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I know I'll probably get downvoted because it's the done thing here to shit on it, but nandos is decent. It's reasonably priced, consistent, family friendly, fast without being fast food, possible to eat somewhat healthily, and tasty.
Used to work in nandos. The chicken is fresh, shouldn't be hot held for longer than 2-3 hours (and if it's busy, a batch of chicken will only last an hour at best) and while the sides were microwaved, it's done in proper containers that keep it moist and piping hot. Mileage may vary depending on your local.
Also used to work there and they actually treat staff very well, Was higher than average pay at the time (2 years or so ago), Free hot meal for every shift (could get it takeaway if i wanted) and always a bunch of random stuff like some employee exclusive merch store. One of the few places i worked that i have no hate towards xD
Nando’s was one of my favourite places to work until they fired me for isolating when my dad had Covid. The next day all staff got to go home and have 2 weeks pay because we went into lockdown. The day after I’m fired for doing what the government told me to do 😅
On topic of eating there though - decent enough. Nothing put me off it working there at least.
Plus not all the sides are microwaved. Chips are obvious straight out the fryer, Rice has a Rice cooker, halloumi is all done on the grill same for Garlic Bread. Peas, Brocolli, Mash are all microwaved tho.
'chef Mike' haven't heard that in years, code so the customers didn't know you were just gonna chuck it in the microwave, I never worked in a kitchen that didn't have one tbh
Nando’s is great and the hate circle about it is weird. The only thing I have an issue with is that the price is a little high for what it is, but so be it.
My girlfriend loves Nandos so we go quite often. Every single time we both say we should try something new. Every single time I get Chicken Butterfly with peri chips and garlic bread
I hated on Nandos for a long time. I thought it was just KFC for wankers, but I hated KFC too. I'd only had it a few times from shit places and it was crap. I started having Nandos at work and it was fucking ace. Then I moved near a really good KFC and it's incredible. I arguably eat the same thing at both places: sunset burger or zinger stacker. Sometimes they just hit the spot.
The thing is Nandos is massively consistent it's worth paying the little extra. I can get burger chips and a drink from bossman for under £10, but often, it's been rushed because he has many Uber Eats orders to fulfill, the chips can one day be soggy and the next day be hard as a brick.
Got to agree on Nandos. I travel a fair bit for work and it's usually available, and like you say consistent and somewhat healthy.
I also really like their perinaise you can buy in shops..
I think what the people that like to bitch and moan about Nando's don't get is that no one thinks Nando's is the best restaurant ever. It's just a place you can get a reasonably priced meal, relatively quickly, and know what you're getting. It's a place you can go alone while you wait for your train, with your mates before a student night out, or with your kids for a cheap birthday treat. There's something for everyone there (I even had a vegan friend who preferred Nando's to restaurants that don't make their whole thing about a specific meat).
I think the problem is that a whole generation used Nando's as a joke about a generic night out, that turned into a meme, and then Redditors had to prove that they had better taste by shitting on anyone that likes Nando's.
> I think the problem is that a whole generation used Nando's as a joke about a generic night out, that turned into a meme, and then Redditors had to prove that they had better taste by shitting on anyone that likes Nando's.
There was someone in thread about the chain restaurants they won't eat in who was complaining about people going "for a cheeky nandos" being a fashion statement.
I was thinking that the term "cheeky nandos" hasn't been a thing since like 2014 or 2015.
Funnily enough, I lost my Nando’s virginity tonight after putting it off for years due to the constant barrage of hate that I’d read online …. Honestly couldn’t knock it. Fresh, tasty, reasonably priced, quick service and pleasantly surprised when I realised they served a beer to accompany the meal.
Don’t get me wrong, it hasn’t changed my life, but it certainly doesn’t warrant the hate that it has gathered over the years.
One issue i’ve noticed with it, is this handoff of either ordering yourself or from your phone, the staff can be terrible as a lot of them are students and have not had to learn a more personal approach. They treat picking up the food from the heated worktop and bringing it to table 18 as some annoying chore.
Honest burger. Great product, chips are actually _included_ in the price of the burger, and they don’t mug you off like other burger places by putting the chips in a little tumbler with paper to reduce the space inside. Also not expensive for what you get, especially the smash burgers
They’re also really good at catering to allergies and intolerances, I think because they make their food from scratch (unlike other chains like Nando’s).
Fellow wheat-dodger here. Up in London for the first time in 3 years tomorrow and I'll be heading to Honest before my train home. I've missed their onion rings
They used to say they were a chain that wasn't a chain - as in they wanted to make every restaurant feel individual and focused on the area rather than on the chain as a whole.
I stopped working for them 5.5 years ago though so they may be more focused on the chain/branding now than they used to be.
