To Think Its a shame Harvetsers went down the Pan?

[MrsAidenTurner]

When they first came out they were brilliant, easy eating out, varsity of tasty enough food, the fun of going to the salad bar ( as a child) the sources ( which I loved).

I went to one a few years ago and it was beyond neglected, food took hours, cold, rubbish, swamped with dirty plates all round us, and a few others have awful reps round us.

Thinking of cheap, easy place to take DC, they also used to do early bird which was brilliant.

There is nothing now is there!

There's one on the main road near us. Nobody local would go anywhere near it! Which is a shame really because although they aren't really an eating place of choice for us, they were good for big family lunches out back in the days when the dcs were small and PIL still alive. Someone could always eat something on the menu and the service was good and prices sensible.

they were good for big family lunches out back in the days when the dcs were small and PIL still alive

Yes 100% esp if no one was feeling flush.

I agree.

Last time I went to one it was by the river in Windsor. Ds loved it. I couldn't get over how filthy it was and how it smelt like rancid cooking oil.

We will never darken the door of any Harvester again.

Thats the one another poster said was really good I was going to try it!

pear, whilst i wholeheartedly agree with you - the nice free house pub with the choice of 5 main pub grub courses tend to be ££££'s and often don't cater for children.

No they aren't expensive. I wasn't talking about gastropubs but pubs that do pub grub well and are good value for money without needing to offer 365 frozen choices. By offering a simple menu they keep their costs down and they do cater for children by doing half portions of the regular meals.

The last one we went to they served us reheated frozen food that was still cold in the middle. I've not been back.

I've not been for years. The local one had cobwebs hanging from the beams. Then I noticed the thick blanket of grey dust over the salad cart. When we told the manager, she shrugged at us like she couldn't see the problem.

The last visit was to another one because it was that awkward time on a Sunday evening when there's few options. Not being a great fan of grilled food, I made the mistake of ordering spaghetti bolognaise. I've eaten better boiled in a bag up a mountain. It stank, not entirely unlike cat food. The waitress was very apologetic, apparently every single time it was sent back in disgust, but all calls to remove it from the menu were ignored. She admitted it was embarrassing every time it was ordered as it was that bad.

Well,we've had the delight of our local Harvester tonight!!
It's my Mum's birthday today and she was coming to tea at ours tonight. She rang up beforehand and asked if we'd like to go to the Harvester instead-her treat. We hadn't been there for ages so thought we'd give it a try again.
We waited 45 minutes for our 1st round of drinks. We asked twice where they were. I ordered the 8oz steak with chips and peas-lots of fat on it, bit chewy,12 chips and a small spoonful of peas.For £14! Mum has some dietary requirements-she has a colostomy bag so can't have veg with skin on which rules out peas or sweetcorn with her steak. So we asked the waitress if she could have an egg with her steak instead-only to be told no,can't do that..it's company policy......WHAT??...what about customer service???So she ended up with just steak and chips.DH had mixed grill and that had an egg, but they couldn't cook another one with it for my mum???
DD's steak wasn't great either. I ordered warm pancakes for dessert and they were cold-they completely forgot about Dh's dessert and we'd finished before he got his. Waited another 25 mins for a 2nd drink.Will not be going back!!!
Didn't complain at the time because I didn't want to spoil Mum's birthday, but have been on their Facebook page and ranted.

Oh, and it was so cold in there,I kept my coat on to eat!!

I have one near my house, it's vile.....like a dirty, scummy overpriced canteen....and it suddenly became quite illuminous following a refurb!

I've always taken dd to Prezzo's. toddler and children menus are good value. But I think she'll have to have the adult menu next time so it'll probably be too pricey now except for an occasional treat.

My experience of the one near the willen lake near the holiday inn express is that it's just dire. It looks filthy.

Yet it's always packed. Hooker says one meal she had was £14.

Tonight in a new independent restaurant near us I had home made petit pois and blue cheese risotto, melt in the mouth slow roasted beef and vegetables, roast potatoes ..£11 for the two.
It wasn't quite fine dining but more than good enough for a Wednesday night supper.
Restaurant and toilets were so clean you could eat off the floor.

I would avoid these harvesters until they literally clean up their act.

Look out the local council website for the food hygiene rating. It should be in a prominent place where customers can see it.

I won't eat in anything below a 4!

Is the one in MK?

www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/news/business/business-news/not-so-red-hot-after-zero-rating-dished-out-1-5143664

I went to a red hot there about a year ago and I didn't feel that it looked very hygienic. The one in Cardiff looks so much better.

That harvester near willen lake/ fox Milne , milton keynes has a food hygiene rating of 2.

I won't be using it. That's deplorable. This is for a nationwide chain that must be raking in the ££££ as its always busy and they can't get their act together and clean it properly, refurb where necessary

Ugh!

Our local one is good but it is very recently been built and opened so I don't know about older ones.

That one in Milton Keynes just has a general air that it could do with a whole refurb.

There's olde world and olde world, grubby and shabby and sadly that one sits In That category.

Yabu. I used to be a waitress in a harvester. The one I worked at was very clean, the food was always cooked fresh and there was real pride.

I can't comment on them all, but I think a lot of posters are being very harsh considering the price of the food - if you want gourmet food you'll have to pay more and go to a proper restaurant, not a pub!

Ps I did used to get good tips there, so my guests must have been happy

but I think a lot of posters are being very harsh considering the price of the food

what being served raw chicken, food cold, grease and dust everywhere? Your joking right?

I bloody love Harvester. Our one is great. It's really cheap, I like the food and the fact there is unlimited soft drinks and salad.

What more could I want?

Your lucky Koala.

I've changed my mind. We went tonight and the food was rubbish. Annoyed and disappointed.

In fairness, it is the only Harvester I have ever eaten at, I'm sure there are some shite ones.

The one near us is good.

My only experience at Table Table wasn't good. Even moons gives you a Gravey jug and only covers meat. It says a lot about the training of a chef who slops Gravey over every part of a customers meal.

Ours is very clean, they revamped it a couple of years back.

The food is undeniably shite though! I'm amazed how busy ours is, it's literally 2 minutes walk from us which is the only reason we ever go.

I am always amazed by how busy the car park is for such mediocre food and I really don't find it very well priced either.

I still eat in pizza hut occasionally amd even I find the Harvester near me utterly dismal so have not returned.