View Full Version : What's up with Wetherspoons?
I was in there today and the place was a right mess, I counted at least a dozen tables that needed clearing, there was rubbish on the floor and a trolley had been left abandoned in the middle of the floor full or dirty dishes.
I made a point of mentioning it to the new manager who's only response was 'it's been busy', I didn't see how as it was 4pm and well past lunch time.
Nobody seemed to be doing anything much, things didn't improve after half and hour so we left to eat elsewhere. [disgust]
What's up with the place?
Perhaps BIG A will be able to ask one of their legion of informants...
Margaret M.
29-May-08, 20:21
Maybe the Co-op is moving to Wetherspoons.
i would not eat out of wetherspoons they man handle the food!!
Was there at lunch time, had to ask to get table cleaned even offered to clean it myself and still waited about 5 Min's for them to do it, twice got dirty cutlery, had to wait ages for the food then the bairn didn't get the meal I ordered and yes a trolley of dirty plates was sitting there when we left before 3pm, I've never seen the place so untidy.
I was there on Friday,all the tables were full of glasses etc and nobody cleared them even when they came with our meal! x
Why not let the head-office know: http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/feedback/ it might be something outside the control of the Manager in Wick, by pointing out to higher up the chain can do wonders (honestly)
Why not let the head-office know: http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/feedback/ it might be something outside the control of the Manager in Wick, by pointing out to higher up the chain can do wonders (honestly)
Took your advice and sent a detailed email to head office, so far just the standard response which is as follows....
Once again, we’re sorry to hear that you haven’t had a positive experience at one of our pubs. We are extremely interested in reading your feedback and we will look in to the problem with a matter of urgency.
We actively review all such feedback to help us to improve our levels of service and we will respond accordingly.
Thank you once again for your comments.
The J D Wetherspoon team
I will be interested to read their response!
Why not let the head-office know: http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/feedback/ it might be something outside the control of the Manager in Wick, by pointing out to higher up the chain can do wonders (honestly)
I did this a few months back for the same reasons mentioned above. My reply from Wetherspoons was "they would send in an undercover shopper to investigate"
Obviously they haven't been in yet or what they see they find acceptable!
I've noticed it's been very poor in that respect for a good month or two.
I can understand that because they have few staff at times it can get busy, but I've worked in various pubs and bars across the country for the odd decade or three and I've never come across a place where the management seem to care less about general presentation. I don't blame the staff because it's up to management to train them properly and to stop them from letting standards drop.
The food is generally not too bad although I've had some very, very dead salad with my steaks (which were fine) on more than one occasion and always a long wait, even for toast that looked like someone might possibly have run a cigarette lighter either side of it before spooning a few cold beans over it.
One of my first jobs was to train and to become head barman running a cocktail lounge for a Scottish hotel chain and back in those days it would be completely unacceptable to have people walk into the mess of dirty tables and glasses everywhere whilst bar staff were blethering with their pals.
The staff are very friendly and food is perfectly good from what I can see and have eaten, the prices are very good and the beer is excellent, but they could really do with keeping the place a bit cleaner.
It wouldn't hurt to have fresh salad and hot meals that are hot served towards the start of a lunch break rather than needing to wolf it quickly down at the end to get back in time.
Oh well, BBC Radio Scotland are in town in Wick at the moment for a few days so maybe Wetherspoons will get a mention on the radio which'll buck their ideas up a bit. :evil
they wont spend money to staff the pub, do you think the managers would be working clearing plates when they could be in the office reading the paper if they were allowed to spend money on hiring staff.
ps they:Razz man handle the food
The answer may be a boycott. I certainly would not go there if things are that bad. There are other establshments.
Last time I was in wetherspoons I ordered a steak and it came out undercooked so I sent it back to the kitchen. It was taking a while to come back so I looked through the kitchen window and was sickened to see a group of people manhandling my steak. :eek:[disgust]
The ambience of the place is fine and the staff are very friendly indeed, I can't fault them in that respect. I've always found it to be a nice friendly pub and it's not a bad place to eat, but it is very variable.
Sometimes it's fine, other times it's poor; and almost always there are a few sticky tables piled up with dirty glasses.
They wouldn't be the first company that scrimps on paying for staff. That said, if I were working there at the times that I've seen staff standing around or blethering despite dirty tables and piles of glasses everywhere the place would have been spotless.
I've been there when it has been extremely busy (and they wake up and cope much better) but I've always observed that there is usually enough staff to cope - and I've worked in much busier environments.
I get the impression that when it's a bit quiet they think they're at Butlins and put their fingers back. I suppose most of us have a bone idle streak.
I guess that in Wetherspoons you can get a bone idle steak! (sorry!)
Last time I was in wetherspoons I ordered a steak and it came out undercooked so I sent it back to the kitchen. It was taking a while to come back so I looked through the kitchen window and was sickened to see a group of people manhandling my steak. :eek:[disgust]
Jeez: I Would love to get an 'undercooked' steak in there: Even asking for a rare steak it comes out well done: Every steak (apart from your one apparently) comes out well or over done......
defo don't cook to the individuals requirements. Ever.