Second this, been a great discovery when the missus and I are stuck for decent grub whilst out in central London. 20% Blue light discount on food as well.
If you count “chain” to be anywhere with a few sites then Hawksmoor, Iberica, Rudy’s, Pizza Pilgrims, Franco Manca, Ambiente, Dishoom and Bundo are all great shouts.
If you mean more the places that are almost everywhere. Las Iguana’s seems to be about the best in my experience, but it’s a pretty low bar.
If I go to Manchester for a meeting then I always pop in Franco Manca.
Top quality pizza in my opinion and it’s not over priced.
Beers are a little pricey for a 330ml but I suppose that’s where they make their money
If you’re after a bit more variety in your Mancunian pizza’s it’s worth checking out http://www.noiquattro.co.uk. Banging little indie in the Northern 1/4.
I’ve still to sample Rudy’s yet. Everyone keeps telling me how good it is but it feels more of an occasion going there.
I know I can go into Franco Manca and be out within 30 mins.
I’ll give the other a whirl though, I have a client meeting there in a couple of weeks so thanks for the tip!
Edit:
By a massive coincidence, my son has gone to Rudy’s today with his mates. I’ll await his opinion as he usually compares them to what we cook at home
I always pay loads for Dishoom and its worth it. Honestly if you have no dessert, alcohol or even a rip-off Indian cola, you’ll have more money left over for an extra dish.
> If you count “chain” to be anywhere with a few sites then Hawksmoor, Iberica, Rudy’s, Pizza Pilgrims, Franco Manca, Ambiente, Dishoom and Bundo are all great shouts.
They must only have a few sites because I have never heard of any of these.
A waiter there spent like 20 minutes recommending other restaurants to us cause we said it was our first time in Edinburgh! Also got 2 free sgropinos because it was my birthday
Never had bad food from there. Generous portions, seemingly good quality ingredients, and a shit tonne of toppings. Big fan.
Agree it's super expensive but it's a rare treat and a welcome one
They either have a fully justified reason for charging so much or they're happy with how much custom they already get. If they dropped their prices to be a bit more competitive, I don't think I'd ever go to another burger joint
Wow - I completely missed this story at the time, despite my wife being Vietnamese.
[https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2013/sep/25/vietnamese-pho-trademark-soup-cafe](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2013/sep/25/vietnamese-pho-trademark-soup-cafe)
I *love* Kokoro. I wish I knew what curry sauce they used for their Katsus because it's delicious and is apparently dairy free.
I sometimes think they could stand to do a *small* portion size though, because even their regular is sometimes too much for me.
The Lounges chain. When they opened up in my home town it was only their third or fourth restaurant but now they seem to be everywhere and still somehow manage to carry off a laid back local feel. Great brunches and tapas and a nice place to take kids for decent food without feeling you’re compromising too much.
Every time I go to a Lounge it’s always decent. Nice food, nice service, nice drinks. I always get what I’d expect from those joints and it’s always good.
I came here to say the Lounges. Definitely got the continental cafe that serves alcohol down well. Food is usually good, different allergy menus, friendly staff - they're usually busy for a very good reason.
Definitely not authentic, they even say themselves that it’s inspired. I still enjoy it, especially because they have a bigger than average vegetarian selection, though I feel like it’s not as good as it was several years ago :( plus they discontinued my favourite cake
I always kinda liked Waggas but since going vegan now fucking love it, their non-meat based food is somehow better than their meat dishes, plus if you get the “healthier” options there tends to be more variety in the food which really helps
Always wondered why they didn't call it Oaxaca. I almost feel like a little insulted when I see it. Like they didn't think my tiny English mind would be able to understand it
Hickory's Smokehouse does great barbecue. Not a huge chain as far as I'm aware, but it's owned by Greene King. It's just as good as most independent places I've been to.
I went to one and thought it was pretty good, it's a shame they're not in more places. They're pretty much all up north or the midlands, and generally in the west of those areas.
The Poynton one was the first I visited and it was genuinely the best BBQ I've had in Britain after years of constant disappointment. Chef was enthusiastic and clearly good at his job, ribs exquisite, hot wings actually hot.
Then I went to the ones in Nottingham and Huddersfield. Terrible, poorly prepared (membrane still on the ribs for example), spice levels zero, fewer hot sauce options. Even the restaurants themselves were dirtier, felt more like hungry horses than an actually good restaurants.
I suppose the franchisee's do what franchisee's do, hop on the bandwagon of something good, drive down costs in a race the bottom before people realise a good thing has become shit.
I quite like Pizza Express - to the extent that I've made "gold" twice over this year.
