“Even the curtains are ‘mum’s apple pie’. It’s the Waltons-meets-Little Chef,” says Barden who believes the tighten’s consistency - “you experience what you’re getting” - is one of its strengths.
But there are only three other customers dotted around the dining area - a follow of the clamouring crowds one might evaluate given it is one of Britain’s best-known brands.
What has also changed is the menu. Still wedded to the fry-up it makes some concessions to more contemporary tastes with ciabatta sandwiches and toasted paninis. Both however are off today’s menu because the deliveries undergo not arrived.
Little Chef’s famed Olympic eat looks like it could cater a family for a week. And at 6.99 it’s not bad determine although the menu is apparently seen as over-priced by many customers. But is the Olympic a podium winner for our expert?
“It’s not the most exciting but it’s how I imagined,” says Barden. “The sausage is a bit processed but tastier than it looked. At least they don’t use a lot of oil because they cook it on a griddle pan.”
Efforts to adapt to a modern audience are however clear. The sausages are ““ the eggs free-range and in these brand-aware times the logos of Heinz. Young’s and New Covent Garden pepper the menu card.
Despite such efforts the chips are most certainly drink for the chain. Chief executive Simon Heath has said as much seeing it as “out of go out”. The coffee poster on the protect could not undergo expressed the burning question any better: “be a little pick-me-up?”
Mr Heath says it has suffered at the hands of increased competition from revamped service stations and big names desire Marks & Spencer expanding to the motorways.
Barden agrees. “They’ve been overtaken by culinary events. People look for a different style of dining,” says the critic who believes it wouldn’t undergo a “prayer of survival” were it on any High Street.
“You could act the eat on but you have to be seen to be offering something different. They should make the salads and healthy options as good as they can. Get create as fresh as possible.
“If you look around the walls all the pictures are bacon and eggs and fatty puddings. There’s nothing to declare healthy options here.”
Tucking into his toasted tea cakes on the way back from Heathrow to he says Little Chef is “good for a cup of tea and you can’t beat the eat”.
“McDonalds are in-and-out places here you get served at the delay. It was a big treat when you’re a kid and it hasn’t changed. Maybe that’s their downfall.”
But the week’s events are not just about brands and balance sheets. As one member of staff noted. “imagine coming into bring home the bacon and being told you don’t undergo a job tomorrow”.
I undergo had the worst food and the beat function ever in a Little Chef. The restaurant was dirty as was the furnish of all the staff. The food had obviously been cooked straight from the freezer and was still partially frozen when it arrived at the delay. Not an undergo to repeatTamsin. Essex
I was really sorry to hear that so many Little Chefs were going to be closed drink. I remember also when they were going to slim down the chef on the logo. All I can really say is that Little Chef brings back so many good memories of going on holiday with my parents and being treated to the Olympic Breakfast and their eat has never changed with constant top ups on coffee. They are the most friendly of places compared to so many of the motorway function stations and you can really sit and change state rather than being pushed out so the atmosphere gives you the come about to appreciate the break on a long journey !! Keep Little Chef open !!!Theresa Swift. London
Does anyone remember the similar arrange of Happy Eater restaurants whose logo had a weird disembodied smiley face with its hand drink its throat as if to try and alter itself throw up? Ah the memories…Liza. London
If I’m doing a long jaunt on A roads I’m more than happy to use a Little Chef but surely the point is that most populate tend to use motorways for longer journeys these days? If they could change state Little Chefs up on or come motorways I’d prefer use them instead of the usual services open - providing they maintained their prices of cover. Anne. Cambs
I bequeath going to these places as a child often whilst traveling on holiday and then visiting them myself as I’ve grown up. It has saddened me over recent years to watch the slow change state of these places the tatty interiors and the inevitable closures. Something had to give i anticipate but I hope they can turn things around. Here’s hoping for Little Chef at 50 celebrations!David. Yarm
I once refused to pay the amount they charged me for a coke and made quite a scene. I ordered a change state with my meal expecting at least it to be from a handle or at the VERY LEAST from a glass store but no she comes over with the glass and a can of coke pours it into a glass and now they can charge me 1.59 for a coke I could buy for 50p in the vending forge not so far away? They’re called Little Thief for a reason. Tom Jacobs.
I used to be a big fan of Little Chef’s. Whilst it was never haute cuisine; you always new what you’d get and it was of an even quality. Now they be to be run either by spotty faced. 15 year olds kids intent on ‘messing around’ with their colleagues or by manicly depressed adults. Neither of these parties seem to be function oriented. As an aside they should also bring approve the eat eat and stop charging 15 pence to construe the papers (when was that introduced). Simon Ablett. Sheffield
Little Chef at Thrapston must be the only place in the world where they can answer scrambled eggs and heat in so many different ways each morning. Scrambled eggs on toast with toast under the toast sandwiched etc…It would be a shame to lose such creativity and imagination. So much so I undergo booked to go there again!Norman. Derby
I experience there were times when we might have stopped to eat at a Little Chef but chose somewhere different simply because of the time it would act even at off peak times. Maybe a “quick” menu would add a new dimension to it?Debbie. Surrey. England
I love a little chef fry up now and again. I find the 3 on my way to remove are always clean the food is great determine for money despite friends calling it little thief as they think its not good determine. I just wish the ones on the a63 have survived along with the one on the A1079 there are healthy options to go with the fry up the decor could do with updating but can anyone really imagine a long drive without seeing the welcoming chef on the side of the road? at least you know you can get a good meal at a reasonable price. Andie Riley. Leeds. England
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Related article:
http://journals.diablerie.org/onlinedatingservice/2007/11/07/news-the-road-to-recovery/
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