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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not want to eat in Wetherspoons?

617 replies

giveitarestplease · 27/10/2021 23:13

Popped out with BIL and OH today, I absolutely despise Wetherspoons but they love a bargain and aren't too fussy.

I'm not a snob in anyway shape or form I just can't stand it. I eventually went with them and sat in there and waited until they finished.

I just hate the old dirty pubs and how fast the rancid food comes out 🤢 the alcoholics that have been sat there since the moment they opened the doors on the morning.

I'd much rather go to one of our local independent cafes and have a nice lunch and I know it's not coming out of the microwave. I know it's not the same price bracket but you know what I mean.

They always laugh and joke and call me a snob and say I think I'm better than everyone else. But I'm really not and I don't think that.

OP posts:
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19
RampantIvy · 29/10/2021 20:33

@Tzimi

Weatherspoons supports brexit, and for that reason alone, I can't stand their pubs.
The landlord of our local pub, and most of the customers voted for Brexit. I still go to the pub. (I voted remain)
flowersinthewind · 29/10/2021 20:34

Totally understand l hate my local Wetherspoons mainly because of the type you get in there. Ours is directly across from the betting shop which explains alot. I am an awful snob aswell and proud of it

Goawaymorningsickeness · 29/10/2021 20:38

I don’t blame you one bit. The place is full of rough people, local alcoholics and the food is all bing food. Why would anyone want to go there. It’s the last place on earth I’d want to eat. If that makes me a snob then I’m happy to own that.

AnotherMansCause · 29/10/2021 20:55

DH & I wouldn't go in Wetherspoon's these days. The owner is dreadful, as is the food. Too many times it's come cold, congealed, missing some elements, overcooked, a couple of times mine was hot on the outside but cold in the middle (clearly inadequately reheated), salad was old & slimey. Pasta/curry dishes were suspiciously rectangular on the plate. Staff are overworked & frequently poorly trained (not their fault) & rude (probably due to the first 2 issues). Pubs are noisy & dirty, toilets lack basic supplies even including door locks. TBH these days, I wouldn't eat there if it was free.

liveforsummer · 29/10/2021 21:02

@Michellelovesizzy

The steak is actually really nice.... the pizza isn’t bad either but the wine is a bit crap comes out of tap😂
You don't HAVE to get the wine out of the tap. They have a perfectly decent bottle selection too, as well as a wide range of gin, whiskey etc of varying qualities
danblack87 · 29/10/2021 21:04

You can go to the best restaurants; and I have. My poor friend had a lasagna (at a 'top notch' restaurant) which was cold on arrival. She
complained. It came back within 4 mins, red hot and burnt her *yeah, you got it, it was re-heated in the microwave!!!!! at a cost of £29 + cost of side salad + cost of chips (which weren't replaced so were cold) ... She stood her ground and refused to pay. TBH you can get a decent lasagna at Wethersppons for way less than that and the service is much better!!

danblack87 · 29/10/2021 21:16

IMO if you want to spend £££'s on a decent meal try 1573 in Leicester. Yes, the prices are fairly high, but not inaffordable, the portions are minimal to reasonable size, the service is fantastic and NOTHING is too much trouble. BONUS it is opposite the casino!!!

torquewench · 29/10/2021 21:18

@danblack87

You can go to the best restaurants; and I have. My poor friend had a lasagna (at a 'top notch' restaurant) which was cold on arrival. She complained. It came back within 4 mins, red hot and burnt her *yeah, you got it, it was re-heated in the microwave!!!!! at a cost of £29 + cost of side salad + cost of chips (which weren't replaced so were cold) ... She stood her ground and refused to pay. TBH you can get a decent lasagna at Wethersppons for way less than that and the service is much better!!
Jamie Olivers lasagne is worse than Wetherspoons.
ThePlantsitter · 29/10/2021 21:25

@RampantIvy I don't normally ask/care how business owners vote when I use their services. But if I know for a fact a portion of the money I'm spending is paying for a campaign I totally disagree with (and is dishonest trickery to boot) I'm not going to go there.

Kendodd · 29/10/2021 21:32

Wetherspoon's is shit op disgusting place.

RampantIvy · 29/10/2021 21:33

As I said earlier, politics aside, I am not sticking up for Wetherspoons, I just think they are getting an unfair pasting on here.

I last ate in a Wetherspoons pub three years ago. It was fine - nothing special, just fine. The carpet was not sticky, there were no drunken alcoholics and the place was clean.

It isn't somewhere I would choose to go to but it seems that there is a huge difference between all of their pubs in terms of quality.

DH is a real ale drinker, and rates them for their beer.

