Little Chef

WHA

Just had lunch in the "Little Chef" at Lancaster. Less than half full. The staff were absolutely useless. We asked for non-smoking but were first put next to a group of four smokers. It took well over an hour between taking our order and the food arriving. Out of four meals ordered, two were wrong - another 15 minutes to be re-done - and then they re-used some of the original meal which had gone cold and congealed. The (one) chef could only deal with one order at a time - he clearly hadn't mastered "multi-tasking". We had to ask three times for some milk to accompany the tea-pots. Then when we came to pay, the bill was wrong - they had overcharged by over 15%. We pointed out their errors and they took another 10 minutes to correct it (the "chef" was the "manager" who was the only person who could make changes). Then the corrected bill was still wrong. Another five minutes to correct it. If all that wasn't bad enough, the staff's attitude was horrendous - no apologies, just "huffs and puffs" with the occasional grunt. Where on earth do they find these people? Why can't these firms recruit the "right" staff - customer service shouldn't be left to the brain dead.

worldtraveller

...couldn't agree more with you!!! Every time I've visited one of their premises on the A3 near Guildford it seems that when they are more than 50% full their service completely falls apart. They also seem to have one, maybe two cooks maximum and it can take forever to get served. As you can imagine, people tend to visit them when they are travelling and generally want a relatively quick meal - no chance!!

Dasnookster

I must admit I would tend to agree with you - and they are not cheap either for what you get.

However, I have to say that about a fortnight ago when we had a bad experience it was followed by good customer service (first time ever in Little Chef though). We ordered our food and waited and waited, then other people around us got their food, including people that had arrived after us and my husband asked where our food was - the waiter had put our order down on the counter miles away from where he was supposed to and consequently our order hadn't been seen, we were expecting the usual tough luck matey attitude and were surprised when the manager came over and apologised at length and when we took our bill to pay he knocked 20% off without us asking and apologised again for the delay???? Can't think he will be staying there long!!!

16011996

we called at one on the way to hols this year, they were awful. took forty minutes for drinks, and another 40 mins after that for food. but they know they got you, cos you on a major road, and can't find anywhere else so easy when you got kids.

bridiej

Little Chefs are always poor!

In fact, most motorway service station cafes and the like are expensive and have terrible food and service.

We always take food with us now so we can just get a hot drink and scoff our own cheaper, edible food!

Savvy_Sue

When the kids were younger, we stopped at Little Chefs on several occasions and did the 'Please wait to be seated' routine at the entrance. These places were invariably almost empty, with us right up by the sign.

Of course the boys were always busting for a wee so we'd all traipse off to the loo, leaving at least one of us waiting.

If by the time we'd all been to the loo no-one had taken any notice of us - which they never had - we'd walk out again.

On one occasion I even wrote in the comments book that we'd come, we'd seen, we'd been ignored so now we were on our way! Left my address, thought I might get a voucher, but nothing.

Tried again just recently, same thing happened. How they stay in business I'll never know! Useful free loo stop, nothing more, IMO.

Dwayne_Dibley_3

That's true Nick, Little Chef food is terrible :P

scorpio_biker

I agree. We once visited one with my niece when she was younger, and she wanted egg and chips, and when the meal turned up the egg wasn't cooked properly. My husband explained firmly that we wern't accepting the meal as we didn't want my niece to get salmonella. They didn't charge us for any of her food after that, but it didn't help.

Normally only use them for a tea and a wee.

As a suggestion, there are websites that give details of places just off the motorway (I found one that listed truck stops, always good for a mug of tea), try searching for cafes motorways in google. I also remember reading about a book that listed similar, but I'm not sure what that was called. Probably worth planning ahead to avoid the rubbish food. :P

16011996

no, i love there pancakes. remind me of childhood. mind you my mum was a lousy cook. :-/

ribenagirl

I've got really fond childhood memories of Little Chef too! Cherry pancakes, Chicken Moons.....

But then, we stopped at Little Chef last month on the way down to Wales - nearly seven squids for a frozen omelette, (extra if you wanted cheese in it!!!), a spoonful of beans, a spoonful of fatty mushrooms, and a hash brown...... :-[ I can't believe how much it has changed

scheming_gypsy

used to be a little chef near where i lived. Think he's a fireman now