So unlike Prince Andrew, I can't claim it's not usually the sort of place I'd visit.
Honest Burger are decent, although I think they only have a couple of places outside London.
Rudy's Pizza in Manchester is effectively a chain now, but it's still great pizza.
Nandos is fine, though has never been as exciting as the market hype makes it out to be.
Rudy's is elite! My mate showed it to me when he lived in Warrington and I couldn't believe how amazing it was and now I go there every time I visit the North!
The smaller chains (usually in and around London) are usually a good go-between. Patty & Bun is great for burgers, much better than Five Guys imo. Flat Iron is a great fast food steak place and decently priced. Yard and Coop is fast food chicken in a restaurant setting, but really good.
Everytime I walk past my local wimpys I automatically make the same comment to my wife without even thinking - how have they even stayed in business all these decades, shes learned to ignore me now.
Used to work in a pound shop over the road from a wimpy. Struck a deal with the shift manager and used to take him cleaning products for the kitchen in exchange for burgers and milkshakes.
For a chain pub I used to absolutely hated Green Kings pubs, crap big plates of deep fried crap, general poor quality food, but since covid they have really tried to have better quality food, especially if you get one of their more traditional places, okay it's all still mass produced but the quality and taste is so much better, local one in Leigh on sea has a fish based menu, other ones (more remote) have better menus as well, their flaming pub etc are still "fry everything"
Spoons jacket with 5 bean chilli is still top notch!
Absolute shit fest. The only restaurant I've ever walked out from. Drinks took over 20 mins and the food wasn't served even after waiting nearly an hour, and I only gave them that long because it was next to the cinema and my options were limited.
I find most of them are really expensive for what you actually get.
Tony Macaroni is pretty decent if you order from their early evening menu.
Wetherspoons, not a proper restaurant but relatively consistent and quite decent value, covers all bases.
OK, going to get shouted down here, but there's a lot of talk of value on here rather than just quality, so I'm going to throw in the best value for money reliable meal and a drink chain in Britain.
.
.
.
'Spoons.
A little off topic but why are there no national UK chain for Indian food? It’s bizarre given that chicken tikka masala is the most popular dish in the UK!
Slug & Lettuce seem to hire cocktail makers who actually know what they are doing and are fairly priced. Their food menu is decent and they always seem to have deals on for certain days that make it very good value.
Yo Sushi does what it says on the tin and is decent. Before anyone complains about grotty kids touching the stuff on the conveyor belt, you can also order any of those items direct to your table.
Miller & Carter do very nice steaks and sides. Granted it is not cheap but if you want a quality steak this place comes up trumps every time. Two decent cocktails for £14 before 7pm is a nice touch.
Nando’s - solid menu, can eat relatively healthily there, food is tasty, and you can always rely on them - the quality is always consistent
Chilango - my favourite burrito place. Excellent guac, all the burrito ingredients are fresh and tasty.
I used to love Tossed for salads - healthy, good value for what they were, and they were fairly reliably easy to find. Not sure if they’re still going though?
I think some answers are misleading as people understand different things by "chain". Even Gordon Ramsey could be defined as a "chain" and arguably we all can agree that is decent.
I guess you refer to fast food chains - pizza businesses like franco manca or pizza union aren't bad. Also for take away food wagamama and itsu are decent.
If we are talking national chains then they are either shit, overpriced or shit and overpriced.
I don't mind Miller and Carter but the pricing is wild for a glorified Toby.
Five Guys burgers are great but the price point for a fast food self service is outrageous (also Slim Chickens)
Also the pseudo Italian chains are way overpriced for the mediocre pizzas and supermarket ready meals that they dish up.
Most towns have at least one good independent Italian, Turkish and Indian that are better and cheaper than any chain.
Pizza express is not bad pizza, but it's not great either. But they seem to have a talent for taking about 2 hours to get food to the table? At least that's what I remember from when I used to go there occasionally, like over a decade ago I guess...
Honestly? Wetherspoons. The food is half decent depending on what you get ( the burgers and curries are arguably GOOD ), obviously what makes it great is the price.
Nando's, Wagamama's, Yo Sushi etc are all so expensive for what you get. I work at Mowgli and you're better off getting an authentic Indian at an independent restaurant, better quality and definitely less expensive
I quite like ask Italian, you can order on their website as well to have it brought to your table which I like when I’m out with friends because I always feel awkward trying to split the bill, making the poor waiter really put in a shift, always so awkward, so the website ordering wins it for me. And every month they give away something free if you sign up to your newsletter, it was pizza last month so me and a mate went and it was basically just my meal we had to pay for as he had the pizza
Hub box is also good as long as you eat in, don’t take away, it gets soggy by the time you get home
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I know I'll probably get downvoted because it's the done thing here to shit on it, but nandos is decent. It's reasonably priced, consistent, family friendly, fast without being fast food, possible to eat somewhat healthily, and tasty.
