Page 12 | To think Toby Carvery is working class ?

JoanneTeresa · 2025-10-26T18:46:01+00:00

I went this week and was looking around at the likely demographic

Bambamhoohoo · 26/10/2025 19:27

user1476613140 · 26/10/2025 19:17

I'm not wealthy but can only go there on special occasions, for example....I find it's a lovely place for a meal with family.

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But why couldn’t a wealthy working class family go there? You said it was too expensive to be working class?

HRTQueen · 26/10/2025 19:25

I love a carvery Tobey close to us isn’t so good one close to work is very good

Comefromaway · 26/10/2025 19:25

We’ve been for a Toby today.

me & Dh come from very working class backgrounds although education made us & our kids middle class. (Kids went to private school for a while.

we all LOVE a Toby.

My parents are from low income w/c backgrounds but success at a trade in their 40s made them millionaires. They also love a Toby.

RosesAndHellebores · 26/10/2025 19:23

Bambamhoohoo · 26/10/2025 19:13

Why do working class people have to be too poor to eat out or something?

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Just the op who described the gaff as working class.

We went once. The chap ahead of us decided to try the gravies, all of them, by dipping in his finger and licking it. Frankly he had no class but put us off for life.

We had dry dinner and the tables were a bit a sticky. DH nearly had a melt down: queued, fingers in the gravy, sticky tables, rubbosh wine and beer.

@CremeBruhlee on nights like that, I buy steaks, a ready made salad bowl, pot of bearnaise sauce and shove in some oven chips or new potatoes. Cheaper and better.

LemonLymanDotCom · 26/10/2025 19:22

Now been inspired to google and my closest Toby is 4 miles away & 57 minutes by public transport in Wanstead… Is it worth the visit?

mamagogo1 · 26/10/2025 19:22

Really, surely it’s just a restaurant. Surely restaurants are more about location when it comes to clientele. I can tell you I’ve seen championship footballers in our Wetherspoons (one of the players lives a few streets from me) and they were polite, friendly to a couple of kids who wanted autographs and mostly people ignored them or in my case didn’t know who they were until the boy on the next table told me excitedly

LemonLymanDotCom · 26/10/2025 19:19

I didn’t know they still existed but I guess every day is a school day.

(In my defence, I’m in London, maybe there aren’t many here?)

Hallywally · 26/10/2025 19:17

Probably. I love food but would never brand myself a “foodie” as I think they’re snobs with a broom up their arse. Being middle class isn’t aspirational for everyone and being called working class isn’t a slur. It isn’t about money, it’s about where we position ourselves socially and if we automatically deem ourselves to be worthier than another equally worth while group.

user1476613140 · 26/10/2025 19:17

Bambamhoohoo · 26/10/2025 19:13

Why do working class people have to be too poor to eat out or something?

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I'm not wealthy but can only go there on special occasions, for example....I find it's a lovely place for a meal with family.

MotherTuckinGenius · 26/10/2025 19:16

I love an occasional Toby carvery, our nearest one is really nice - good staff, nicely cooked food and lovely atmosphere.

CremeBruhlee · 26/10/2025 19:13

If you have time & money on your hands and aren’t knackered or just burnt out then I expect anyone even slightly foodie wouldn’t choose to go in there. We do consider ourselves foodie but probably go every 6 months when we don’t want to cook or are knackered and don’t really want to ‘go into town for food’ but want something for us and the kids that isn’t a salty takeaway and feels a little nourishing and cosy. Very handy if you don’t want to wait or have little kids. It has its place.

Bambamhoohoo · 26/10/2025 19:13

user1476613140 · 26/10/2025 19:11

Toby's Carvery isn't cheap! It's expensive for a meal there. Wouldn't describe it as working class, no.

Why do working class people have to be too poor to eat out or something?

MannersAreAll · 26/10/2025 19:12

We only go to Tony Carvery in the school holidays when they have their kids for £1 deal on. Not sure what class that makes me 😂

Bambamhoohoo · 26/10/2025 19:12

What a bizarre thing to say. Surely no one goes around allocating brands into perceived class in real life?!

user1476613140 · 26/10/2025 19:11

Toby's Carvery isn't cheap! It's expensive for a meal there. Wouldn't describe it as working class, no.

HotTiredDog · 26/10/2025 19:09

Bloody hell @RosesAndHellebores are you saying we are thick? No wonder we were destined to be in low paid jobs!

MannersAreAll · 26/10/2025 19:09

Do Whitbread still own Premier Inns ?

They do.

RosesAndHellebores · 26/10/2025 19:08

P00hsticks · 26/10/2025 19:06

Toby Carveries aren't owned by Whitbread - Mitchells and Butlers are the owners. Whitbread's main chain restaurants are Beefeater and Brewer's Fayre.

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Do forgive me.

ShoveItUpYourArseMargaret · 26/10/2025 19:07

It's not really a class issue but it is shite...maybe I've I've only had bad experiences but i wouldn't feed my dog that crap.

Original poster

JoanneTeresa · 26/10/2025 19:07

P00hsticks · 26/10/2025 19:06

Toby Carveries aren't owned by Whitbread - Mitchells and Butlers are the owners. Whitbread's main chain restaurants are Beefeater and Brewer's Fayre.

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Do Whitbread still own Premier Inns ?

OP posts:

P00hsticks · 26/10/2025 19:06

RosesAndHellebores · 26/10/2025 18:55

It serves cheap poor quality food.

I'm not entirely sure how the term working class can be attributed to a chain restaurant owned by Whitbread? It usually refers to human beings rathwr than bricks and mortar or a brand.

I could see how "the Toby Carvery brand appeals to people with low incomes". However, to have a low income doesn't mean someone is working class.

Our local Toby is surrounded by houses worth £1m to £2m. There is a significant retired population around the Toby. They use it heavily for lunch Monday to Friday. Neither poor nor working class on the whole.

I suspect someone who says "To think Toby Carvery is working class", probably sits close to the bottom of educational achievement.

Toby Carveries aren't owned by Whitbread - Mitchells and Butlers are the owners. Whitbread's main chain restaurants are Beefeater and Brewer's Fayre.

Original poster

JoanneTeresa · 26/10/2025 19:06

Mangetoutmangetouti · 26/10/2025 19:04

I like a carvery if it’s done well, especially when crackling is on offer, not been to a toby for years, didn’t like it then , it felt pile em high sell em cheap , is it nicer now?
im working class btw

Still a bit pile em high

OP posts:

Fnbbb · 26/10/2025 19:05

I went with friends. Got meat, potatoes and veggies. The gravy was so tasty. I really enjoyed it.

Mangetoutmangetouti · 26/10/2025 19:04

I like a carvery if it’s done well, especially when crackling is on offer, not been to a toby for years, didn’t like it then , it felt pile em high sell em cheap , is it nicer now?
im working class btw

notnorman · 26/10/2025 19:04

Peclet · 26/10/2025 18:54

It’ used to be the height of sophistication! I went there for a birthday meal about 35 years ago and we sat inside a fake indoor pergola in the middle of the restaurant with plastic flowers all around us. I thought it was the HEIGHT of sophistication.

I was the same with the Harvester! Thought I was SO posh!