But: having said that: when it's cooked close to your liking (rarely, as in timely rather than in cooking aspect) it is usually tasty, whether it's S. American Kudu or whatever (I don't mind) and very good value for money.
if it was cooked as requested, and delivered in a reasonable time: 'Spoons' Steaks would be the King of Steaks (well: pretty good anyway!)
Why not let the head-office know: http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/feedback/ it might be something outside the control of the Manager in Wick, by pointing out to higher up the chain can do wonders (honestly)
Have already complained to their head office and even pointed out the notices on this site. Their reaction? None!
Penelope Pitstop
30-May-08, 10:40
Last time I was in wetherspoons I ordered a steak and it came out undercooked so I sent it back to the kitchen. It was taking a while to come back so I looked through the kitchen window and was sickened to see a group of people manhandling my steak. :eek:[disgust]
Eeeeeeeeeeeeee yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck:(
pulteney person
31-May-08, 00:34
I find it hard to believe that you 'looked through the window and saw a group of people man handling your steak'
Unless that is true (and I don't believe it) That is a serious accusation to make.
You said it was 'taking a while' for your steak to come back so you looked through the window. Do you think the 'group' of people in the kitchen would have time to ALL be standing there man handling your steak? get real.
Ok, so Wetherspoons does have sticky tables which are cleaned with sticky cloths but the place is a lot lot cleaner than many of the Wetherspoons I have been in. The worst by far was in Heathway, Dagenham. I left, it was MINGING.
However, the staff should be trained in hygeine and cleaning skills.
It must be hard to cook anything without handling the food (ingredients)...
I was in there today and the place was a right mess, I counted at least a dozen tables that needed clearing, there was rubbish on the floor and a trolley had been left abandoned in the middle of the floor full or dirty dishes.
I made a point of mentioning it to the new manager who's only response was 'it's been busy', I didn't see how as it was 4pm and well past lunch time.
Nobody seemed to be doing anything much, things didn't improve after half and hour so we left to eat elsewhere. [disgust]
What's up with the place?
the problem is its a weatherspoon. its english way of operating means we get slow service and can be very frustrating as some of the staff have only one gear. also i find unfair for you to imply it wasn't busy simply because it was 4 pm. perhaps a lot of people were like you and decided to eat between lunch time and tea time.
also, what kind of person counts the amount of tables needing cleared? that just seems like a strange thing to do.
the problem is its a weatherspoon. its english way of operating means we get slow service and can be very frustrating as some of the staff have only one gear.
This is a totally ridiculous statement to make. So the staff in Wick would be what? Martians?
Errr, no. They will be Scottish...
I have been in many Scottish owned restaurants where I sometimes wonder if the staff are actually alive, they move so slowly. To imply that being an English company means you can expect sloth like service probably indicates you have not been taken on any 'long walks'...
my mother in law was in the other day with a friend, it took ages for them to get there food, she asked the manager what was taking soo long, he said they were busy, she stated to him she didnt mind waiting abit for the food but the fact two other tables that ordered after her had been served annoyed her obviously, as usual the manager didnt really say too much......
Whilst Weatherspoons is what it is - cheap meals cheaply prepared they should nt however be slow and the place shouldnt be dirty. Its fine for a quick lunch or a cheap dinner but dont expect top class cooking cos thats not what you will get.
This is a totally ridiculous statement to make. So the staff in Wick would be what? Martians?
Errr, no. They will be Scottish...
I have been in many Scottish owned restaurants where I sometimes wonder if the staff are actually alive, they move so slowly. To imply that being an English company means you can expect sloth like service probably indicates you have not been taken on any 'long walks'...
apologies if i have offended you madpict, never my intentions, just a view i have through being in english pubs. please do not be offended but, most of the english pubs i have been in have similar standards of service to weatherspoon, this where my views come from.
also, why are you on about martians?
No offence taken dogman, I just felt the rather sweeping statement "its english way of operating means we get slow service" was unjust.
Wetherspoons are not a true "english pub" by any means - they are akin to MacDonalds - the last time I was in one they had a set menu which is the same across the chain. Things may have changed since then of course.
I prefer a proper English pub and of all the ones I have been in (quite a few) the food and service has always been first class. Of course I have had bad experiences (usually due to quality of food rather than service) but that has been rare (bit like quirbal's steak?).
If you had stated that the service is poor, as it was across the Wetherspoons chain from your experience, I would not have had any argument with that. But that, primarily, is a problem of the manager and their staff NOT the company. If after it has been brought to the attention of Wetherspoons HQ it still is the case then the company needs a shake up.
As for the Martians? I was going to put "Scottish" but felt that unfair to the hard working Scots in the hospitality industry so changed it to "Martians". I then noted your reply in the "Aliens" thread and thought "Spooky".....;)
Tighsonas4
31-May-08, 11:09
my mother in law was in the other day with a friend, it took ages for them to get there food, she asked the manager what was taking soo long, he said they were busy, she stated to him she didnt mind waiting abit for the food but the fact two other tables that ordered after her had been served annoyed her obviously, as usual the manager didnt really say too much......
to the best of my knowledge the place is now run by a female for the past week or so. the chap who was here at the beginning was up from elgin for a week or so tony
Here is quite a good 'guide' on how to deal with poor service/food -
http://www.londoneats.com/news/default.asp?PressID=26
And from 2000...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/910557.stm
Get complaining!!!
