*Sonic*

Just heard on the news that Little Chef could be going bust

Hardly surprising the prices they charge for their mediocre food offerings

Abdabz

Mediocre? The Olympic Breakfast? Mediocre? It is one of foods most amazing creations!!!

TelBoy

A classic case of stagnant British mis-management. If ever a chain was screaming out for a make-over and general shake-up, Little Chef was it. The news as you say is anything but surprising.

MattW

When I was in college I used to work for a chain called Kelly's kitchen. That went bust quickly, mind you not surprised really, we used to eat all the food and play football in the restaurant.

On particularly quiet nights, if people pulled into the car park we would start putting the chairs on the tables, they'd soon turn round and drive off

*Sonic*

Just been talking about it in the office

to me its always never been quite right, dont know whether its the decor, the food or what, but it never seems to have had any appeal, and it cant just be me, as the majority of the ones I have seen have been empty

They have appeared to give off a macdonalds kind of feel but with high street restaurant prices

lozgti

Been in in the dim and distant past.Never had the urge to go back ever again so I can't have enjoyed it.Same as motorway service stations.There is always a better option not far away.

If someone got these sort of places sorted out they could make a bomb.

CrisPDuk

What he said

Undoubtedly the high point of many pre-dawn trips up and down the country to various job sites for me Not somewhere I'd choose to dine on my own funds though

Says a lot for the standards of the majority of my customers' canteens though doesn't it

SwissTony

iTrader: (19)

tis a shame, but sign of the times, more healthy eating trends and they just havent moved with the flow.


when i was younger, we used to go across skiing every year to europe and on the way back from the ferry at felixstowe (yes when it was a passenger ferry terminal ), we always used to stop in the little chef and have breakfast, loved the brekkies and then pancakes for afters ....mmm and getting a lolly if you ate all your food up. ahh the days

Remster

I remember those evil little orange/yellow lollies. After 2 of them, the roof of your mouth was raw and bleeding! ACCCIIIIIDDDDDDDDDD!

SPEN555

I remember having the Olympic breakfast back in 1997 and it cost about £8 back then! The mind boggled as to how they managed to turnover any business. I think they have done well ripping people off for so long.

Jay m A

iTrader: (2)

Whoever thought of putting Burger King next door killed LC

Both are **** food, but one is cheaper and you can get on your way quicker.

Different market sectors? apparently not when customers are only on site through necessity, and there's better grub in the petrol station next door.

Scooby Soon!

Quite simple, make reasonably priced fresh breakfast in a half decent looking restaurant. If they were anything like IHOP in the USA i woudl go every day

Actually if they were anything like ANY american breakfast place it would be a start!

Dont use frozen ****e and try and sell it expensive!

Abdabz

The Olympic still only costs £7.99 so it's now a bargain I last had one on the way back North from seeing New Order at Wembley in October... I even took a pic on my phone of before and after and MMS'd it to my jealous chums
Free refills on tea and a lolipop when I finished

kingofturds

iTrader: (1)

Last time I went was in the mid 90's, even then the look of the restaurants seemed dated and the food overpriced.

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

£8! A decent greasy spoon would do one twice the size for half the price!

Little Chef. Stuck in the 70's. Good ridance!

Leslie

We used to use them but quality and service went down so we now use the bacon sandwich halt at Old Willoughby Hedge on the A303 who do a very good cup ot feat and their bacon is first class all for a very fair price.

Les

RUDDY

olympic breakfasts where there best option! absoloutly brilliant! used to have one on the way back from going to demon tweeks. 8 quid was a joke though :

movi-star

iTrader: (1)

We ate in a LC on the outskirts of Poole last summer, 1st visit to one since I was a kid, and have to say it was just terrible, the food was poor and it was served to us by someone who's apron was covered in loads of food stains.

Abdabz

The one near Haydock (by mine) where they filmed a Max n Paddy scene recently is superb. The adjoining BK died a death, but the LC lives on. Recently refurbished, clean and friendly serving totty, amazing breaksfasts, free hot drink refills, excellent road maps, clean loos, no hairy fat bearded greasy spoon owner mixing his face pubes and sweat into your scrambled eggs, smoking section quite seperate, car parked within sight...
You can keep ya greasy spoons... LC Olympics is a meal of the gods...

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

You sound like a right fat bast.....

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Many valid points raised, will be a shame to lose a British Insitution, I remember it being a big treat going in there as a kid, felt like high rollers (didn't have much money, so it was usually butties in the car) when we went in a Little Chef and had a Jubilee pancake (pancake, Ice cream and cherry pie filling). Used to be able to make one of those lollies last 100 miles as a kid, sometimes you could grab a handful if you were quick !

The are expensive, last time I went in it cost me 15 quid and it was ok but not amazing, they always have superb clean toilets though, unlike some roadside places !

Used to use them when on site and for a few years, last day before Christmas I used to stop on my todd, and have the biggest breakfast possible at the one near Monks Heath Subaru.

My dad, since taking up biking a few years back has a good tip, if you can wait or are passing a large town with an Asda, Tesco's etc with a cafe, get a breakfast there, about a third of the price of a Little Chef, and usually as good, sometimes better.

*Sonic*

I get my breakfast from my local sandwich bar

3 bacon, 3 egg, 3 sausage, 3 black pudding, 3 tomato, 3 toast and a coffee all for the nice price of 3.95

The Chief

I was just about to say, you can get a decent brekfast from Morrisons hash browns the lot and a bubbly brew and toast for about a fiver.

Freelance Badger

According to the C5 Lunchtime news a new buyer is about to take over Little Chef

Mark Miwurdz

2 investors have stepped in but it looks like the chain will have to have a brief period in administration to meet the conditions of the re-financing. The new estate will be about 235 outlets.

I for one am glad it's going to continue.

Cheers
Kav

mart360

When we used to do our weekly runs to Solihull, the two LC's at the top of the A34 were a godsend. As was the new on at the other end

At 6am Morrisons Asda & Tesco,s cafe,s aren't open, and at about 8.30am ish we,d just be roling up to the top of the A34, LC was ideal, they also used to give us short cut routes from there to avoid the usual snags on the M40.

Again coming back in the evening, you wouldn't get a meal in a Tesco,s cafe at 9pm.. LC on the ball every time.

Cost... who cares, it went on expenses.


And i used to get loads of free lollys


Mart

Scooby-Doo

Bring back the Happy Eater with the free badges

Robert Rosario

And the mad dinosaur slides!!

EddScott

That distracted passing motorists and caused no end of crashes for the diners entertainment.



Vertically challenged cook lollys rock! They say that the prices are to cover the cost of the extra taxes imposed on their locations. As they are considered to have a "Closed" audience, the government charges more in taxes as its considered easy money.

Least thats the excuse.