Used to work in nandos. The chicken is fresh, shouldn't be hot held for longer than 2-3 hours (and if it's busy, a batch of chicken will only last an hour at best) and while the sides were microwaved, it's done in proper containers that keep it moist and piping hot. Mileage may vary depending on your local.
Also used to work there and they actually treat staff very well, Was higher than average pay at the time (2 years or so ago), Free hot meal for every shift (could get it takeaway if i wanted) and always a bunch of random stuff like some employee exclusive merch store. One of the few places i worked that i have no hate towards xD
Nando’s was one of my favourite places to work until they fired me for isolating when my dad had Covid. The next day all staff got to go home and have 2 weeks pay because we went into lockdown. The day after I’m fired for doing what the government told me to do 😅 On topic of eating there though - decent enough. Nothing put me off it working there at least.
Plus not all the sides are microwaved. Chips are obvious straight out the fryer, Rice has a Rice cooker, halloumi is all done on the grill same for Garlic Bread. Peas, Brocolli, Mash are all microwaved tho.
A microwave has it's place, if done properly it's basically just a more efficient steamer 🤷
I've worked in a few kitchens when i was younger, Chef Mike always had a place, even in higher end kitchens.
'chef Mike' haven't heard that in years, code so the customers didn't know you were just gonna chuck it in the microwave, I never worked in a kitchen that didn't have one tbh
Nando’s is great and the hate circle about it is weird. The only thing I have an issue with is that the price is a little high for what it is, but so be it.
the hate for nandos is a terminally online thing, every human in the real world loves it
It's only downside is they never experiment. Takes them years to add something to the menu
Counterpoint : it takes me years to think about trying something else on their menu, so I guess it balances out in the end
My girlfriend loves Nandos so we go quite often. Every single time we both say we should try something new. Every single time I get Chicken Butterfly with peri chips and garlic bread
Both hating it and loving it are groupthink extremes. Nandos is decent relatively cheap food, it's not bad in any way but neither is it amazing.
I hated on Nandos for a long time. I thought it was just KFC for wankers, but I hated KFC too. I'd only had it a few times from shit places and it was crap. I started having Nandos at work and it was fucking ace. Then I moved near a really good KFC and it's incredible. I arguably eat the same thing at both places: sunset burger or zinger stacker. Sometimes they just hit the spot.
‘KFC for wankers’ made me really chuckle, thank you.
But is it though? Where can you eat in London for less than 20 quid that makes you feel like your stomach is gonna explode whilst being good quality?
Not everyone lives in London. In fact, most people don't.
The thing is Nandos is massively consistent it's worth paying the little extra. I can get burger chips and a drink from bossman for under £10, but often, it's been rushed because he has many Uber Eats orders to fulfill, the chips can one day be soggy and the next day be hard as a brick.
Got to agree on Nandos. I travel a fair bit for work and it's usually available, and like you say consistent and somewhat healthy. I also really like their perinaise you can buy in shops..
Lost about 20kg eating Nando’s 5 times a week. Chicken breast and sweet potato get you a long way
Depending on your heat level I bet your arsehole wasn't green for long doing that.
Considering I had progressed up to extra hot, it might explain the weight loss
I think what the people that like to bitch and moan about Nando's don't get is that no one thinks Nando's is the best restaurant ever. It's just a place you can get a reasonably priced meal, relatively quickly, and know what you're getting. It's a place you can go alone while you wait for your train, with your mates before a student night out, or with your kids for a cheap birthday treat. There's something for everyone there (I even had a vegan friend who preferred Nando's to restaurants that don't make their whole thing about a specific meat). I think the problem is that a whole generation used Nando's as a joke about a generic night out, that turned into a meme, and then Redditors had to prove that they had better taste by shitting on anyone that likes Nando's.
> I think the problem is that a whole generation used Nando's as a joke about a generic night out, that turned into a meme, and then Redditors had to prove that they had better taste by shitting on anyone that likes Nando's. There was someone in thread about the chain restaurants they won't eat in who was complaining about people going "for a cheeky nandos" being a fashion statement. I was thinking that the term "cheeky nandos" hasn't been a thing since like 2014 or 2015.
Funnily enough, I lost my Nando’s virginity tonight after putting it off for years due to the constant barrage of hate that I’d read online …. Honestly couldn’t knock it. Fresh, tasty, reasonably priced, quick service and pleasantly surprised when I realised they served a beer to accompany the meal. Don’t get me wrong, it hasn’t changed my life, but it certainly doesn’t warrant the hate that it has gathered over the years.
