Pubs advertise a big portion size but don't deliver
I had been recommended a great location for a walk by a friend, around Dell Quay near Chichester, and was also pleased to find a pub at this location the "Crown and Anchor" where we decided to treat ourselves to lunch. After perusing the pub menu my wife and I decided to share a 'Sausage Platter- more than enough for two', priced at £11.95. We were greatly looking forward to our food coming as it had been advertised as coming with crusty bread, chips and mustards (remember, plenty for 2 people!!).
Expecting a reasonably large platter we were a little underwhelmed when the waitress came towards our table carrying what looked like a very small breadboard with two mini bowls on, along with a jar of mustard and one, yes, ONE slice of bread (no butter) chopped in half (perhaps to make it look like more than it was!?). In one of the bowls was about 12 chips and in the other was around 8 bite sized bits of sausage. So... We asked if we could have some butter, which was brought out in a bowl the same size as the one the chips and sausage was in- that'll give you an idea of the scale of bowls. I was silently fuming...
I asked for some tomato sauce and a bottle was brought to the table. When applied liberally into the chip bowl it became apparent it had the flavour of MILDEW! To say we were more than a little disappointed is an understatement.
To this day I'm annoyed with myself for not complaining at the time, but we just wanted to carry on with our day without a confrontation and so left it. Besides, the landlady who appeared in and out of the bar appeared rather bullish and rude so we didn't fancy taking her on!! But by anyone's standards £11.95 for that is taking the right mickey in my opinion. This 'big enough to feed two' platter in would barely feed a child let alone two adults.
On the up side, the bar staff and waitressing staff were very pleasant and polite, and it would be a nice place for a drink but beware poor value food pricing (and that landlady!!).
By: still hungry
Comments from visitors
+3
Click to rate 
Report
Should have gone to the Hungry Horse pub instead.Large plates small portions.
+2
Click to rate Report
Well if it says "big enough to feed two" on the board, then it should be BIG ENOUGH to feed two? If it isn't then they should advertise it with something more appropriate such as "slightly bigger portion, enough to feed a doormouse". Don't you think that we're lied to enough already without unscrupulous business owners doing it as well? Time for trading standards to take a peek perhaps.
-3
Click to rate Report
Doesn't it occur to any of you guys that "big enough for two" is a deliberate exaggeration to emphasise a generous portion rather than to say that its a portion to share?
-6
Click to rate Report
You should complain there and then. If it says "big enough to feed two" then you should get a plate big enough to feed two. Some people have more money than sense and if they have money to throw away then let them. BigD you obviously fit that category! We're all tightening our belts and should demand value for money.
-5
Click to rate Report
"still hungry" you were just being a greedy bargain hunting git and got what you deserved. The "lets share the plate with a jug of water" brigade do my head in.
-2
Click to rate Report
Serves you right for not complaining at the appropriate time.This is just typical of the British must'nt grumble attitude.Don't be ripped off.Tell them what to do with their rotten food.
-4
Click to rate Report
Hobsons Choice - 13-Aug-10 22:50
I would consider this as a genuine complaint, after visiting the establishment myself I was
warned off the place by a friend who has a caravan in Bracklesham and should have taken
their advice and gave it a miss, but as they say curiosity kills the cat I believe, but must agree
the waiting staff where pleasant.
warned off the place by a friend who has a caravan in Bracklesham and should have taken
their advice and gave it a miss, but as they say curiosity kills the cat I believe, but must agree
the waiting staff where pleasant.
+3
Click to rate Report
thatcham tony - 30-Jul-10 17:42
I have always had the feeling that Mike P is an Aussie.
-8
Click to rate Report
"Aussies and Americans complain they do it effectively and achieve a result, which is why customer service is good in those countries.... "
You have GOT to be kidding. Australian service is possibly the worst anywhere in the developed world. We haven't a clue how to do service and even less idea how to handle a complaint. Clearly MikeP has never been to Australia, or if he has, he had a very unusual experience whilst here.
You have GOT to be kidding. Australian service is possibly the worst anywhere in the developed world. We haven't a clue how to do service and even less idea how to handle a complaint. Clearly MikeP has never been to Australia, or if he has, he had a very unusual experience whilst here.
-4
Click to rate Report
Yes, been there, done that, many times. In fact, it is so commonplace now, that I ask, quite bluntly before I order anything, and if there is any hint of this miserly and unneccesary practice, I leave. Restaurant owners do not need to scrimp like this, the profit on food is plentiful. But this has become the great British dining rip-off and the cunning restaurateurs and pub landlords are creaming it in, thanks to TV chefs and the 'fine-dining' fad of the wealthy. We have been caught because, like you and everyone else, we don't want to spoil our day or evening (or anyone else's closeby) by making a fuss. So they get away with it, again and again, 'stiff upper lip' and all that. So if I do get 'caught', here's what I do: I get online to TripAdvisor.com and rant as much as I want. At least then, other people can read the warnings/comments BEFORE they decide to go to these places. It may not be getting back at them directly, but at least it gets things off your chest and dissipates the fuming.
-1
Click to rate Report
I consider supermarkets Cafes are serving abismal food at times; take today I got a sausage roll, beans and chips a pot of tea and a trifle.
The sausage roll was hard and the beans had a skin on them and the chips were underdone; I was very hungry so I ate it; it was edible but you could tell that care and attention is not on the list of the cafe. The trifle was in a plastic pot with a lid on and it was topped with on half of a strawberry complete with stalk and leaf; the teapot leaked all over too.
