To think Jamie's Italian failed due to being shit rather than brexit

[Ll81]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5377965/Jamie-Olivers-Italian-restaurant-empire-racks-debts.html#article-5377965

Brexit is going to cause lots of problems for many years to come, but it's just a cheap shot blaming brexit. I've eaten in his Italian places twice and it was pretty shit food and bad value. Brexit or not I'm sure it wouldn't make much difference to his buisness this quickly.

I think he's lucky he had Brexit to blame even though I once had the best breakfast I'd ever had in one of his restaurants.

My brother, went for a job there!

"High priced fast food place" Yep.

I've never been. This may be a stupid question but are his restaurants franchising his name and it's up to the franchisee to make the food good or does he have a say/oversee every one in the chain?

Nope, not surprised. Took ds1 for lunch, once. Paid £17 for a fish dish for myself which was delicious but tiny. Ds1's spag bol was pretty much inedible and way more expensive than the lovely one that zizzi did.

I think he devised the meals/menus Buddha.

Went to two different restaurants, they made us wait for tables when it was obviously empty, lack of vegi options, food tasted weird and it's vastly overpriced.

His "Union Jacks" here in Winchester was exactly the same. Overpriced, bland, with some very odd choices on the menu. On Winchester High Street... home to an Ask and a Zizzi in a five minute walk. Madness.

www.dailyecho.co.uk/leisure/food/10967619.Celebrity_chef_closes_city_centre_restaurant/

Am I somehow missing the part where pizza express is not also hideously expensive for what you get?

We went to jamie’s Italian and it was alright and expensive. Didn’t go back.

As I've said I've not been but it seems odd to me that someone who has built their career on making healthy food affordable would have such high prices for his kids meals?

Seems like he's got a target market of families but not priced to what families would be prepared to pay in comparison to his competitiors (PP say 3 courses in pizza express for the price of one course on the Jamie kids menu). Bizarre.

There meat supplier was the same as Wetherspoons!

There are so many mid price chain Italian restaurants, it really was quite arrogant to think he could do well. Plus he goes on about fresh and healthy but everyone knows the stuff was pre-prepared and shipped in, Every time we went they'd run out of most of the specials which would piss dh off,

Thanks readysteadyteddy

Had a lovely breakfast at Jamie's at the airport, I think it was expensive but airports often are! With a Bloody Mary and Buck's Fizz!

But went out for dinner there years ago and wasn't that impressed either, it was ok but the meal I had very salty and a bit bland (some kind of squid ink risotto if I remember right). Thought it was just me!

Love Prezzo and of course independents!

I went to the Glasgow one about a week after it opened and it was lovely, I really raved about it. I’ve been back quite a few times since then and it’s gradually got worse and worse, horrible, mushy salty food and so expensive. I was last in a few months ago and I won’t be back.

It was pretty bad, overpriced food and they tried to make out it was a bit fancy.

My husband was disturbed by an over friendly waiter who kept touching him and I was perturbed by the design aesthetic in the Birmingham restaurant which seemed to be some kind of artisanal farmhouse mixed with a factory.

Plus I fucking hate Jamie, "humble salad" my arse.

Yes @UnimaginativeUsername - because there's no reason not to eat in Pizza Express without some kind of offer or discount - there's always one on!

Am I the only one that loves the restaurants?! Never had a bad meal there and good value for money.

We went to the one in Gatwick airport, so bad we sent the whole lot back & bought packet sandwiches instead. The used to have a cafe rouge in the airport, much better than Jamie & his terrible food

Once and once only to his restaurant (in Greenwich). Nearly £50 for two tiny starters, two main courses (child portions) and two cokes. We stopped at a garage for crisps as we we were starving.

Well I would be very surprised if Brexit was the cause given that the economy in general is actually doing better. It's more likely because they are always empty despite everything else being full to the brim.

Had a lovely breakfast at Jamie's at the airport

That’s where I had my best breakfast ever - Gatwick airport. In fact I still think about it.

Had the prawn linguine the first time I went years ago and it was amazing. But every time I’ve had it since it has been really disappointing. Kids meals genuinely horrible.

Yes @UnimaginativeUsername - because there's no reason not to eat in Pizza Express without some kind of offer or discount - there's always one on!

I really hate places where you have to put effort into finding a deal before you can go. I just want the price on the menu to be reasonable in the first place.

I went to the one in Milton Keynes for lunch twice. It was relatively expensive, food average. Service terrible. Twice.