I don't mind Nando's, but it's overpriced by about 20-30%.
I love the pitta and hoummus from there.
Oh my gosh yes!!!! That little bottle of chilli oil
I dont mind Nandos. You know where you stand and what you're getting. It's definitely a decent place for me.
Nando’s is one of the few places where you can eat out and still be able to make pretty healthy choices but it’s also tasty.
I love their food, hate their restaurants. I'm 30 and feel like a grandad when I walk in there to collect my takeaway
I prefer Pepe's.
I think I'm addicted to their hot sauce. Most food is just a vessel for Nandos peri peri hot sauce at this point
One issue i’ve noticed with it, is this handoff of either ordering yourself or from your phone, the staff can be terrible as a lot of them are students and have not had to learn a more personal approach. They treat picking up the food from the heated worktop and bringing it to table 18 as some annoying chore.
And a 20% discount if you're with the NHS!
So popular that even Brit’s are convinced it’s a British chain.
Honest burger. Great product, chips are actually _included_ in the price of the burger, and they don’t mug you off like other burger places by putting the chips in a little tumbler with paper to reduce the space inside. Also not expensive for what you get, especially the smash burgers
The little specials that they have in each area are pretty good too
Never heard of this one.
They’re also really good at catering to allergies and intolerances, I think because they make their food from scratch (unlike other chains like Nando’s).
Eat at one of these every time I’m in London, brilliant for any coeliac wanting a burger (and they do amazing GF onion rings!)
Fellow wheat-dodger here. Up in London for the first time in 3 years tomorrow and I'll be heading to Honest before my train home. I've missed their onion rings
Just overdosed on Honest onion rings and they were even better than I remember. Going to need to run a couple of extra miles tomorrow for that!
Im still gutted they closed the one in Leeds.
I thought Honest Burger was still a hip independent place lol am I old?
They used to say they were a chain that wasn't a chain - as in they wanted to make every restaurant feel individual and focused on the area rather than on the chain as a whole. I stopped working for them 5.5 years ago though so they may be more focused on the chain/branding now than they used to be.
I’d say 39 restaurants makes it a pretty big chain
There’s quite a few locations in London now, not many outside of that though
Get the bacon gravy and dip those chips into it - you'll never want them with anything else again!
Second this, been a great discovery when the missus and I are stuck for decent grub whilst out in central London. 20% Blue light discount on food as well.
If you count “chain” to be anywhere with a few sites then Hawksmoor, Iberica, Rudy’s, Pizza Pilgrims, Franco Manca, Ambiente, Dishoom and Bundo are all great shouts. If you mean more the places that are almost everywhere. Las Iguana’s seems to be about the best in my experience, but it’s a pretty low bar.
If I go to Manchester for a meeting then I always pop in Franco Manca. Top quality pizza in my opinion and it’s not over priced. Beers are a little pricey for a 330ml but I suppose that’s where they make their money
If you’re after a bit more variety in your Mancunian pizza’s it’s worth checking out http://www.noiquattro.co.uk. Banging little indie in the Northern 1/4.
I’ve still to sample Rudy’s yet. Everyone keeps telling me how good it is but it feels more of an occasion going there. I know I can go into Franco Manca and be out within 30 mins. I’ll give the other a whirl though, I have a client meeting there in a couple of weeks so thanks for the tip! Edit: By a massive coincidence, my son has gone to Rudy’s today with his mates. I’ll await his opinion as he usually compares them to what we cook at home
>I know I can go into Franco Manca and be out within 30 mins. You can do this in Rudys too
Dishoom is great for a group and getting sharer plates. Actually works out to a very reasonable price
I always pay loads for Dishoom and its worth it. Honestly if you have no dessert, alcohol or even a rip-off Indian cola, you’ll have more money left over for an extra dish.
> If you count “chain” to be anywhere with a few sites then Hawksmoor, Iberica, Rudy’s, Pizza Pilgrims, Franco Manca, Ambiente, Dishoom and Bundo are all great shouts. They must only have a few sites because I have never heard of any of these.
London, Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool mainly. Hawksmoor especially is worth going to if you like steak.
There's a Hawksmoor in Edinburgh too. The staff there have always been extremely good. Also recommend the shakey pete.
A waiter there spent like 20 minutes recommending other restaurants to us cause we said it was our first time in Edinburgh! Also got 2 free sgropinos because it was my birthday
Guessing you’re a Mancunian. All those mentioned are top quality.
Rudy's is lovely.
Flat Iron. Delicious steak for an affordable price, especially in London. Also the ice cream is amazing
Not to mention the ice cream you also get for free on your way out
Not if you keep those little cleaver keyring things to turn into some cool earrings!