Weatherspoons is in a sense a "fast food" place to eat. Half the food on the set menu is probably pre-cooked and then finished off in a microwave. Ive noticed the length of time you wait depends on the meal you've ordered. At lunchtimes workers have an hour to eat and they all expect to be sitting down and eating within 15 minutes. Unfortunately thats not always the case as 30 odd people have come in before them. Things like soup and sandwiches are served quickly but curries etc take longer as it would in any restaurant. Having to wait more than 20 minutes means you have to rush your food to get back to work. If the place is packed out and Im in a hurry I try and order something that I know will be served quicker. The quality of the service definitely depends on how busy they are which happens anywhere you go.
As to the state of tables etc. and the general appearance of the place well that's down to the manager. He should have his staff organised to clear up as well as serve. If staff are trained properly then there should be no problems. They do seem to change their staff quite often and a lot of them are young and probably just in the job until something better comes along. I've always found them pleasant and polite. One complaint I do have though is the young man who persists in handing me cutlery that he's carried in his shirt pocket. No offence to him but I don't know when he last changed it.
Everyone has the right to complain if they are not happy with what they are receiving. I think Weatherspoons have served Wick well in the time they have been there and if they are encountering problems lets hope they get them sorted out at managerial level which is where the responsibility lies. I for one think I get my money's worth when I go there. If I wanted haute cuisine and silver service Id be heading for Mackay's.
also, what kind of person counts the amount of tables needing cleared? that just seems like a strange thing to do.
A serial complainer with nothing better to do...thats who.
And also her dismissal of the 'It's been busy' answer from the manageress is wrong, my wife was working that day and when she called me on her break she jokingly asked me was it national come to eat in Wetherspoons day as it was extremely busy right up to after 3pm.
A serial complainer with nothing better to do...thats who.
And also her dismissal of the 'It's been busy' answer from the manageress is wrong, my wife was working that day and when she called me on her break she jokingly asked me was it national come to eat in Wetherspoons day as it was extremely busy right up to after 3pm.
If the place isnt up to scratch why not complain?
If a big chain like spoons cant get it right maybe its about time that people went to "local" eateries like zero's, Houstons or the bridge street cafe or whoever.
Personally find the food revolting as its pre-cooked rubbish thats been reheated, but hey thats my opinion I am only a qualified chef with 20 years experience ;)
Weatherspoons is in a sense a "fast food" place to eat. Half the food on the set menu is probably pre-cooked and then finished off in a microwave. Ive noticed the length of time you wait depends on the meal you've ordered. At lunchtimes workers have an hour to eat and they all expect to be sitting down and eating within 15 minutes. Unfortunately thats not always the case as 30 odd people have come in before them. Things like soup and sandwiches are served quickly but curries etc take longer as it would in any restaurant. Having to wait more than 20 minutes means you have to rush your food to get back to work. If the place is packed out and Im in a hurry I try and order something that I know will be served quicker. The quality of the service definitely depends on how busy they are which happens anywhere you go.
As to the state of tables etc. and the general appearance of the place well that's down to the manager. He should have his staff organised to clear up as well as serve. If staff are trained properly then there should be no problems. They do seem to change their staff quite often and a lot of them are young and probably just in the job until something better comes along. I've always found them pleasant and polite. One complaint I do have though is the young man who persists in handing me cutlery that he's carried in his shirt pocket. No offence to him but I don't know when he last changed it.
Everyone has the right to complain if they are not happy with what they are receiving. I think Weatherspoons have served Wick well in the time they have been there and if they are encountering problems lets hope they get them sorted out at managerial level which is where the responsibility lies. I for one think I get my money's worth when I go there. If I wanted haute cuisine and silver service Id be heading for Mackay's.
You are right and wrong there, the food is not pre-cooked and then finished off in a microwave, most of it is pre-portioned frozen food and cooked when ordered, with a certain amount of dishes being defrosted and kept in a fridge, breakfast items like sausage, bacon, black pudding etc are the only things that are pre-cooked, but they are then kept in a machine that keeps them hot and stops them from drying out, all steaks are fresh and vacumm packed and are never pre-cooked.
There are a lot of incorrect assumptions about the way the Wetherspoons kitchen operates, while it's true that a lot of meals are microwave cooked there is a lot lot more to it's operation than that, it's far from easy work i can assure you of that.
And of course the length of time you wait is relevant to the type of dish you order, as you say, that's the same in all places.
As for the cleanliness and staff training, a lot of young staff are just bone-idol and will try to do as little work as possible, they are all trained properly but a lot of the time they will pass by a table full of dishes without clearing them just because of pure laziness, and while the buck stops with the management on this they cannot babysit staff all the time, all the training in the world will make no difference to lazy staff....and we all know it's not as simple as just sacking someone these days, there are procedures that have to be followed and these are usually long drawn our processes.
If the place isnt up to scratch why not complain?
If a big chain like spoons cant get it right maybe its about time that people went to "local" eateries like zero's, Houstons or the bridge street cafe or whoever.
