Little Chef

[kawashima]

I like to stay at family restaurant for a long time eating and drinking "drink-bar" watching internet on my mobile. I read BCF on my mobile scrolling and scrolling too.
It's a place to relax for me. I can't relax at McDonald small chair and table full of school girls.
I found on the internet that "Little Chef" is one of the most popular road side restaurant in UK. I missed to visit Little Chef last time.
Is it a good restaurant value for money? Do you like Little Chef?
https://www.littlechef.co.uk/images/header/logo-littlechef.png
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own:2020 Serow 250
owned: 2012 YB125SP, 2008 TDM900, 2005 W650, 2002 LS125R, 2002 CB400SF, NS50F, C50 / Trip to UK(2009), Hokkaido touring(2013)

[J4mes]

I am fresh fish on here, but even I think obvious troll is obvious

[kawashima]

Wait wait I'm not trolling at all..

I like Denny's here.
https://www.dennys.jp/dny/images/top_head_logo.jpg
____________________
own:2020 Serow 250
owned: 2012 YB125SP, 2008 TDM900, 2005 W650, 2002 LS125R, 2002 CB400SF, NS50F, C50 / Trip to UK(2009), Hokkaido touring(2013)

[pwntifex]

[Tarmacsurfer]

[chris-red]

[dogbot]

Little Thief. You won't be a Happy Eater if you stay there...

[kawashima]

[Tarmacsurfer]

[WildGoose]

It seems to have been hanging on a thin thread for the past ten to fifteen years. Restaurants closing down and giving way to housing developments, yet other places are being refurbished. For a while they seemed to open up mini burger king franchises within the little chef, though this was quite shortlived.

There is one at the top of the A34 closed for refurbishment at this very moment.

When I was younger it used to be an acceptable place to go for a family meal, at a reasonable price. Though the whole little chef brand has always seemed tacky, I even remember thinking that as an 8 year old.

I havent been for years, but the signature dish used to be the Olympic breakfast. You also used to be able to get bottomless glasses of coke.

It's still less of a rip off than what our motorway services have become, and at least has an outside chance of containing some nutrition compared to the likes of Macdonalds.

It is typically British in that it has taken a succesful brand and slowly and systematically flushed it down the crapper.

Personally, places like this are all about atmosphere, and little chef seems to vary hugely in this respect. In contrast to Macdonalds restaurants which have a guaranteed universal bad atmosphere across the board.

I never have a call to use them, because you can't park an articulated lorry in any of their car parks. Or very few.

[EDIT] Oh, and if you got an impression of poor hygiene, dirty premises, or greasy slop you should check out a few truck stops. Luckily for them, joe public will never have call or desperation to venture inside your average truck stop.
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So in other words, he stopped you for being flagrantly in posession of a motorcycle in direct contravention of the Hippies, Darkies and People Whose Face I Don't Like The Look of (Police Powers) Act. 1976

[WildGoose]

Keep it up kawashima, i'd say you are one of the most interesting people on here for a variety of reasons.
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So in other words, he stopped you for being flagrantly in posession of a motorcycle in direct contravention of the Hippies, Darkies and People Whose Face I Don't Like The Look of (Police Powers) Act. 1976

[Kickstart]

Hi

Use one occasionally. One is a convenient meeting point when visiting a client.

Their cherry pancakes make up for a lot of their faults.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[AL-]

The one near us closed down and is now some curry place which is a whole lot better

[killa]

I remember going to Little Chef for the first time in the 90’s as a young lad. I had cooked meal, something like ham, egg & chips and I remember it being really nice.
I had a lolly for finishing it afterwards too. Also, they had a small tuck shop there where I bought a I-spy book of cars for the journey home. I still have the book!
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Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
Bike:- Yamaha TRX850 | Killas Biking History | Killas Gaming History | Killas autmotive history

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

[kawashima]

Thank you guys. I will order cherry pancakes with a mini-slab of vanilla ice-cream if I could visit Little Chef in the future
____________________
own:2020 Serow 250
owned: 2012 YB125SP, 2008 TDM900, 2005 W650, 2002 LS125R, 2002 CB400SF, NS50F, C50 / Trip to UK(2009), Hokkaido touring(2013)

[SlimRick]

I do believe the Cherry ones are called Jubilee Pancakes, I remember having them about 20 years ago - they haven't changed since then and make it almost worthwhile going

[pwntifex]

[The Shaggy D.A.]

I love Little Chef.

There. I said it. I know they're a shadow of their former self, but buy me an Olympic Breakfast and I'm anyone's. *






* although I'm pretty much anyone's for a bacon and egg sammidge
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Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5

[Bendy]

They got Michelin-starred chef Heston Blumenthal to try and overhaul 'the brand' a couple of years ago. He was faced with numerous problems, like the kitchens not actually having a cooker.

I'll confess I haven't been in one for quite some years. Quality varies... it may have something to do with how tired and hungry you are.

[doggone]

I'd been touring in europe, travelling light - not even any kit to make tea.
It was heaven having a full English breakfast at a little chef in kent, with a pot of tea the first morning back in UK
They are quite expensive but the food is very standardised, so wherever you stop should be almost the same - so you aren't going to get something really bad.

Some other roadside places are good, but some don't care as they know you are unlikely to visit again.

[Phoenix]

I don't really know how they still exist, all I can think is that they are owned by some giant company that can afford such a money sink. I remember going to Happy Eater as a kid which i think became Little Chef which again I remember going to on holidays (woo).

In more recent times they were always empty and ridiculously priced bearing in mind they're only on A-roads and not motorways which command stupid premiums regardless. I recall a few years ago they drastically reduced their prices in an attempt to gain custom but every single restuarant i've seen is always empty, only eaten in one once in the last 5 years, it was ok but still expensive. I'd personally suggest you visit a Toby Carvery or something instead, on a quiet night you can stuff yourself silly on roast for not much money.

[WildGoose]

I didn't enjoy Toby Carvery, seems a confused concept, self serve under the pretense of being a proper restaurant. Evening meal type place.

If you are going to go out for a roast dinner, I feel its missing the point to have to walk round a buffet with a tray to pick at stuff thats been sitting out under a lamp.

If I want to go out to eat I want to be waited on, and have stuff that has just been cooked. Cheap price notwithstanding. Even little chef has waiting staff.
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So in other words, he stopped you for being flagrantly in posession of a motorcycle in direct contravention of the Hippies, Darkies and People Whose Face I Don't Like The Look of (Police Powers) Act. 1976

[Steve H]

Never had any of their fare other than an Olympic but as Shaggy mentions they're pretty good.

Personally when it comes to 'on the road' food nothing beats local knowledge of greasy spoon cafe's, there's a couple near me that I've been going to for years and their quality and value for money is second to none
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Mellow Yellow
The BCF Top TEN - 2010, 2009, 2008, The Original.

[WildGoose]