Their garlic bone marrow mash is genuinely one of the nicest things I’ve ever consumed
They just opened in Manchester this week and had a 500 wagyu steaks giveaway.
Oh really? That’s good to know. It really is very good value for money. Hopefully the quality doesn’t dip as they continue to expand
I've been eating in their restaurants around London for a few years now and the only one i didn't particularly enjoy was Westfield. Still good though.
Five Guys is expensive but decent.
Never had bad food from there. Generous portions, seemingly good quality ingredients, and a shit tonne of toppings. Big fan. Agree it's super expensive but it's a rare treat and a welcome one
They either have a fully justified reason for charging so much or they're happy with how much custom they already get. If they dropped their prices to be a bit more competitive, I don't think I'd ever go to another burger joint
I think they are a little too pricey for the UK, I moved to Australia and the prices are exactly the same even though wages are higher here.
If they dropped their prices I would be three times heavier within six months.
Also, they somehow have the only chips in the world that TASTE GOOD COLD. I have no idea how, but it's amazing.
Peanut oil
Pho. For a chain it does a pretty good Vietnamese food.
Refuse to eat there. They tried to trademark the word pho and bully small business owners. Cultural appropriation, slimy owners
Wow - I completely missed this story at the time, despite my wife being Vietnamese. [https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2013/sep/25/vietnamese-pho-trademark-soup-cafe](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2013/sep/25/vietnamese-pho-trademark-soup-cafe)
oh no no more pho cafe for me.. pricks
Kokoro is pretty decent, and the prices aren't that bad. Wouldn't really call it a "restaurant" though.
Yeah their sweet chilli chicken is amazing.
And they don't skimp on the chicken in the chicken katsu
Yes. I really enjoy Kokoro. Sometimes pick up their sushi as a treat. It's pretty solid.
Had no idea Kokoro was a chain. Love their chilli chicken.
Helluva shout
They are very good except for their gyoza. Some of the worst gyoza I've ever encountered.
I *love* Kokoro. I wish I knew what curry sauce they used for their Katsus because it's delicious and is apparently dairy free. I sometimes think they could stand to do a *small* portion size though, because even their regular is sometimes too much for me.
They use JAVA curry sauce
The Lounges chain. When they opened up in my home town it was only their third or fourth restaurant but now they seem to be everywhere and still somehow manage to carry off a laid back local feel. Great brunches and tapas and a nice place to take kids for decent food without feeling you’re compromising too much.
And adjacent is the cosy club which is run by the same company
Every time I go to a Lounge it’s always decent. Nice food, nice service, nice drinks. I always get what I’d expect from those joints and it’s always good.
I came here to say the Lounges. Definitely got the continental cafe that serves alcohol down well. Food is usually good, different allergy menus, friendly staff - they're usually busy for a very good reason.
There’s one opened fairly recently in my home town, it’s pretty good. Not the best but I certainly don’t mind going there.
Was looking for this one. Living in South Bristol, my local Lounge is the original one which is just called Lounge.
Franco Manca is pretty ace and cheap
I feel like the quality has really gone down hill as they've expanded.
yup, absolutely nosedived.
I’ve only been once 3 years ago and decided to never go again, it was the most tasteless pizza I ever had for the small price of £14.
Always thought Cote Brasserie was good
Cote is a good chain
Agree, I love their fish pie and the onion soup
How is Wagamamas not on here?! It’s the best by far!!
You can recreate the experience of Wagamama by having a pot noodle in a hospital waiting room and then setting fire to your wallet
3 or 4 years ago I’d agree it’s amongst the best. Really dropped off the past few years.
I think the quality is variable depending on the location
Wagamama's is shit. Food is bland is fuck.
Mackerel Miso is fucking banging !
Most dishes are really plain
Yep! No idea how authentic it is but I don’t care, I always enjoy it.
Definitely not authentic, they even say themselves that it’s inspired. I still enjoy it, especially because they have a bigger than average vegetarian selection, though I feel like it’s not as good as it was several years ago :( plus they discontinued my favourite cake
[удалено]
I always kinda liked Waggas but since going vegan now fucking love it, their non-meat based food is somehow better than their meat dishes, plus if you get the “healthier” options there tends to be more variety in the food which really helps
Mowgli
I have heard very mixed reviews about Mowgli.
I work at Mowgli, wouldn't recommend it...
Used to be good when it was only on Bold Street, lost its way since
Yeah it’s really good
Went to the restaurant in Oxford, and all the food was incredibly sweet, like they added sugar to everything. Wouldnt go back.
