were very good quality, actually. Everything else just flopped out of a bag, pre-sauced.

It really is amazing how much the country has moved on in a relatively short period of time.

Hmmm, I’m not sure about that. The core of that menu is still the core of a lot of pub or Harvester type menus. Add in burgers, curries and there’s very little to remove. Add in modern buzz words – pan-fried, etc. Of course back then we would have dressed up to go out to eat. 🙂

Yeah I’m not sure that’s very different from current Punch taverns or Wetherspoons. The prices aren’t that much different either no wonder it was such a rare treat to have a pub meal.

Well possibly on the food front (although no curry/chinese/thai/italian etc) – but the wine prices then

A glass of wine for 84p

Well possibly on the food front – but the wine prices then
A glass of wine for 84p

Ha, true. When I went the uni in 87 the cheapest beer in the bar was 85p, I seem to remember. (Maybe 75p!) That was significantly cheaper than even a local pub.

Don’t start me on 70s beer prices…

The beer price in the biology/medical bar at uni was something completely random like 84p. No rounding up then – it made a difference!

Starters: Fruit Juice

Ha, true. When I went the uni in 87 the cheapest beer in the bar was 85p, I seem to remember. (Maybe 75p!) That was significantly cheaper than even a local pub.

55p for bitter, 65p for lager in my first year (also 1997)

I also remember the local (Shakespeare in Durham City Centre) – two devastating days when it went above £1 a pint, and then over £1.25 (because you could no longer have a gallon for a tenner)

I’d still have the Berni 50p cheeseboard now.

Starters: Fruit Juice

A choice of course. Not just tomato…

I look forward to a return to it everywhere come 30/3…

Hungry Horse is where it’s at.

Don’t start me on 70s beer prices…

10p a pint in the student union bar in ’72. 11p for the good stuff.

Is it just me or do the mains appear quite expensive compared to the starters and desserts?

Scampi for just under a fiver for example – might cost you double that now in a similar establishment, certainly not 3 times the price.

Apple pie on the other hand for 75p, would probably be 7 times that price now.

Apple pie on the other hand for 75p, would probably be 7 times that price now.

So, does that mean that people back then ate less dessert? Or that the relative cost of dessert has multiplied? Or just that pubs/restaurants these days have realised that people will now pay almost as much for a dessert as the main meal cost?

I have to say it sounds chuffin lovely, even if it had modern prices.
Simple menu, simple descriptions and probably nothing served on a sodding slate or half a log.

So, does that mean that people back then ate less dessert? Or that the relative cost of dessert has multiplied? Or just that pubs/restaurants these days have realised that people will now pay almost as much for a dessert as the main meal cost?

Seems to me that the main course is a loss leader for a lot of chain pubs these days

*scratches head…

Erm, I think there was a Berni Inn in Potter Bar near the train station… ohhhh way back in the early 90’s IIRC.. could have been another chain type pub/restaurant but for some reason I seem to remember a bunch of Bros wannabes hanging outside on a Friday night all orange and ripped jeans..

Bit like now I guess 🤣

Is it just me or do the mains appear quite expensive compared to the starters and desserts?

They do seem quite pricey – pretty certain these could be had for not a lot more today. But as pointed out above, mains are probably a loss leader – get the punters in for cheap food and let them spend more on starters, pud and lots of booze.