Personally find the food revolting as its pre-cooked rubbish thats been reheated, but hey thats my opinion I am only a qualified chef with 20 years experience ;)
Pre-cooked & reheated?...you base that on what?, i worked there last year and never saw pre-cooked food being reheated.
And i never said that someone should not complain when somewhere is not up to scratch, but on many occasions complaints are unfounded and unjustified as customers are blissfully ignorant to the workings of a busy eaterie like Wetherspoons, my point is that Julia is a serial complainer who does not have all the facts when she complains and is well known for it, just like quite a few others.
When i worked in 'Sinclairs Bar/Zeros' certain people would come in at the end of a busy lunch time shift and complain that there were tables full of dishes, well give me 10 extra sets of hands and i'll get right on it....as the only member of staff on it's impossible to take orders, serve food, collect dishes and wash them all at the same time.....i would be going like the clappers trying to get it done the best i could but there would always be some git who had nothing better to do than complain, i have no problem with genuine complaints, they are the perfect way to address problems within a business, but in my experience 80% of complaints and complainers and nothing but a waste of time.
Pre-cooked & reheated?...you base that on what?, i worked there last year and never saw pre-cooked food being reheated.
And i never said that someone should not complain when somewhere is not up to scratch, but on many occasions complaints are unfounded and unjustified as customers are blissfully ignorant to the workings of a busy eaterie like Wetherspoons, my point is that Julia is a serial complainer who does not have all the facts when she complains and is well known for it, just like quite a few others.
When i worked in 'Sinclairs Bar/Zeros' certain people would come in at the end of a busy lunch time shift and complain that there were tables full of dishes, well give me 10 extra sets of hands and i'll get right on it....as the only member of staff on it's impossible to take orders, serve food, collect dishes and wash them all at the same time.....i would be going like the clappers trying to get it done the best i could but there would always be some git who had nothing better to do than complain, i have no problem with genuine complaints, they are the perfect way to address problems within a business, but in my experience 80% of complaints and complainers and nothing but a waste of time.
80% of complainers are a waste of time?
Doesnt sound like you take Customer service very serious.
Most big companies do so maybe your in the wrong job!
This thread proves the point-1 bad report etc and everyone is talking about it, thats where customer service comes in to prevent and cure any problems.
The food is pre-cooked and sent up to Wick as every wetherspoons tastes the same for continuity.
The food is then blasted in a hot oven just to make sure that it is inedible ;)
I have been in and worked in busy pubs and there is NO excuse for dirty tables, its the first part of training bar staff "to keep area clean and tidy".
It is a nice pub that has alot going for it but going by this thread it certainly needs a kick up the rear to get it back to the high standards you would expect from a Chain pub.
You are right and wrong there, the food is not pre-cooked and then finished off in a microwave, most of it is pre-portioned frozen food and cooked when ordered, with a certain amount of dishes being defrosted and kept in a fridge, breakfast items like sausage, bacon, black pudding etc are the only things that are pre-cooked, but they are then kept in a machine that keeps them hot and stops them from drying out, all steaks are fresh and vacumm packed and are never pre-cooked.
There are a lot of incorrect assumptions about the way the Wetherspoons kitchen operates, while it's true that a lot of meals are microwave cooked there is a lot lot more to it's operation than that, it's far from easy work i can assure you of that.
And of course the length of time you wait is relevant to the type of dish you order, as you say, that's the same in all places.
As for the cleanliness and staff training, a lot of young staff are just bone-idol and will try to do as little work as possible, they are all trained properly but a lot of the time they will pass by a table full of dishes without clearing them just because of pure laziness, and while the buck stops with the management on this they cannot babysit staff all the time, all the training in the world will make no difference to lazy staff....and we all know it's not as simple as just sacking someone these days, there are procedures that have to be followed and these are usually long drawn our processes.
I for one have no complaints about the quality of the food in Weatherspoons. As I said you get what you pay for. As far as the staff are concerned you seem to be blaming their laziness for the problems people are bringing up on here. A manager's job is to control his staff. He obviously needs to do his job better. At the end of the day he is responsible for the running of the place which includes supervising the staff. If you ask me its a new manager that's needed not waiting staff.
If the place isnt up to scratch why not complain?
If a big chain like spoons cant get it right maybe its about time that people went to "local" eateries like zero's, Houstons or the bridge street cafe or whoever.
Personally find the food revolting as its pre-cooked rubbish thats been reheated, but hey thats my opinion I am only a qualified chef with 20 years experience ;)
Going by Gizmo's last post the "qualified chef wth 20 years experience" can't tell fresh cooked from "pre-cooked rubbish". I see, every day in wick "qualified drivers with more than 20 years experience" unable to get round a roundabout, nor give way, nor follow the highway code so it seems qualified and experince don't always count for much, and as for so called "local eateries like zero's" which I assume you mean "The Yard" , is this not a Belhaven pub run by a local person.
the_count
31-May-08, 13:36
Obvioiusly a case of bad management or poor utilisation of staff. I have worked in busy city centre pubs and know what its like. They usually have two or three working the bar area (manager & 2 staff) if its that busy then, either the manager works the bar and he sends one of his staff out to clear tables, or he clears tables himself. Its not rocket science is it.
