Beware at Little Chef

rdwarr

I used to love Little Chef, especially when they did those "Magnificent Big 7 Burgers". That changed about nine years ago after a disaster at Grantham Services. They had a full restaurant and not enough staff and everybody was waiting up to an hour for their main course.
Then it got to 2pm and they had a shift changeover. Total anarchy ensued with hungry customers running up to the grill bar and grabbing whatever got dished up.
It's probably the only time I've refused to pay in a restaurant. I left my name and address in case they wanted to argue about it later but never heard anything more.

Eaton Socon used to have a grotty one but that closed; the one just south of Biggleswade is still OK though.

ninny122

I work for Little Chef as a manager. A lot has changed in the company recently. Its a lot cheaper and you'll find the service a lot better. The reason it gained such a bad reputation over the years is a shocking level of investment in the business. The people that own the chain now are doing a lot to change peoples perception of the brand. They inherited a chain of tired badly run restaurants with poor staff moral. Slowly things are changing though. To dispell some myths the food is always freshly cooked which is why when a restaurant is busy people have to wait a little longer. Its not fast food . The sites I have worked at have all been really clean. Maybe give Little Chef a try next time you pass?!?!?

jazzyjustlaw

ninny122 wrote:

I work for Little Chef as a manager. A lot has changed in the company recently. Its a lot cheaper and you'll find the service a lot better. The reason it gained such a bad reputation over the years is a shocking level of investment in the business. The people that own the chain now are doing a lot to change peoples perception of the brand. They inherited a chain of tired badly run restaurants with poor staff moral. Slowly things are changing though. To dispell some myths the food is always freshly cooked which is why when a restaurant is busy people have to wait a little longer. Its not fast food . The sites I have worked at have all been really clean. Maybe give Little Chef a try next time you pass?!?!?

Think it too late only way id go in again is if it changed its name!

taxiphil

Just wanted to add that childrens food does have VAT on it. All restaurant/takeaway food and drink has VAT, regardless of whether it's intended for consumption by a child or adult. I don't know where the Little Chef manager got that misconception from.

Edit: the only exception is products with more than a certain percentage of milk (ie. milk and milkshakes), only if they are consumed off the premises. It's a strange anomaly in Customs & Excise regulations.

wobbley

ninny122 wrote:

I work for Little Chef as a manager. A lot has changed in the company recently. Its a lot cheaper and you'll find the service a lot better. The reason it gained such a bad reputation over the years is a shocking level of investment in the business. The people that own the chain now are doing a lot to change peoples perception of the brand. They inherited a chain of tired badly run restaurants with poor staff moral. Slowly things are changing though. To dispell some myths the food is always freshly cooked which is why when a restaurant is busy people have to wait a little longer. Its not fast food . The sites I have worked at have all been really clean. Maybe give Little Chef a try next time you pass?!?!?

I use LC's all the time and the best thing you can do now is offer a decent menu. It's the worst now it's been for years, hardly any main courses it seems to be based around breakfasts. Bring back the Mixed Grill and the Smothered Chicken. The new S & K Pud is great though - it's bigger than my house! Not everyone wants to go down the healthy/veggie/organic path all the time - do more really 'meaty' tasy meals. And for God's sake - get rid of those awful 'pancakes in this' and 'pancakes in that' They may be quick and easy to cook but they taste like leather and I've never seen anyone else order them all the time I've spent in LCs. Still at the end of the day LC food is still a whole lot better than most of the other food on offer at motorway stops. - Except at Tamworth services - It's disappeared ! - it's a soddin M&S now!

Freddie_Snowbits

They used to do a decent afternoon tea cake and pot of tea.

nowadays no tea cakes and a teabag in a cup

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