AIBU to just not get why Wagamama

[helloclitty]

and some other chains like Nandos are so bloody popular. What is all the fuss about? I am willing to listen to why IABU and change my mind so why do people love them so much?

Nados is a bit skanky but Wagamama's is gorgeous!

The dc's fill up their tums with green veggies without making a fuss and will try anything on the menu. And I get to be a poncy parent and make them use chopsticks.

Good for veggies and their kids menu is lovely too. Desserts are not to my taste, so I abstain (yay - I feel virtuous saying no to chocolate!).

Oh I need dumplings and I NEED THEM NOW!

god I LUFF Wagamamas! When I worked near Chinatown/Soho, I went to the 'real' Japanese noodle bars, but now the occasional Wagamamas is the only way to get a noodle fix. Even then, I still have to travel for it. In my hometown, the FIFTH chain Italian is about to open (Zizzi, Pizza Express, Prezzo, Ask, Bella Pasta in total), its totally ridiculous. There are these and Nandos. We would KILL for a Wagamamas round our way.

I like Nandos, because, suprisingly, they do good vegetarian options. Which is more than you can say for some 'posher' restaurants!

Haven't been to Wagamama's for many years, seem to remember the food was OK but was put off going again by the long queues...

Don't have WM,
Nando's is keeps fussy DD2 and chilli head DH happy.
It keeps DD1 and I happy because it's not pizza.
It keeps my credit card slightly happy because it isn't the rip off that is Frankie and Benie's and you get free drink refills.
Soft drink prices make me

I went to Giraffe once. The menu said that the owners came up with the concept 'when sitting on Brighton beach, dreaming of tall animals and listening to great world music'.

I didn't go again.

Going against the grain here but I love Nandos. Delicious chicken and corn on the cob. Also like the chicken livers! Sadly I expect an awful lot of restaurants use grim chicken.

Don't get WM at all. Only been once and had very average crispy chicken. Dh had weird noodles that I think came with a tomato based sauce.

mippy

Did it really say that, ha ha!

I love Wagamama's, and so does my (normally very fussy) DD. Everything tastes fresh and delicious. The puddings - lemongrass yoghurts, for example - are sublime. I wouldn't even say it in the same breath as Nando's! (Not that I've been to Nando's but it looks a bit yuk.)

Hackmum
Ok Lemongrass yoghurt, I can see the attraction in that.

TAMPOPO!

Is all I have to say.

Love wagamamas especially as we often grab a lunch when at dh hospital appointments and something we both enjoy but kids don't lol

Wagamama is tasteless, tamed, bland ersatz Asian food for clueless proles.

What's nandos?

wagamamas also use battery chickens... can't think why people would think restaurants wouldn't

another vote for wagamamas...

yummy soup noodles. huge portion (so, going some way to justify the price)

their fried dumplings are v. good too.

it's a chain resturant, but taste-wise, not a bad one.

haven't even been to a nandos. hadn't heard of Giraffe.

If you're in London or Brighton, we discovered PhoCafe - way way better than Wagamamas!
www.phocafe.co.uk/
And they do child portions of the same food for only £3. It's fantastic. Planning on going this weekend...
Don't work for them, honest!!

Yes, but there are tons of fish and veggie options at Wagamama's so you are not confined to battery chicken. I know Nando's does vegetarian things but I don't really like them that much.

the customers in Nando's always look a bit suspect to me,so i've always avoided it - people eating with their fingers and queing to place an order - that's not a restaurant. I think Wagamama is a better bet but sitting at communal tables next to odd strangers. not classy.

Ooh Otchayaniye! Hello How is the wee one?

I love that Otch's posts always have at least 3 words I have to google

Wagamama is bland shit. Katsu curry is ok for a hangover but really it is on the whole tasteless.

Nandos is ok but lazy to use battery chicken. I can see why families go for sure. I prefer Byron burger for a proper artery clogging junk fest.

Nandos is cheap and cheerful fast food, I used to like it but I have decided not to go there any more because of the poor sodding chickens.

I don't really like Wagamama as I don't like noodles.

My contribution to this thread is completely pointless.

Both of 'em are cheap and cheerful though, and are definitely a lot better than Giraffe.

I agree with the MNer upthread about the utter proliferation of SHIT Italian style restaurants such as Bella Italia, Prezzo, Ask, Zizzi, Strada, Pizza Express (actually Strada is all right but still). Pasta n pizza n boring and badly cooked shite where the ingredients cost pennies and you could do better at home.

Oh hello tatty! She's peachy (thanks for asking). Her mum less so given 1-2 hourly wakings... Trust this finds you in halcyon times

I've lived in Asia too long to find wagamama taste anything more than lint swimming in water. Plus too salty (and I love a heavy hand with the salt)

I'm sadly (it's a pain living in central london with two small children) snobby about chain restaurants. For them to be successful for the backers and to pay the ludicrous rents they have to rip off the consumer with either cheap ingredients, crappy service and high turnover conditions or a combination of all the above.

Luckily London is awash with cheap ethnic eating places. My favourite for a while is Tayyabs in Fieldgate St. Pakistani grill. Good at churning out tasty grilled food and rotis at bonkers prices (sheesh for 80p). Or Westlake Vietnamese in deptford (pho in the shore ditch Vietnamese is inauthentic)

For all stuff around kid's attractions it's picnics. I refuse to ever go in a giraffe.

Kids' (ouch)