NOW FINISHED: Help create PizzaExpress' Service Charter and have the chance to win £250 of PizzaExpress vouchers

[Carriemumsnet]

You may recall many moons ago we asked for your thoughts on what makes the perfect restaurant/ cafe for mums (here), but we cannily didn't tell you who was asking the questions as we didn't want that information to skew your answers? Well we can now reveal that the company who wanted to garner your collective wisdom was > PizzaExpress and the reason they wanted to know is that they are in the process - in their words - of "creating the PizzaExpress of the future".

The first of their new generation restaurants will be unveiled on Oct 21st in Richmond (that's London not Yorks - sorry Yorkshire folks) and there'll be invites for Mumsnetters to road test it, with a chance to feedback and tell them what you think of the new concept before they start rolling it out elsewhere. Anyone interested in knowing more now, there'll be a blog about it live from Sept 17th here

They're introducing things that have the potential to keep children happy and occupied, like communal kids' drawing tables, and silent, interactive video screens created by the same chaps who did some of the great games at the Tate Modern. And they promise that there'll be room for buggies - one of the top things to come out of the survey It's going to be open all day, starting at 8.45, serving brunch and freshly baked daytime treats. The idea is that Richmond should feel like a bit like a 'living lab', where lots of new ideas are going to be tested out. The ones that work, they'll roll out, the ones that don't, they'll ditch.

One of the major themes that emerged from the initial survey was the difference good service makes to whether you frequent a cafe/ restaurant or not and PizzaExpress now want to create a Mumsnet Service Charter that they can use to help train their staff. Carrie is going to be videoed as part of their training, talking about what it's like to be a mum and what mumsnetters want and expect from good service. The idea being that this should help their waiters understand parents' needs and help them to help us make it through the day (or at least the bit of the day they spend in PE).

So go ahead - tell Pizza Express what three things would make your day (in terms of service). They can't guarantee to incorporate every single suggestion, but hopefully some themes will emerge that they can build into a realistic Service Charter.

We'll kick off:
Someone helping you with your buggy/ double buggy -rather than tutting when you struggle thro the door
Someone offering you something edible - even if it's just bread and water when you first sit down, and just being nice....
Sharp pencils
Good to get that off the MNHQ collective chest , now it's over to you. Everyone who offers suggestions for the Mumsnet /Pizza Express Service Charter on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one lucky winner will receive £250 of Pizza Express vouchers.

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

Oh yes, definitely no hot plates for children.

And tables cleared of excess rubbish (flowers, menu stands, condiments, extra cutlery etc)

clean, non sticky, non stained high chairs.

In store (no jars) weaning food. eg home made purees, finger food platters. Maybe a baby buffet station with a few daily specials pureed or finger food style.

Play corner where you can sit and have a coffee on a soft chair while your child plays safely.

last time we went to Pizza Express, the kids guzzled their soft drinks within minutes, then a refill, and no food had arrived. At which point, mindful of the fact we wanted to a we asked for a jug of water. ''we 'an't got no more jugs'' came the delightfully concerned response. No one offered to bring us some glasses of water instead.

Dear god.

I have just read through the thread. I can't believe what people are asking for.

Free bibs? Really? Surely you know whether you're going to need one or not.

Tv/library space/lego tables/softly equivalent? If you want any.of this, Goethe places that already cater for it - oh that's right, you don't want Togo there because its hideous, but you want to make PE just like that.

It a restaurant (although even that perhaps debatable since they only heat food, not cook it) , not a playpark. You.go in, sit down, order and eat. Yes to simple things to make life easier - paper/pencils, possibly a simple play pack with wiki sticks or similar. But really, do you all let your children play with lego/books/play dough/screen time when eating at home? Why would you do this just because you are out.

YES to faster service,, knowledge of ingredients, helpful staff and being able to switch menu items to suit tastes/allergies (on the point of allergies, if they do t even make the pizza bases there, just why is so much flour being thrown about? Should be quite simple to have a gf area if all food is frozen/pre prepared anyway)

I would like there to be a consistency across the chain. Knowing there is a major chain (other than dreaded McD's) found in most towns, where we can go in and know we can eat as a family, with proper gf and dairy free food would mean guaranteed business from us. We need to go on, order and eat. Don't care if it is the same thing each time, used to that due to dietary restrictions.

But at themoment, the dds are pretty much restricted to McD's chips for easy, no fuss gf food when out (should say dd1 is ASD, so other food issue too, which is why we can't just have gf food items from eg adult menu like salads etc)

Sorry, that should say when out in a strange town/dont k.ow the place well. The number of times we've been into places, asked about gf food, and had to leave again because even chips are mostly.coated these days (wtf? What is this insistence on tucking about with food?) - in a strange town we often have to try 4 or 5 places before we fond somewherethat can cater. So to know a chain was reliable would unlike gold dust to us (and many dietary-challenged families)

what are they coated with, sf? flour?

Yep, flour mix to make them crispy/crunchy. Honestly, hidden ingredients are the biggest problem when eating out - loads of stuff has gluten or dairy that wouldn't be there if made at home, and then staff never know, and it takes ages to check with chef.

We usually have to ring round and book ahead now, which can be really hard if you just want a day trip somewhere, as you don't know what is there in the first place!

That's why a major chain undertaking this type of thing would really clean up. Loathe McD's though I do, at least you can easily find out exactly what is in each menu item (listed on the back of the paper tray liner), and you can trust whatthey say (hah) even though it does mean eating shite.