Kendodd · 29/10/2021 21:34

And do you remember at the start of the pandemic the owner basically told his staff to fuck off and get a job at Tesco's.

torquewench · 29/10/2021 21:35

@Kendodd

And do you remember at the start of the pandemic the owner basically told his staff to fuck off and get a job at Tesco's.
Fucking hell. Tell a lie often enough, it still doesnt become the truth.
RampantIvy · 29/10/2021 21:38

@Kendodd

And do you remember at the start of the pandemic the owner basically told his staff to fuck off and get a job at Tesco's.
Oh no he didn't. Get your facts right.
saraclara · 29/10/2021 21:42

@Kendodd

And do you remember at the start of the pandemic the owner basically told his staff to fuck off and get a job at Tesco's.
I'm about to hit my head on my desk.

FFS, acquaint yourself with the truth. It's been spelled out often enough in this thread.

I never thought I'd be capable of feeling sorry for Tim Martin, but this thread really does prove that a lie told often enough in the media will never, ever go away, no matter what proof there is to the contrary. It must be infuriating if you're on the end of it.

TheVolturi · 29/10/2021 21:45

Went to London with dh in 2010, stayed in the Hilton at Tower Bridge. We had never been to London before and were going on a party cruise down the Thames later that evening, it was about 4pm and we were starving. So we set off for a quick search of food, only got just over the bridge and there was a Wetherspoons, nipped inside and got a pint and a mini burger for a fiver each! I think there were even chips. That's my only Wetherspoons experience but it made me happy. There were no alcoholics and it was clean.

Zebradanio · 29/10/2021 22:33

this thread really does prove that a lie told often enough in the media will never, ever go away, no matter what proof there is to the contrary

And people will continue to believe it rather than actually going to find out for themselves.

BurntO · 29/10/2021 22:36

YANBU. I ate and drank there all the time ages 18-25. Now nothing looks appealing and the quality is crap. I had so many friends working there and the food quality is so low. It doesn’t even taste nice. Maybe it was my youth but I feel like it did taste better 10 years ago but even then there were some things I wouldn’t touch.

Cheap drinks though!

trixie1970 · 29/10/2021 22:37

I'm with you on this OP. Weatherspoons, all of them, are vile places. Full of unsavoury characters, horrible food and people who want to drink alcohol cheaply all day. I don't care if that makes me sound snobby, it's my opinion.

BurntO · 29/10/2021 22:40

I will add I used to go for breakfast after night shift back on the day - you’d have the same locals there at 8am on the dot ordering their pint. I always felt sad for them. As least they were with company I suppose. Weatherspoons doesn’t cause alcoholism, they would have been at home drinking alone had it not been open.

Pandagirl71 · 29/10/2021 22:45

I don't like weathespoons - they always feel grubby. Also don't like the values of the owner. If I was invited there I think I would have said no rather than have to sit and wait for people to eat. I'm not a snob. I'm the same with a Subway....

BeaucoupFish · 29/10/2021 22:45

@giveitarestplease
You aren’t a snob at all
My local one the food is disgusting we have given them so many chances over and one again and have given up, yes the drinks are good value for money and the halloumi Chips with chilli dip are okay but the main meals maybe appear like a bargain but when you literally can’t eat anything on the plate then it is a waste of money so better to eat independent places for a few quid more and get decent food
Im with you 100%

saraclara · 29/10/2021 22:46

@trixie1970

I'm with you on this OP. Weatherspoons, all of them, are vile places. Full of unsavoury characters, horrible food and people who want to drink alcohol cheaply all day. I don't care if that makes me sound snobby, it's my opinion.
You've been to every one of them? Because based on the ones I've been to, I can tell you that not one of them was vile or had unsavoury characters. The food is what you'd expect for the prices, frankly. I doubt you'd get better at many other places without paying a lot more.

Fine if the chain isn't to your taste, but seriously all this throwing around of 'vile' 'dirty' and 'dreadful' is unfair on the chain and the staff who work there.

OnwardsAndSideways1 · 29/10/2021 22:57

Our local Weatherspoons has got beautiful gardens as well as an amazing interior. Food isn't good but it's priced accordingly! Their curries are absolutely fine. Huge, can pretty much always find a table, free refills of coffee/tea so good place to park the laptop and work. I don't rate it for the cuisine, but it's a useful social space, ours is a very nice one though. I've been in one or two pretty dire ones but also a couple in London, couple in SW that were absolutely fine, might depend on the local clientele as well.

JMR185 · 29/10/2021 23:02

I am not a fan of some Wetherspoons. Some of the clientele are odious. An old man in one made lecherous comments to his friends about a schoolgirl, she was only12 or 13, fortunately not overheard by the parents! I have eaten fish and chips there and it upset my stomach. Nevertheless, friends like them and some branches are fine. They serve a decent gin and tonic, Sauvignon Blanc and coffee! Some other pubs can be unpleasant, as can cafes. If friends really want to go to Wetherspoons I go with the flow and choose dishes that aren't fried as I think it's their oil that upsets me.

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