I for one have no complaints about the quality of the food in Weatherspoons. As I said you get what you pay for. As far as the staff are concerned you seem to be blaming their laziness for the problems people are bringing up on here. A manager's job is to control his staff. He obviously needs to do his job better. At the end of the day he is responsible for the running of the place which includes supervising the staff. If you ask me its a new manager that's needed not waiting staff.
I never blamed staff laziness on the complaint raised by Julia, on that occasion they had been really busy up to after 3pm and were still in the process of cleaning up, clearing tables and cleaning after an overly and unexpectedly busy sitting takes time
There is a new manager now, i have no idea how good she will be or if she will deal with the lazy staff properly...but one thing for sure is that she'll be a lot better than the clown that was the previous manager, he had zero staff control...and it showed.
Serial complainer, no I just have high standards! The manageress in there needs a lesson on customer service. A reply to my comments to the Manager along the lines of, "we've been particularly busy today and a bit short-staffed, we aim to tidy up as soon as possible and I do hope this won't put you off staying and enjoying your meal blah blah blah", If I'd heard anything along that lines I would not have felt the need to complain to Wetherspoons directly. Oh I'd love to be a mystery shopper!!
I for one like to eat in Spoons, we never have complaints about the food, I'm a fan of their steak and always get it medium rare as requested!
As for counting tables, well that's just me, I never said I wasn't weird! [lol]
80% of complainers are a waste of time?
Doesnt sound like you take Customer service very serious.
Most big companies do so maybe your in the wrong job!
This thread proves the point-1 bad report etc and everyone is talking about it, thats where customer service comes in to prevent and cure any problems.
The food is pre-cooked and sent up to Wick as every wetherspoons tastes the same for continuity.
The food is then blasted in a hot oven just to make sure that it is inedible ;)
I have been in and worked in busy pubs and there is NO excuse for dirty tables, its the first part of training bar staff "to keep area clean and tidy".
It is a nice pub that has alot going for it but going by this thread it certainly needs a kick up the rear to get it back to the high standards you would expect from a Chain pub.
I resent that, i took customer complaints very seriously, and delt with each complaint on the same level, that's why i ran a tight-ship and not a ....well...you know :)
My point is that a lot of people would complain just for the sake of complaining, and most of the time it was an un-warranted complaint, some people are just never happy however hard you try to please them.
Going by Gizmo's last post the "qualified chef wth 20 years experience" can't tell fresh cooked from "pre-cooked rubbish". I see, every day in wick "qualified drivers with more than 20 years experience" unable to get round a roundabout, nor give way, nor follow the highway code so it seems qualified and experince don't always count for much, and as for so called "local eateries like zero's" which I assume you mean "The Yard" , is this not a Belhaven pub run by a local person.
My sister worked there and informed me that it was pre-cooked food which they simply had to re-heat.Maybe this has changed I am only going by what I was told.
And for "20 years of experience" I most certainly have my City and guilds 706/1 2 & 3 and 537/1 which I can show you at your convenience and can tell the difference between fresh and pre-prepared food.
At least the Yard utilises local producers can Wetherspoons say the same?
In wetherspoons you get what you pay for cheap meals with not the finest raw ingredients.
Theres nothing wrong with that as I am a big fan of Burger King ;)
The point is there seems to be a management problem in they are not utilising their staff and concentrating on providing excellent customer service.
My sister worked there and informed me that it was pre-cooked food which they simply had to re-heat.Maybe this has changed I am only going by what I was told.
And for "20 years of experience" I most certainly have my City and guilds 706/1 2 & 3 and 537/1 which I can show you at your convenience and can tell the difference between fresh and pre-prepared food.
At least the Yard utilises local producers can Wetherspoons say the same?
In wetherspoons you get what you pay for cheap meals with not the finest raw ingredients.
Theres nothing wrong with that as I am a big fan of Burger King ;)
The point is there seems to be a management problem in they are not utilising their staff and concentrating on providing excellent customer service.
It would seem the way we were talking about 'Pre-cooked' for was different, yes...meals like curry, Pasta, Haggis etc come in frozen and pre-cooked, just like ready meals out of a supermarket but slightly better quality, they are all heated in the microwaves when they are ordered, when someone said that all the meals are pre-cooked and then reheated i took it to mean they thought meals are cooked off and then left around until someone orders it and then it's reheated.....that is not the case with Wetherspoons.
Tighsonas4
31-May-08, 20:33
WEATHERSPOONS
spoke to a couple at the harbour tonight who had just come from spoons
there comment [it was good] thought to myself well my computer dosent think so [lol] lol tony
pulteney person
31-May-08, 20:48
I was in there today and the place was a right mess, I counted at least a dozen tables that needed clearing, there was rubbish on the floor and a trolley had been left abandoned in the middle of the floor full or dirty dishes.
I made a point of mentioning it to the new manager who's only response was 'it's been busy', I didn't see how as it was 4pm and well past lunch time.
Nobody seemed to be doing anything much, things didn't improve after half and hour so we left to eat elsewhere. [disgust]
What's up with the place?
