Frankie and Bennies - Hire some staff!

gracie83

I know they were never the best place to go and eat but they were cheap, the food was reasonably tasty and when the other choices are McD's BK or pizza hut I would pick them! I have even defended them on another post as I used to enjoy going there!

We had one terrible meal there around 6 months ago. No one told us when we arrived that there was only one cook. We just placed our orders our drinks arrived and the waiting began. It took over an hour for the starter to arrive and by the time dinner eventually arrived it tasted like it had been forgotten about and just left to seriously over cook and burn. People were just getting up and leaving it was so bad.

Yesterday it was around 3pm and we had spend the best part of the shopping and we wanted something to eat so we thought we would forget about the one bad experience and try them again. So we joined the short queue at the reception desk. 10 mins later we were still being ignored. The family at the front of the queue got told off for trying to get the attention of a waitress - 'can't you see we are busy!!! I will deal with you when I have the time' I wandered into the main part of the restaurant to see what was going on. The restaurant was not very full at all probably only 25% of the tables were occupied. I noticed just how few people were actually eating. People seemed to be either trying to get the waitresses attention while nursing a cola or just sitting looking miserable at their table. The room had the atmosphere of a funeral! However there were plenty of chefs in today. By the time I came back to the queue (which had grown quite abit by now) to tell hubby we were out of here, a waitress had finally decided to deal with the queue and was rudely telling the family in front to go and wait in the waiting corner for around 30 mins because they were busy. The queue just turned around and left. Business must be wonderful if they can afford to turn away five families!

This again must have been caused by just not having enough staff to run the place. Make the customers feel like an inconvenience and they will not be happy! Surely they know their lunch menu is a popular time for families so why not have staff to cover the demand? Now a family blanket ban on Frankies has been imposed which is a pity as I did love their burgers!

We got in the car and drove past a nice looking pub offering 2 meals for £10. It was crowded but we were seated within a min by a lovely waitress, quickly served and enjoyed a very nice meal. As we got back into the car we said I bet we would still be waiting for the starter if we stayed at Frankies!

chou_123

I too have had a bad experience at Frankie & Bennies, admittedly there were 40 of us, so they must have been rushed off their feet, but after finding a long hair on my pizza, I have resolved never to eat at F&B's again. I have put lots of friends off eating there as well, so they've probably lost a lot of business. (I'm not trying to come across smug)

trumpton

We don't bother with them either now. Takes for ever to get your order taken and the food is nothing special and rather overpriced imo. The kids prefer Wetherspoons.

pulliptears

Ive had good and bad with them. There are two in our area, the one we usually go to is brilliant, but the other week we decided to try the 'other' one.

We booked a table for 8pm, got there at five 2 and were told to wait with the buzzer, as we had booked we would be called next. Half an hour later, and a steady stream of new customers getting tables before us and we were annoyed. After complaining we got a table instantly. A further 45 minute wait for food and we decided never to eat at that particular F&B again lol

Claire_Bear

I don't like it either, we went for a friend's birthday a while ago, my mushroom ravioli was frozen in the middle so instead of heating it up a bit more they decided to make a whole new one So of course by the time it came out everyone else had finished their meals and I was sat feeling awkward and trying to hurry mine down so I wasn't holding everyone up. I think it's overpriced microwave meals in there anyway

Idiophreak

Never had a brilliant meal there, had a couple of stinkers. I avoid it.

LemonGrove

If they are franchises like Pizza Hut, Subway etc it's basically hit or miss as each will be individually managed. I love Pizza Hut but some of them are nothing short of terrible and you wouldn't believe they were part of such a chain, others I repeatedly visit.

newMS

i recently went ot a f&b near to me with my work colleagues, i think there were 12 or 13 of us and the fun started when the waiter dropped a bottle of bud over my boss!! sort of went downhill from there, we eventually got 50% off the whole bill ( starters,mains,puds and drinks) ...... i think we're barred now but wouldn't go back anyway lol

Takoda

Quality is variable as well. I don't go there anymore.

Abbafan1972

Blimey, after reading all that, I don't think I will bother going there at all.

hoyles10

I don't mind F&B's but I know what you mean about their service. We have one within walking distance from my house and it's part of a complex with other restaurants in such as Bella Italia, Nando's, Pizza Express, Ask, Chiquitos etc so we have a decent choice but F&B's is the worst service out of all of them.

I got mussels as a starter once and out of the large bowl I think at the most I had 5 mussels the rest were just empty shells. I told the waitress and they apologised and refunded them off our bill. I took it as just a one off so when we went back with friends a few weeks later I ordered them again. This time I got 3 mussels and someone else in our party got 4. This time the waitress made out that we were trying it on to get free starters, she eventually refunded us but only after asking for the manager.

So if you're on a diet and go to F&B's order the mussels