Wahacca
Always wondered why they didn't call it Oaxaca. I almost feel like a little insulted when I see it. Like they didn't think my tiny English mind would be able to understand it
My tiny English mind can't understand how to pronounce that despite my belief that it's pronounced the same way
You might be able to handle it, but so many wouldn't that it would probably be a poor business decision.
Wahaca used to be so good, but fell into the usual trap of profitability and the quality got so bad before they closed down most of their branches
Itsu is normally a safe bet.
Wish there were more outside of London, I always go when I’m in London, it’s healthy and reasonably priced.
Hickory's Smokehouse does great barbecue. Not a huge chain as far as I'm aware, but it's owned by Greene King. It's just as good as most independent places I've been to.
I went to one and thought it was pretty good, it's a shame they're not in more places. They're pretty much all up north or the midlands, and generally in the west of those areas.
They're opening one in Gloucester soon iirc
Shout. Absolute shout.
Was so much better before it was sold. Still good but a bit pricey for what you get now.
The Poynton one was the first I visited and it was genuinely the best BBQ I've had in Britain after years of constant disappointment. Chef was enthusiastic and clearly good at his job, ribs exquisite, hot wings actually hot. Then I went to the ones in Nottingham and Huddersfield. Terrible, poorly prepared (membrane still on the ribs for example), spice levels zero, fewer hot sauce options. Even the restaurants themselves were dirtier, felt more like hungry horses than an actually good restaurants. I suppose the franchisee's do what franchisee's do, hop on the bandwagon of something good, drive down costs in a race the bottom before people realise a good thing has become shit.
Going to get hated but pizza express. I really do rate their romana pizzas and their garlic butter is unreal.
Pizza express is totally decent.
I quite like Pizza Express - to the extent that I've made "gold" twice over this year. So unlike Prince Andrew, I can't claim it's not usually the sort of place I'd visit.
It's a little overpriced but the food is pretty good IMO. It's ideal if you want to take kids out for a meal.
Honest Burger are decent, although I think they only have a couple of places outside London. Rudy's Pizza in Manchester is effectively a chain now, but it's still great pizza. Nandos is fine, though has never been as exciting as the market hype makes it out to be.
Rudy's is elite! My mate showed it to me when he lived in Warrington and I couldn't believe how amazing it was and now I go there every time I visit the North!
Pho
Wasabi. Their sushi are decent
and less expensive than other restaurant options. I see it as a workday lunch upgrade to the usual meal deals/pack lunch.
The Real Greek has always been excellent, consistent and prompt service for me.
The only time I've had bad service there we got a £20 voucher straight away and I think free desserts too which definitely made up for it!
The smaller chains (usually in and around London) are usually a good go-between. Patty & Bun is great for burgers, much better than Five Guys imo. Flat Iron is a great fast food steak place and decently priced. Yard and Coop is fast food chicken in a restaurant setting, but really good.
Wimpy (2nd time I’ve shared the joys of Wimpy today)
There's one local to me. A lot of people like it for the 70s/80s nostalgia, but it's pretty shit
Awwww that’s a shame, the 3 in my Burgmuda triangle are all pretty good still.
Everytime I walk past my local wimpys I automatically make the same comment to my wife without even thinking - how have they even stayed in business all these decades, shes learned to ignore me now.
Used to work in a pound shop over the road from a wimpy. Struck a deal with the shift manager and used to take him cleaning products for the kitchen in exchange for burgers and milkshakes.
Used to have a Wimpy in my town when I was younger, saw one recently and couldn't believe the prices.
Banana Tree's food is delicious.! I'm working my way through the entire menu.
I love spoons even for the cheap food as well as drinks. My standard order is the small plates with a pitcher lol. Quite affordable and nice.
Bills!
Finally I found bills!! I went for valentine's and got laughed at. IT WAS GOOD?
German Doner Kebab
Ordered once and never again. Premium prices for small portions of bland food.
I’ve had it a few times and would have agreed but the last one I had was rank. Put me right off
For a chain pub I used to absolutely hated Green Kings pubs, crap big plates of deep fried crap, general poor quality food, but since covid they have really tried to have better quality food, especially if you get one of their more traditional places, okay it's all still mass produced but the quality and taste is so much better, local one in Leigh on sea has a fish based menu, other ones (more remote) have better menus as well, their flaming pub etc are still "fry everything" Spoons jacket with 5 bean chilli is still top notch!
I thought I was insane and getting old until I read this comment. My local is Greene King and they’ve gotten SO much better food wise in recent years.
I love the halloumi fries at Greene King pubs. They have some really nice unique pubs up in York.
Greggs delivers what I want from it consistently
I’m personally a huge fan of Five Guys. Even if it’s a bit too expensive.
