Restaurants

Kennyboy66

Radiantsoul wrote: »

Most of the restaurants around me seem to be chains, with the possible exception of Indian restaurants. I wonder why this is?

Likewise most takeaway food is now chain based, with good fish and chips shops almost gone, the only exception seems to be fried chicken and kebab places.

The majority of chains are aimed at family market, where parents know their kids will be sated with coke plus pap.

Indian food is less aimed at kids, although I don't see many Chinese chains either.

As far as takeaways go, fish is a pretty expensive commodity these days, and there is an odd belief amongst some that pizza (one of your 5 day in the USA) is healthier than fish and chips.

p00hsticks

Radiantsoul wrote: »

Likewise most takeaway food is now chain based, with good fish and chips shops almost gone

Possibly it's a regional thing - there are plenty of good independent fish and chip shops in the Midlands / North west.

PasturesNew

Radiantsoul wrote: »

Most of the restaurants around me seem to be chains, with the possible exception of Indian restaurants. I wonder why this is?

Likewise most takeaway food is now chain based, with good fish and chips shops almost gone, the only exception seems to be fried chicken and kebab places.

There are no restaurant chains round my way. In fact I bet you could name 10 of your chains and I'll have never even heard of 4-5 of them.

chris_m

Kennyboy66 wrote: »

there is an odd belief amongst some that pizza (one of your 5 day in the USA)....

Is that 5 portions of fruit/veg a day, or 5 pizzas a day?

Ah, daft question, you did say in the USA :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

vivatifosi

Could part of the answer be that restaurants offer an immigrant an entrepreneurial 'in' to a country? We used to have great Italian family run Italian run restaurants, these were replaced by Chinese and Indian. I'm glad they are different and not chain. My favourite Indian dish is Mattar Paneer and there are definite regional variations.

daveyjp

Most chain restaurant kitchen staff open a packet of pre made food and heat it up. Frying a burger and chips is the only cooking the chefs do. You will see Brakes or 3663 wagons delivering the pre made food to chains as it is all made in factories.

Bulk manufacturing curry and Chinese is possible, but you end with a microwave meal which doesn't taste fresh - try a Weatherspoons curry, exactly the same as sold in any supermarket.

I know the owner of a chain of 10 asian restaurants, but most are within 20 miles of head office as he can manufacture some items in bulk at a central kitchen, but it is all used in a day. To be national he would need a chain of central kitchens, not cheap.

lostinrates

PasturesNew wrote: »

There are no restaurant chains round my way. In fact I bet you could name 10 of your chains and I'll have never even heard of 4-5 of them.

Best argument so far for moving west imo.

(though you do have the upmarket chain fifteen, and the mini empire of Stein), too posh for normal chains though down there i guess!;)

lostinrates

daveyjp wrote: »

Most chain restaurant kitchen staff open a packet of pre made food and heat it up. Frying a burger and chips is the only cooking the chefs do. You will see Brakes or 3663 wagons delivering the pre made food to chains as it is all made in factories.

Bulk manufacturing curry and Chinese is possible, but you end with a microwave meal which doesn't taste fresh. I know the owner of a chain of 10 asian restaurants, but most are within 20 miles of head office as he can manufacture some items in bulk at a central kitchen, but it is all used in a day. To be national he would need a chain of central kitchens, not cheap.

Hmmm. I have seen a fair few chinese takewway opperating on a frozen to microwave hot policy. I have seen a few, because i never go back to them, but it seems plenty do.

LydiaJ

We have a chippy, a Chinese and an Indian where I live - it used to be a village but has been absorbed by somewhere larger and is now a suburb. They're all independent, and they all do good food.

Radiantsoul

p00hsticks wrote: »

Possibly it's a regional thing - there are plenty of good independent fish and chip shops in the Midlands / North west.

It might well be. There are none around here(Reading).