Ok, I went to Wetherspoons tonight for dinner and it was CLEAN. Food was good. My steak was actually served 'rare' as I had asked, instead of well done as it usually is. I actually like medium rare but it's difficult to get it the way you want in spoons so I just ask for rare in the hope that it might be kinda medium rare.
Anyway, I made some enquiries about the day in question and was told that it had been the busiest day for a long time and that the floor staff on duty were, well, what should I say ********?? They have not been working there very long!!
No problems tonight and it was busy.
I like going there because you know what you're getting for your money. If I want top quality I go to MacKay's Hotel where I also pay top prices!
If I want cheap and ok food, I go to spoons.
Boozeburglar
31-May-08, 21:12
I would never compare Wetherspoons with MacDonalds.
Wetherspoons have a policy of revitalising old and historic buildings and supporting small breweries. That is a world away from MacDonalds.
I would also point out that the food quality varies from one to another, just like ordinary pubs.
I have eaten in loads of them, mainly in London and they have been 95% excellent, and great value.
I noticed the standard in the Wick one was much lower the number of times I visited it.
Inverness too, but London ones and others have all impressed me.
Jeez: I Would love to get an 'undercooked' steak in there: Even asking for a rare steak it comes out well done: Every steak (apart from your one apparently) comes out well or over done......
defo don't cook to the individuals requirements. Ever.
I've only had one of their steak meals, a month or so back. I asked for it medium and it was perfect. It was delicious and I'd happily got for it again. My wife asked for well done and it was.
However I find the place very hit and miss at times. I've had dirty cutlery a few times. Not just slightly dirty but with a bit of food stuck betwen the fork prongs. They have had no ale on tap and once their was no ale and no lager. A friend ordered ribs and they were undercooked. When he mentioned it they said they can't be undercooked as they come pre-cooked, ignoring the possibility that they had not been cooked properly from the start!
It's a pity as the staff are friendly, it's a nice building and pleasant place to have a meal.
speedo215
31-May-08, 22:42
"things like soup and sandwiches are served quickly but curries etc take longer as it would in any restaurant".
thats not specifically true because my dad waited over 40 mins for soup 1 day and was that annoyed at having to wait so long that he asked for his money back and got it.
After reading the MANY replies , I thought I just had to reply. I regularly eat in spoons and have honestly never had anything to complain about, In my opinion it only takes one person to Voice there opinion and the place gets slaughtered. As for the complaints about the Management come on give the Lassie a break she's only started in her new role and am sure she will do really well, as for the staff i've always found them very pleasant and helpful . As for the mess well in my experience when i've been there I've seen Families that let there kids make a mess and don't clean it up after them, which if I had young kids I certainly would. Would they let them do this at home? Now on to the food front if you want as "someone else" says "Silverservice" they should go to the Mackays not to spoons for "Pub grub" Lastly I think it's one of the best things that has come to Wick. :D
Tighsonas4
02-Jun-08, 21:40
After reading the MANY replies , I thought I just had to reply. I regularly eat in spoons and have honestly never had anything to complain about, In my opinion it only takes one person to Voice there opinion and the place gets slaughtered. As for the complaints about the Management come on give the Lassie a break she's only started in her new role and am sure she will do really well, as for the staff i've always found them very pleasant and helpful . As for the mess well in my experience when i've been there I've seen Families that let there kids make a mess and don't clean it up after them, which if I had young kids I certainly would. Would they let them do this at home? Now on to the food front if you want as "someone else" says "Silverservice" they should go to the Mackays not to spoons for "Pub grub" Lastly I think it's one of the best things that has come to Wick. :D
agree wholeheartedly.a manageress canna change the place in two weeks tony
Cedric Farthsbottom III
02-Jun-08, 21:48
I've always liked spoons in Wick.Quick lunch,a wee shandy.Good banter a fitbaw game now and again.One criticism.....sort the peas oot wi the scampi.
Amy-Winehouse
02-Jun-08, 23:42
I was in Spoons last weekend with my hubby & we enjoyed the food , service was good & there were a few folk in , the table was clean & so was the cutlery & plates- much ado about nothing id say.
Also can I ask, Julia, is there anywhere in Wick that you actually do like? Ive noticed you complaining about the Yard on previous threads & now Spoons, I just wondered is there anywhere you can recommend us to go?
I had lunch in Mackays there on Friday & it was very nice, I had fish & chips as did hubby & there again were no complaints from either of us.
DeHaviLand
03-Jun-08, 00:01
I was in Spoons last weekend with my hubby & we enjoyed the food , service was good & there were a few folk in , the table was clean & so was the cutlery & plates- much ado about nothing id say.
Also can I ask, Julia, is there anywhere in Wick that you actually do like? Ive noticed you complaining about the Yard on previous threads & now Spoons, I just wondered is there anywhere you can recommend us to go?
I had lunch in Mackays there on Friday & it was very nice, I had fish & chips as did hubby & there again were no complaints from either of us.
