to wonder why the hell someone would CHOOSE to go out for dinner at Frankie & Bennies

[GetOrfMoiLand]

It has got to be the worst restaurant on earth.

And it's not even cheap.

Vile food, and every 20 mins the lights dim and 'happy birthday' gets sung out the loudspeakers.

It's up there with Harvester and Bella Pasta in my opinion.

I didn't think Nando's was vile. Ok, I can't have been in one for about 6 years, but it's ok piri-piri chicken, and wasn't absurdly expensive last time I looked. Plus, they have Portuguese beer and pasteis de nata.

I always used to think Garfunkels was up-market when I was a child - probably because the rich kid at school used to have her birthday parties there. And I miss Wimpys (Wimpies?) and was absurdly thrilled to spot one the other day, because I thought they'd Gone. Remember those wierd sausages that they curled round half a tomato?

I quite like F & B but DS LOVES it, especially the pizza.

Once ordered a chicken & avocado salad, and the waiter came out to say there was no avocado, would I like something else in my salad instead? Ok, I said, what would you recommend? I don't know, he said, can you think of anything that would go? True story.

By far the grimmest place of all is Taybarns , can't believe it's only been mentioned once...

We "chose" to go last Friday. Having been to the cinema, it was that, Wacky Warehouse or McDs. Not much of a choice, really.

It was OK, small boys enjoyed it. Although as someone else has said they were a bit disappointed by minuscule ice creams.

OMG.They have pasteis de nata? I am going there asap. I love those so much.

I've been there, because my father is a cheapskate when it comes to dining out. I'm sure at some point during my childhood he had a loyalty card for Little Chef.

Grim, IMO. Let's be honest, if you were a decent chef, you wouldn't be working in F&B. (And its perfectly possible to do reasonable food at their prices.)If I want a cheapish meal in a chain restaurant, I'd go to Pizza Express, where at least they are nice to small children.

In defence of F&B they do lovely coffee, and a very good 'two huge breakfasts for £10' which is great when you've got a hangover. Though last time my hangover was SO bad that I had to throw up a bit behind the car before I went in, then I had to leave and go and sleep in the car the moment I saw the man coming towards me with food. DCs thought this was hilarious.

I love Nando's. For our family it's a quick, easy, cheap way to all eat something we like without any hassle. And I love that I can order different sides instead of chips, (low-carbing) without having to pay for something I don't want, and then pay extra for a substitute. I think their format is excellent, and the quality is good for the money.

Has anyone experienced the strange heaven and hell combo that is Aroma? Chinese buffet on a DisneyWorld scale?

I love the hallumi and mushroom wrap at Nandos. It's usually a toss up between their and the Ice Cream place that sells nearly a million different flavours when I go to the Chill Factor.

(I think I've answered my own question on the weight gain thread!!! (embarrassed) )

Are there F&B's in London? The only time I've ever eaten in one was in Glasgow and it was what it was - a Harvester type place but with a theme. Inoffensive.

Love Nando's. Best fast food in my opinion. But that's all it is - fast food. If you have high expectations of chain fastfood outlets, you're bound to be disappointed.

But eating in F&Bs at peak time and at full price is poor value for money. It's not as good as other similar places. In fact each time I've been it's been pretty rubbish. And steak and pizza and pasta are not that hard to get right. Having said that, we had lunch there the other day on a midday set-menu deal, and whilst it wasn't exactly michelin star stuff it was perfectly acceptable for what we paid.

I once had a bacon and avacado salad at Zizzi's and the avacado was rock hard and inedible. When I complained they said, 'sorry but that's how they've come in today - we don't have any softer ones.'

Like, that's ok then. If the steak had been off would they serve it anyway, on the basis that it's on the menu and they don't have any fresh ones?

And they looked at me like I was being a bit of a fussy weirdo.

avocado, sorry. thought I'd better do that as I'm on a pedants' convention over t'road. You can never be too careful on here!

Ooohhh...now see, my exception to my hatred of chain restauants doesn't apply to Taybarn's (I actually didn't know it was a chain). We have one near us, and I love it...

Is that the place where you can eat pasta, a roast, chinese and a cold buffet all in one 18 inch pile for about sixpence ha'penny?

FellatioNelson oh Aroma, yes! Definitely a heaven and hell combo. Although I will always remember the time I went in there and a table of 4 were insisting they only needed to pay for 1 person because "only one of us went up and we all shared theirs" (not really how it works in an all-you-can-eat style buffet).

Hmmmmm Wagamamas...yummy. If the baby hasn't appeared by the weekend I might make DH take me...after all, we won't be going out for a while will we?! That's the line, right?!

Wagamamas is a good place for us to go at the moment, because DS actually eats their food, still fits into the clip-on highchairs, and I love it too. Mmm, fantastic sorbets and ice creams. But it's not cheap like Nandos - three of us (DS is 2!) end up costing about £45, so it's not really a place you can nip into while out shopping.

Ooh I might take DD to Wagamamas at the weekend, I'd never thought of taking a tot there but actually there's loads of things on the menu she'd love.

I really like their fresh juices too. Agree it's not cheap-cheap though.

Having Yasai Etame cravings now.

DS Loves F&B, I Take him as a treat, when he has endured a full day of clothes shopping with good grace ( I procrastinate terribly-poor boy!). I would never go without him. DP will only go for DS's birthday.

DS seems to be preferring Zizi lately, and although the food is better (a bit hit and miss, I find the service their particularly slow... The waiters at F&B are always fairly tasty too.

Anyone ever been to "flunch" in France? It's family-friendly fast food, but quality. There is a vegetable bar. Yes, a vegetable bar, where you can serve yourself as much as you like. If you order a steak or a piece of gammon, you see it cooked on a griddle in front of you. There are machines dispensing beer and wine from taps.

It's not meant to represent the best of French cuisine - you can get a startlingly high standard in any small-town restaurant or cafe - but I do wish we had something like it here.

People would probably abuse the beer-on-tap and the vegetable bar, though...

Are there any Barburritos down south? If not, you're missing out.
mmmmm...... burrito.

at British people abusing a vegetable bar!

Lol at abusing the vegetable bar . Flunch sounds like a great idea though.

Don't think we have Barburrito in London, but we do have all of these

Luardos is legendary. Mmm the slow roasted pork

They would, you know... If it's "free", people will pile it on. French vegetables are beautiful, though.

Flunch