To hate pizza express and prezzo

[franktheskank]

I've been to both a few times and recently went to pizza express for lunch after not going for a while and it was crap as always.

I don't always choose to go if you're wondering why I keep going back just get dragged along there sometimes and think maybe if I just try something different I'll find something nice I might like it, but every time it's just boring and bland badly cooked food.

I don't understand the hype? And I do like Italian food there's a small Italian in my town but it's only open in the evenings hence why I didn't go there.

Aibu?

(And if I get dragged into there again what should I try next )

Pizza Express pizzas are expensive for something that's the size of a side plate.

Alot of the Italian pizza restaurants near us have their pizza dough delivered.

I think Pizza Express is fine. It’s just high st food.

Never been keen on Pizza Express and would really only grace it with our presence as a last resort option. It is to restaurant chains what 'Joules/Fat Face/Boden' are to clothes shops - MC, safe but boring.

I’ve never had a pizza in any restaurant that’s the size of a side plate. Where are you eating, margot?

I like both of them. Love the spinach and egg pizza in PE

Haha reeling - you’re funny.

Someone mentioned Wetherspoons. They’ve added pizza to their menu and the kids say they’re better than Pizza Express.

I don’t know I always have the superfood salad in PE. I don’t usually order salads when out but I really enjoy that one.

Gosh Jools after all your name changing on the Jamie thread give it a rest.

Rhonda it was exaggeration for effect . However I do think their pizzas are small compared to those from 'proper' Italian places.

Pizza Express is fine, we go occasionally. It's not super fancy but then they don't advertise themselves as fancy. They're a family chain.

Never been to Prezzo so can't comment on their food.

I wouldn’t even compare pizza express with “proper” Italian places as they appeal to a different clientele.

I have to say though that ime many authentic Italian restaurants can be very poor for vegetarians in terms of choice and tend to put Parmesan on everything.

Is that you Jamie Oliver?

We go to PE on a semi-regular basis (never pay full price though; we mix Tesco and Sainsbury's vouchers with Quidco / Top Cashback gift cards bought with the cash back). We can absolutely guarantee that the DC will eat everything put in front of them, which is great.

I've never seen a pizza the size of a side plate in the restaurant; they're on the large side, I think. (I can still eat a whole one though! If I'm not as hungry / having 3 courses I'll have the Legara one which is smaller and has the middle replaced with salad).

The pizzas don't all taste the same either, in my experience. I think some people just like to show how 'refined' they are by poo-pooing perfectly decent chain restaurants!

@MargotLovedTom1, the standard PE pizzas overhang a decent-sized dinner plate. How big a pizza would you like?

I've had a rectangle one recently which was also really large. The restaurant ones are much bigger than the supermarket ones.

I think both are expensive considering pasta is one of the cheapest ingredients you can buy...I only eat at both with Tesco vouchers but still feel ripped off....

I don’t mind prezzo but pizza express is overpriced and not great. I do like Zizzi though. Their food is lovely,

I like pizza express, they do a vegan pizza and the cheese actually tastes really good.

I think both are expensive considering pasta is one of the cheapest ingredients you can buy...I only eat at both with Tesco vouchers but still feel ripped off....

Tesco vouchers are given to you just for shopping there and are currently worth four times the face value if you spend them in pizza express.

So if you still feel ripped off even though you pay nothing for your food, I’d stop going .

But Tesco vouchers have a value, and they can only be used on food. So the food isn't free and you have to buy their overpriced drinks as well.

So even though there is effectively a 75% discount on the food (soon to be 66%) it's still not a cheap meal out, which it should be, if it wasn't so expensive for what it was in the first place.

Not bragging about my tastes either. I just find the food bland and tasteless and don't get why they are always packed

Its not hard to understand that people have different tastes. And packed restaurants must mean they like the food and its value for money.

But Tesco vouchers have a value, and they can only be used on food

Tesco vouchers can be used on plenty of things other than restaurant vouchers. And they are still given to you for nothing, despite having a face value.

Seriously, if someone pays for a couple of glasses of wine but eats for free and still feels they’re being ripped off, why keep going?

And drinks are overpriced in all restaurants, not just pizza express.

I find pizza express quite expensive actually 🤷🏼‍♀️
Went 2 weeks ago during lunch and had 2 adult pizzas, 1 kids meal (starter, main, dessert in it), and 3 drinks and it was 40 odd £.
That's just as expensive as all the other chain restaurants like frankie&bennies, chiquitos, Nando's etc.. and they're far nicer than pizza express! Waste of money I thought.

sinistro

But presumably not having enjoyed the experience, you would choose not to go back? Unlike the OP and others on here who keep going despite not liking it?