I had lunch in Mackays too on Friday. :D
i hed ma denner in mackays last week....
wild an dear....24 kwid a steak.....:eek:
bonnie an guid tho :lol:
For 24 quid i'd expect the rest of the cow in a doggy bag..lol
DeHaviLand
03-Jun-08, 00:24
i hed ma denner in mackays last week....
wild an dear....24 kwid a steak.....:eek:
bonnie an guid tho :lol:
Oh, mines was free :lol:
George Brims
03-Jun-08, 01:41
I find this thread very interesting as I have only ever been in two Wetherspoons, the one in Wick, and one at Heathrow. The latter was a lifesaver as it opened at 6am when we had been sleeping on the airport floor all night (along with about 5,000 other people).
Anyway I have always found the Wick one fine, and it has one great virtue, which is you can trundle a wheelchair right in the door. You folks that live there, if there's anything wrong, see and get it sorted before I come up and take my mum out for lunch again!
i hed ma denner in mackays last week....
wild an dear....24 kwid a steak.....:eek:
bonnie an guid tho :lol:
Aye. The food in Mackay's is excellent. You get what you pay for!
Also can I ask, Julia, is there anywhere in Wick that you actually do like? Ive noticed you complaining about the Yard on previous threads & now Spoons, I just wondered is there anywhere you can recommend us to go?
I've never ever complained about The Yard, the place is great since it reopened, you should take a look in the 'Recommendations' section, I'm sure I posted about it there! You must be thinking of when it was Zeros! As for recommending places to eat well if you had bothered to read my previous post properly I did actually state that I am usually very happy with Spoons, as well as every other establishment I've visited in Wick, the only real problem I had was with Zeros which was about two years ago, good to see you read my posts tho'!
Well I think that gets my vote for comedy thread of the year. :D
But I'm going to have to side with Gizmo on this one simply because I couldn't have put it better myself.
There are people in the world that will make a point in complaining purely for the sake of complaining, no matter how hard staff might be working to get things done or how minor and trivial the issue may be. Just because it didn't meet their unbelievably and painstakingly fastidious standards. It's just their favourite pastime.
This is why I have a great deal of respect for anyone who works in customer services, as I couldn’t do that job myself. I just don't have the years required or the desire to indulge the pernickety customers with nothing else better to do with their time than purposely pick faults.
Maybe Gizmo did take customer complaints very seriously, but if he didn't I can't say I'm surprised since there's just no pleasing some people.
Amy-Winehouse
03-Jun-08, 10:40
I've never ever complained about The Yard, the place is great since it reopened, you should take a look in the 'Recommendations' section, I'm sure I posted about it there! You must be thinking of when it was Zeros! As for recommending places to eat well if you had bothered to read my previous post properly I did actually state that I am usually very happy with Spoons, as well as every other establishment I've visited in Wick, the only real problem I had was with Zeros which was about two years ago, good to see you read my posts tho'!
The Yard was only called Zeros by its manager, Nigel, the bloke you complained about. Everyone else knows it as the Yard & some of the older folk still call it Carters.
I on the other hand had a meal in the Yard 2 weeks ago & I left it half eaten im afraid, I think the food has gone downhill since the new management took over & NO I havnt been barred-well not yet anyway!!! But once jamie reads this I sure I will- I wont be alone thats for sure:eek:
Indeed, i took complaints with foundation very seriously, as for the rest, well as long as the moaning git got the impression i was talking it seriously then i was happy :)
Well we're off to Wick now shopping and will be dropping into 'spoons; no complaints, we're using our vouchers (spent £2.50 on ebay to get loads) think we'll have two curries for £5.99..
The Yard was only called Zeros by its manager, Nigel, the bloke you complained about. Everyone else knows it as the Yard & some of the older folk still call it Carters.
I on the other hand had a meal in the Yard 2 weeks ago & I left it half eaten im afraid, I think the food has gone downhill since the new management took over & NO I havnt been barred-well not yet anyway!!! But once jamie reads this I sure I will- I wont be alone thats for sure:eek:
She complained about it when it was called 'Sinclairs' aswell, 100% serial complainer.
And yeah, iv'e been hearing that a LOT of people have been barred from The Yard, quite a few for making comments about Jamie's sexuality, however un-pc it might be this is Wick, where homophobia, sexism and tinkism is perfectly acceptable to a lot of people, he might want to think about getting some thicker skin :)
The Foodin the Yard has Gone Downhill in the last few weeks and if you complain you get Barred.
Why not try the Harbour Cafe First Class food and service may be a bit high on price but great value good plateful.:lol:
She complained about it when it was called 'Sinclairs' aswell, 100% serial complainer.
And yeah, iv'e been hearing that a LOT of people have been barred from The Yard, quite a few for making comments about Jamie's sexuality, however un-pc it might be this is Wick, where homophobia, sexism and tinkism is perfectly acceptable to a lot of people, he might want to think about getting some thicker skin :)
the band in the yard the other night played that electric 6 song. everyone seemed to see the funny side of it.:d
Amy-Winehouse
03-Jun-08, 20:43
the band in the yard the other night played that electric 6 song. everyone seemed to see the funny side of it.:d
Not what I was informed,dogman, I was told the band were all barred by Jamie for singing that track:roll: . Im glad I didnt go out now, I prefer Wetherspoons these days
Not what I was informed,dogman, I was told the band were all barred by Jamie for singing that track:roll: . Im glad I didnt go out now, I prefer Wetherspoons these days
You must be over-reacting, he can't just keep banning people cause he doesn't like what they say??!!
