Butlins - prepay for dining options

Horlock

About to book butlins minehead but was wondering people's opinion on prepaying the dining option. There is very little info on the website - how does the food generally work?

It seems if you prepay you save 20% but I don't know how the food works when you arrive. To clarify we have decided that we will always eat out within butlins - ie no cooking for us for a week - so please don't respond by saying that you can eat for less if you cook yourself.

If you prepay are you limited to specific restaurants, when there are loads to choose from inside or do all food places become available. Equally are there cheaper places to eat inside than the specific restaurants.

I'm new to butlins so any advice greatfully received.

susancs

We included the half board dining option when we went a few years ago to Butlins in Bognor Regis and it was a specific restaurant which was self service (although some counters had staff serving). There were several food counters with different options at each counter, for breakfast there were cooked items, cereals, bakery items, fruit,, a self service toaster, tea coffee and juices with self service machines. Evening you had for example a world food counter, fish counter, childrens counter, traditional roast counter, salads, starters and soup counter, cold deserts, hot deserts and ice lollies and drink machines. You were shown to a table, picked up a tray and just served yourself or were served portions at each or any of the counters (which was handy as the children could mix items from each e.g. fish fingers from kids counter with rice from world foods and vegetables from the carvery section. You could go up as often as you like and the empty plates were cleared from your table and you just selected clean ones at the counters.

I have found a sample menu so you can see the sort of food on offer.
http://www.butlins.com/where-to-stay-dine-and-play/where-to-dine/food-court-sample-menu-bognor-regis.aspx

SUESMITH_2

its not haute cuisine but it was hot and tasty when we went and there was a good variety. plus if you didn't like what you had picked you could go and get something else. we thought it was reasonable value, and it was nice to have a rest from the cooking

Erinnire

We used to go with the dining plans every time we went. I never had any complaints about the food though I would say if you can afford it go for the premier dining. The food isn't hugely different but the experience really is!

If we couldn't afford a full week of premier dining we would upgrade a couple of evening meals which was nice.