Anyone watching the Heston Blumenthal/Little Chef thing?

[Habbibu]

It's hilarious. CEO of Little Chef (failing badly, shit food (allegedly)) telling the owner of the restaurant voted Best in the World that his food isn't radical enough. Fucking hell.

Popham is at the beginning of the A303

Near basigntoke

it's in Hampshire, sort of just off the M3 where it turns into the A303 (about an hour south of sw london)

Basingstoke

And I am in Basingstoke and planning to check it out soon

Just shows what you can do when you let people take pride in their work, though, doesn't it? The LC staff are lovely.

We will be seeing that waiter with his own show soon

Was just thinking that, nice to see people starting to take real pride in there work

hmm, yes it's one I go past quite regularly - might just have to check it out...

I think a professional-looking uniform also helps with self-esteem. They seem really lovely people.

Me too!

I can see a MN meeting happening

That could be fun

Sorry missed the last few minutes - after the opening party. I know the critics were full of praise but what happened next?

the head guy Ian whatsit decided to give Popham a three month trial - which the team were very pleased about [they were so sweet and the way they were transformed by their confidence and pride] because they hadn't made a profit yet. Is that the end now?

The whole thing was a con

Episode Two ends with Heston issuing an ultimatum - roll my menu out across ... wait for it ... four Little Chefs besides Popham or I walk! Ta Dah. A nation quivers in anticipation.

Episode Three. Trailer refers to this row. And then it's never mentioned again. His menu is only going to be trialled at Popham. Heston has clearly lost and his threats were hot air.

Or did I miss something?

As Heston has been saying all along this is a marketing ploy and LC has no intention AT ALL of using his more expensive ingredients and more complicated cooking techniques across the chain. Because it wouldn't make them enough profits. I'm not exactly baited breath for a motorway caff revolution in three months time.

I just loved the way that the waiting staff in the LC came across so well, they genuinley worked hard to give a good serves and were taking pride in their work.

Whereas that Peglar bloke Ian came across rather badly, a man that calls his wife by his surname - please "Mrs Peglar" MCP out of the ark....

Just spoke to a friend who went to Popham little chef a few weeks ago, she said the food was awful, the service wasn't great either. Toilets were great! She said that it was obvious they had changed the meals to make it cheaper, everything on the menu was under a tenner. Such a shame

God, that's such a shame. I would have driven to Popham just to have tried the calves cheek dish - yummm

I have given this a lot of thought over the last 3 minutes and I am afraid to say that Little Chef is doomed to extinction. The reason being is that I am not the CEO.
As a cafe the food is fine but they charge nearly a tenner for a breakfast and a pot of tea. You get that in Tesco for under £4.00.
And then they have the nerve to shove a tips saucer under your nose.
Little Chef needs to work out what it is as It doesent seem to know.
It is either a roadside Cafe..And if so, drop the overbearing prices and get rid of the tips saucer.
Or it is a restaurant..And if so, get off the fucking roadside and into the towns.