Amy-Winehouse
03-Jun-08, 20:49
I hope so for his sake that its hearsay, coz Wick isnt a big place & if you ban too many folk........ We all know what happened to Nigel & the predecessors:~(
Wetherspoons for me
i cant blame the man, so what if he is gay but why should it be ok for people to make fun of his sexuality! [evil]
i cant blame the man, so what if he is gay but why should it be ok for people to make fun of his sexuality! [evil]
Banning people is only bringing more attention to the subject. Ignoring it is the best way or as someone has already said, grow a thicker skin. Mind you if he carries on banning folk because he dosen't like their opinions he'll be seeing red in more ways than one. No way to run a business especially in a small place like Wick.
im sorry i really couldnt care where his business is based, the people who come on here and talk about someone soo publicly should be ashamed of themselves! if they dont like the place then dont go in or should i say if you dont like the manager...... it must be awful for him and his family if they see people discussing someones sexuality.....
im sorry i really couldnt care where his business is based, the people who come on here and talk about someone soo publicly should be ashamed of themselves! if they dont like the place then dont go in or should i say if you dont like the manager...... it must be awful for him and his family if they see people discussing someones sexuality.....
I agree the man's sexuality is his own business but when he brings attention to it by banning people he can expect to be mentioned when folk discuss the Yard in any way shape or form. The point people are trying to make on here is he's doing himself and his business no favours with his attitude. I don't think its a case of people don't like him because of his sexuality but more a case of "sticks and stones". He might feel he's doing the right thing, only time and figures will tell.
Not what I was informed,dogman, I was told the band were all barred by Jamie for singing that track:roll: . Im glad I didnt go out now, I prefer Wetherspoons these days
well the song is on the dukebox. was talking to one of the band members on saturday night in the yard, he said nothing of this.
im sorry i really couldnt care where his business is based, the people who come on here and talk about someone soo publicly should be ashamed of themselves! if they dont like the place then dont go in or should i say if you dont like the manager...... it must be awful for him and his family if they see people discussing someones sexuality.....
Jamie is openly gay and even mentioned it here on the message board earlier this year.
Jamie is openly gay and even mentioned it here on the message board earlier this year.
does matter if he is openly gay, im openly straight and i still dont want ppl discussing my sexuality, this thread was about weatherspoons slightly of topic eh?
I find it hard to believe that you 'looked through the window and saw a group of people man handling your steak'
Unless that is true (and I don't believe it) That is a serious accusation to make.
You said it was 'taking a while' for your steak to come back so you looked through the window. Do you think the 'group' of people in the kitchen would have time to ALL be standing there man handling your steak? get real.
Ok, so Wetherspoons does have sticky tables which are cleaned with sticky cloths but the place is a lot lot cleaner than many of the Wetherspoons I have been in. The worst by far was in Heathway, Dagenham. I left, it was MINGING.
However, the staff should be trained in hygeine and cleaning skills.
well heres the facts i used to work there and one of the duty managers showed me a complaint to head office about the pub manager who was seen man handling a steak when he took it back to the kitchen.The letter was taken up on a area managers visit.
and they do have time have you never seen them in the kids area at the back 3 or 4 kitchen staff sitting in the booth seats reading the paper drinking coffee.
ive seen them drop cottage pie on the fllor scoop it back up with a fish slice and put it on the plate.
now that is really manhandling the food and you may not want to belive but i belive you work there?.................:cool:
now that is really manhandling the food and you may not want to belive but i belive you work there?.................:cool:
I Knew There Was Something Suspicious About That Pultney Person! :D
does matter if he is openly gay, im openly straight and i still dont want ppl discussing my sexuality, this thread was about weatherspoons slightly of topic eh?
As far as i know you are not the licensee of a controversial bar in Wick who is barring people who make derogetary comments about your sexuality.....so people have every right to discuss it, he has placed himself in the public eye by taking on a pub with a very chequered history, it may have passed you by but the attitude in Wick by many people towards homosexuals is pretty much still in the dark ages, and that's not gonna change anytime soon.
As far as i know you are not the licensee of a controversial bar in Wick who is barring people who make derogetary comments about your sexuality.....so people have every right to discuss it, he has placed himself in the public eye by taking on a pub with a very chequered history, it may have passed you by but the attitude in Wick by many people towards homosexuals is pretty much still in the dark ages, and that's not gonna change anytime soon.
Thought this was about Wetherspoons? rather than discussing peoples bedroom habits?
Where is this controversial bar, havent seen any probs while out and about.
Dont see any problems with peoples sexuality, as long as they pay their money I would think all bars would let them in!
Tighsonas4
04-Jun-08, 20:31
know nowt of where we are now. it started with wotherspoons???
was in there today and it was packed and that was at eleven tony
Thought I'd better close this thread as it's off on some strange tangent which has nothing to do with the original topic. :D
Powered by vBulletin® Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.