Cote Thirsty bear Carluccios And "the lounges" they are all over and maintain their standard throughout.
I've enjoyed all the meals at all the *lounges I've been in. You're spot on, it's consistent quality and decent value.
Anybody remember the atrocity that was Chiquitos?
Absolute shit fest. The only restaurant I've ever walked out from. Drinks took over 20 mins and the food wasn't served even after waiting nearly an hour, and I only gave them that long because it was next to the cinema and my options were limited.
Bills - atmosphere is always lovely and the food is good! Not much variety in the menus though :)
I find most of them are really expensive for what you actually get. Tony Macaroni is pretty decent if you order from their early evening menu. Wetherspoons, not a proper restaurant but relatively consistent and quite decent value, covers all bases.
Turtle Bay is the chain restaurant GOAT
Toby Carvery, it's not likely to win any culinary awards, but it does a decent carvery and all you can eat breakfast for a great price.
OK, going to get shouted down here, but there's a lot of talk of value on here rather than just quality, so I'm going to throw in the best value for money reliable meal and a drink chain in Britain. . . . 'Spoons.
A little off topic but why are there no national UK chain for Indian food? It’s bizarre given that chicken tikka masala is the most popular dish in the UK!
I think the independents are so good, numerous and reasonably priced it's not worth a chain trying to take them on.
Plus the independents may as well be a chain given that they all have the same core offering.
Slug & Lettuce seem to hire cocktail makers who actually know what they are doing and are fairly priced. Their food menu is decent and they always seem to have deals on for certain days that make it very good value.
Yo Sushi does what it says on the tin and is decent. Before anyone complains about grotty kids touching the stuff on the conveyor belt, you can also order any of those items direct to your table.
Ive never had a bad meal at Ask I miss Cafe Rouge they were always good too
Raymond Blanc chain is good food at reasonable prices…
Miller & Carter do very nice steaks and sides. Granted it is not cheap but if you want a quality steak this place comes up trumps every time. Two decent cocktails for £14 before 7pm is a nice touch.
Totally agree, they do a good vegetarian and fish options menu too for a steak restaurant. They just need to up their dessert game.
Zizzi, especially the pizza with artichokes on it
Nando’s - solid menu, can eat relatively healthily there, food is tasty, and you can always rely on them - the quality is always consistent Chilango - my favourite burrito place. Excellent guac, all the burrito ingredients are fresh and tasty. I used to love Tossed for salads - healthy, good value for what they were, and they were fairly reliably easy to find. Not sure if they’re still going though?
Sushimania is amazing! Usually costs me less than £20 for dinner for two
I think some answers are misleading as people understand different things by "chain". Even Gordon Ramsey could be defined as a "chain" and arguably we all can agree that is decent. I guess you refer to fast food chains - pizza businesses like franco manca or pizza union aren't bad. Also for take away food wagamama and itsu are decent.
Pizza Hut at buffet time
If we are talking national chains then they are either shit, overpriced or shit and overpriced. I don't mind Miller and Carter but the pricing is wild for a glorified Toby. Five Guys burgers are great but the price point for a fast food self service is outrageous (also Slim Chickens) Also the pseudo Italian chains are way overpriced for the mediocre pizzas and supermarket ready meals that they dish up. Most towns have at least one good independent Italian, Turkish and Indian that are better and cheaper than any chain.
I have had pretty good meals at Bella Italia
I wish there were more Bundobusts. Specifically in Bristol.
Zaap thai
Brewhouse and kitchen are actually decent I don't mind a Harvester either. As you say, Pizza Express are not too bad.
Pizza express is not bad pizza, but it's not great either. But they seem to have a talent for taking about 2 hours to get food to the table? At least that's what I remember from when I used to go there occasionally, like over a decade ago I guess...
Pho
Pepe's Piri Piri
Honestly? Wetherspoons. The food is half decent depending on what you get ( the burgers and curries are arguably GOOD ), obviously what makes it great is the price. Nando's, Wagamama's, Yo Sushi etc are all so expensive for what you get. I work at Mowgli and you're better off getting an authentic Indian at an independent restaurant, better quality and definitely less expensive
I quite like ask Italian, you can order on their website as well to have it brought to your table which I like when I’m out with friends because I always feel awkward trying to split the bill, making the poor waiter really put in a shift, always so awkward, so the website ordering wins it for me. And every month they give away something free if you sign up to your newsletter, it was pizza last month so me and a mate went and it was basically just my meal we had to pay for as he had the pizza Hub box is also good as long as you eat in, don’t take away, it gets soggy by the time you get home
Wetherspoons
Popeyes is really good and pretty close to the US experience.