Apologies for multiple typos, btw, typing on phone while overseeing breakfast...

that's so interesting, sf. i remember being out in ikea with a pal with a dairy intolerant baby and being amazed when she showed me that in the free hipp puree (ratatouille, supposedly) there was milk powder. (and don't get me started on the half-life of a decade... )
sounds like if PE would get its act together re allergies it could bring in a reliable clientele. i thank god every day that we seem not to have any allergies in the family.

it is a total nightmare (and then if you add in ASD food issues too, it can be really hard. both dds will eat plain grilled chicken breast and chips, though - but can we find that anywhere? not a bloody chance. when we do, they are guaranteed repeat custom)

last Bank Holiday we wanted to meet friends (also with children) for lunch in London. wanted to book, as though it might be busy. dh spent an hour ringing around trying to find somewhere reasonably child friendly (age range form 6 down to 11 months) which offered gluten free chips (which, on the face of it is a ridiculous thing to ask)

we booked somewhere, turned up, only to be told they didn't do gf chips after all. it was 1.30pm (timed for lunch time, since we had booked) and all 4 children were starving. apparently the cook couldn't do any type of gf chip like potatoes - wedges/sauteed in oil, etc. obviously they had no potatoes inthe kitchen...

in the end, dh legged it to McD's to get chips for the girls, I ordered some thyme/lemon chicken (only offered as a half-chicken on the menu, no alternative - hardly a child's portion, and was practically the only gf option there) and the rest of us ordered normally.

the waitress did try a "oh you can only eat our food here" speech, buthonestly, we were not in the mood, especially since we had taken the trouble to book ahead, and ask

that's awful, esp not having a blooming potato to stick in the micro. am shocked, tbh, at the lack of cooking in PE. although it makes a lot of sense, given how reluctant the staff are to jig things around.

Staff should be:

1. Smiling, friendly, polite, calm and efficient.
2. Help with coats and buggies.
3. Look after the table when parents take children to washroom.

Do PE really no longer make their own pizza bases? Except during kids' birthday parties presumably.

They used to do cheese-free pizzas and a potato-based pizza which I'd have thought would cover most allergy/dietary options, but thinking about it now there's all those sodding 'designer' pizzas (word to management - being too lazy to chop up toppings, and making the pizza rectangular, does not equal 'designer'!), and they've got rid of my fave mozzarella and tomato salad.

I used to love the simplicity of the menu (I grew up going to one of the first PEs in the country every other Friday night), but now it seems to change every time and not for the better.

Bunch of pizzas. List of extra toppings. A few sides and a couple non-pizza dishes. Rapid service and if your kids can't finish a whole pizza that's what the takeaway boxes are for.

Now if PE would like to apologise properly for refusing to let MrNC change a nappy last year because they only had a change table in the ladies, that would be good too!

In the interests of research, I took two small (tired ands v hungry) children, a friend and myself (gluten free and currently one handed) to a small pizza place yesterday.

We were instantly greeted with breadsticks (nice real italian thin ones) and olives, a swift drinks order, and the childrens tap water came in short stable glasses with a straw.

There was no childrens menu, just one where everything could be done as small portions. Gluten free pizza and pasta was available to substitute with any topping or sauce, and so was vegan cheese. Pizza was cut into slices for the children and me, and their plates weren't hot.
Puddings included something suitable for us all, and soy milk was available for coffee.

Perfect lunch all round for us. It was fresh, simple food, but with caring, attentive staff who wanted to help and make it a pleasant experience for us all. And they were fast with the bill and letting us pay it when it got to the end too..

We went to PE in Clapham last night - me and DH, DB and his GF and DS who is 2.

We walked in, having booked a table. Manager was at the door, we gave the name we'd booked under and he just said 'oh you're at the back' and waved us vaguely onward. We were all like this but decided to stay, and fortunately the staff were brilliant.

They brought DS' salad and pizza with our starters, plate was warm but not scorching. We asked for double salad and no dough balls for him and that was fine, he also got 2 babycino at the end.
Our food was lovely, really good pizza. DH and DB had something that was new on the menu and really liked it.

So all in all a thumbs up, except for the manager being so dreadfully indifferent when we first arrived.

drinks that dont tip over/lidded cups. cheaper kids drinks

restaurants that are properly staffed not three people on on saturday luncthinme
getting the bill FAST

ours has really noisy tiled floors

oh a design your own pizza promotion (last month) where you dont have to buy your own stamp to post in your entry

tight feckers

the whole thread seems to say speed.
i go in and my kids immediately pik up the cutlery and dick about wiht it

WHY?
i say " we have cutlery at home leave it" but they have to fiddle!

1. 3 sizes of meals and drinks on the menu (small, medium and large)
2. Jug of tap water quickly at the beginning and the bill quickly at the end
3. Child-sized cutlery and plastic cups with straws

I hate the term "babyccino"

1.Friendly staff (the staff in the Livingston branch are great and always chat to the DC!)

1. Definately no screens and no toys or book corner - I don't want to be chasing DC all over the restaurant (although yes to the crayons and puzzle sheet)
2. Bigger tables would be great

Haven't read the thread through, so apologies if its all been said before. Just wanted adding to the draw, if I'm honest . So:

Room for buggies
Make your own pizza (as in, add your own topping?) for children
Stable plastic cups for kids
breadsticks on arrival.
Childrens food brought straight over when ready
Bill asap when asked for
plates not boiling hot, sensible cutlery for kids
I second the idea of not really having a kids menu, but allowing smaller portions of any meal
enough staff to speed up service - i like to eat at pizza express but it can take sooo blimming long. Honestly, with toddlers, a lingering lunch is as much fun as sticking forks in your eyeballs.

Thats all.

Overheard at our lovely rural German hotel this summer -

family from Crouch End at other table, small child announces in imperious tones to the amusement of his assorted adults -

'Before we came to this hotel, the staff had never even heard of a babyccino!"

I exchanged a with lovely, long suffering waitress

agree turn around is TOO LONG