To find the obsession with Toby Carvery baffling?

[Kaykay90]

I went on Sunday and won’t be returning. Tiny portion of meat, kids running riot and it smelt like stale farts.

Anyone else struggle to see the appeal?

I think they are gross too, it’s a quantity over quality thing.
Whats the mash all about?! who on earth wants mash with their roasts when you can have roast potatoes

I think there is snobbery around Toby Inns they are good value for money. Ideal for older and younger people who like plain food. Also children of all classes and from different income families can be unruly must not squash Saffrons or St John’s spirit!

Who is obsessed?

it’s a chain. Some good. Some bad. Like all chains.

.....bluuuuurk....

Why can’t you have both?

That sounds quite entertaining - I love watching other people's dramas unfold (as long as they don't descend into violence).

I prefer my food brought to me rather than having to queue for it, so I don't go to carveries for that reason, but I don't mind other cheap and cheerful chain restaurants - our local Brewers' Fayre is quite decent as long as you accept it for what it is - a 'don't fancy cooking tonight' place rather than a really special meal place.

It's cheap and cheerful. Your local one might suck, the one in the next town might be better.

Ha ha ha You're in for a shock if you think 'late evening' in a Toby Cavery means an abscence of shrieking running children and their sweary parents. It just means overtired shreiking children not running quite as fast.

I think it's garbage. I class it as the fast food of toast dinners.

It isn't my thing at all. But its obviously popular because it's cheap and easy. The only food going on your plate is food you like. And people like having plates piled full.

Surely that is the beauty of it, they can have both🥔

We were amazed when a colleague of DH’s suggested we go to a pub near them that does a great Sunday Lunch. He attended catering college in his youth and considered himself a foodie. We followed him and his wife in our car from their house and he pulled into a Toby Carvery! I wonder whether he didn’t know it is a chain? It was so odd. Like saying you know a place near you that does a great burger and rocking up at McDonalds.

I wasn’t impressed with the food, the roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings were poor. This is over a decade ago though. I haven’t been back.

You have both. Obviously 🙄

I have a Farmhouse inns carvery about once a fortnight, much better quality. There's one not quite local to me that gives bigger portions of meat than my local one so I'll gladly drive out of my way for it. If I ever came into money I'd probably eat there every other night (yes, I'm an awful cook and don't mind admitting it!). Love love love a good carvery!!

My local Farmhouse has started doing all you can eat carvery which is just WONDERFUL. I've still never managed more than 3 trips up though. 😋

I've never been impressed with their carvery but I love a Toby breakfast 🤤 it's the only time it's acceptable to have 5 sausages on your breakfast

Are you kidding me? It's mash all the way for me. I'd be happy with just a plate of 50% turkey and 50% mash.

And a bit of cauliflower cheese on the sly.

We went to a Green King carvery on Sunday and the roast potatoes were amazing. I also had mash because why not?

Fucking hell

That's the same chain as Farmhouse inns or whatever they're called. They're all "Farms". Just wonderful. Based on the mash AND the lack of sweary families.

My closest one is excellent and has been run well for years. It’s quite small so never hugely busy. I’m a massive fan of a roast dinner - when I’ve got a roast craving, it’s great! I can eat as soon as I arrive and the quality is consistent. The roast potatoes and beef are always amazing! It’s not a ‘restaurant’ in the sense that some are, but it doesn’t pretend to be anything more than it is.

I’ve been to a couple that aren’t local and admittedly the surroundings weren’t as good but the food was pretty much the same (it was a bit noisier and more untidy, but was a really busy Sunday).

@Kaykay90Looking down on people who enjoy a Toby Carvery, and making assumptions about what they can and can’t afford, is really unpleasant. Check your own behaviour and attitude before belittling others; they’re not the problem on this occasion.

I've been a few times and don't recognise what you say. I think it's maybe the area you live in. Try travelling to a nicer town next time.

Same op. We booked on the back of everyone raving about them but left feeling quite traumatised about the whole thing. It was god awful. My DH is a pie and mash man so no snobby cuisine pretensions here but it was like going to a run down damp old house which had lots of sullen looking obese people and families in pyjamas (I’m not joking) and the food was virtually inedible.

I couldn’t wait to get out of there - I think we left most of the food and paid the bill as soon as we could.

In fairness we’ve had some shit carveries at really popular country pubs in bougie villages too. It makes me think that people don’t actually know what a good quality roast dinner actually looks and tastes like.

I wish I lived near one. Or maybe it’s better I don’t. I really enjoy them. Cheap and straightforward, and a good way to get a good portion of veg into me.

People like it because it cheap and good value for money not difficult to work out

what’s with MN and the not so hidden snobbery around Toby carvery