It is so 'nice' to know that Asda cares for its' customers.
The sausage roll was hard and the beans had a skin on them and the chips were underdone; I was very hungry so I ate it; it was edible but you could tell that care and attention is not on the list of the cafe. The trifle was in a plastic pot with a lid on and it was topped with on half of a strawberry complete with stalk and leaf; the teapot leaked all over too.
It is so 'nice' to know that Asda cares for its' customers.
-11
Click to rate Report
MikeP(etty minded), you accuse me of whinging and whining? that really is the pot calling the kettle black !
you have near to a thousand comments to your name. Most of them spitefull snarking at other people !
you have near to a thousand comments to your name. Most of them spitefull snarking at other people !
+4
Click to rate Report
"Why do you think the australians call us whinging poms and the americans call us whining limeys?"
Because that's what exactly what you are, but you are too ineffectual to do it properly and get results, which is why you carry on whiniging and whining. When Aussies and Americans complain they do it effectively and achieve a result, which is why customer service is good in those countries and why you don't constantly hear people complaining.
Because that's what exactly what you are, but you are too ineffectual to do it properly and get results, which is why you carry on whiniging and whining. When Aussies and Americans complain they do it effectively and achieve a result, which is why customer service is good in those countries and why you don't constantly hear people complaining.
-6
Click to rate Report
CJ, you say the british are terrible at complaining. The question I would like to ask you is have you ever worked dealing with the public? a bar? a restaurant? a supermarket?
In my experience it is usually people who have never worked in a job directly dealing with the public who say "the british never complain". I have, for most of my working life, and believe me, the british complain unceasingly. Why do you think the australians call us whinging poms and the americans call us whining limeys?
In my experience it is usually people who have never worked in a job directly dealing with the public who say "the british never complain". I have, for most of my working life, and believe me, the british complain unceasingly. Why do you think the australians call us whinging poms and the americans call us whining limeys?
+7
Click to rate Report
I recall once hearing about a survey which says us Brits are terrible at complaining when things go wrong.
This is a prime example of this.
You should never be afraid to complain, especially when it comes to food service. If they don't seem bothered then a quick mention about Trading Standards should suffice and they ought to care a bit more.
If they're still unphased then wait until you get home (or even wait till the next day) and complain to Trading Standards that the restaurant is "mis-describing the product" or something similar.
Basically I believe that if they are using descriptions for menu items then the description must match up to the actual product/item. It's the same as if you brought a video camera and it was described as having a microphone or having a photo-taking facility and it didn't/doesn't.
This is a prime example of this.
You should never be afraid to complain, especially when it comes to food service. If they don't seem bothered then a quick mention about Trading Standards should suffice and they ought to care a bit more.
If they're still unphased then wait until you get home (or even wait till the next day) and complain to Trading Standards that the restaurant is "mis-describing the product" or something similar.
Basically I believe that if they are using descriptions for menu items then the description must match up to the actual product/item. It's the same as if you brought a video camera and it was described as having a microphone or having a photo-taking facility and it didn't/doesn't.
-5
Click to rate Report
Eating out in Britain is hit and miss.
In general, I find restaurant food quite uninspiring and overpriced, particularly, but not exclusively Italian restaurants.
I can make most of the food on an Italian restaurants' menu at home with a bottle of Ragu !
It astounds me why people are prepared to pay upwards of £8 for a plate of pasta and sauce!
Service can be hit and miss too, food not arriving together, so that someone is waiting for their food while others are almost finished - it's just depressingly bad.
If a pub is not pretending to be something it's not regarding its food service, I am very tolerant. But if a menu misleads me, like what happened to the person who opened this gripe, then I get annoyed.
Unlike the person who wrote this gripe, I do complain under such circumstances.
Recently, not in a pub, but in Debenham's cafe I ordered chicken curry and rice for which they wanted £6.
I was handed a plate which was three quarters plain boiled whit rice and what looked like a teaspoon on curry.
I was shocked and asked for some more curry, to which I was told sorry, that's the portion size.
I told them that they could have it back and feed it to the pigs, as I wouldn't be eating it, much less paying £6 for it.
Far far worse than these joints are motorway service stations. I'm sure people must take leave of their senses when they part with their hard earned cash and pay astronomical prices for frankly ordinary, usually badly cooked food.
My advice?
Eat a hearty breakfast before a day out. What's wrong in taking a few sandwiches with you for lunch? How long do they take to make? If you get caught short, find a chain pub, like a Weatherspoons (if you can bear it) the food is generally a disappointment but at least it's consistently bad.
When your expectations aren't too high, it's not easy to be disappointed :-)
In general, I find restaurant food quite uninspiring and overpriced, particularly, but not exclusively Italian restaurants.
I can make most of the food on an Italian restaurants' menu at home with a bottle of Ragu !
It astounds me why people are prepared to pay upwards of £8 for a plate of pasta and sauce!
Service can be hit and miss too, food not arriving together, so that someone is waiting for their food while others are almost finished - it's just depressingly bad.
If a pub is not pretending to be something it's not regarding its food service, I am very tolerant. But if a menu misleads me, like what happened to the person who opened this gripe, then I get annoyed.
Unlike the person who wrote this gripe, I do complain under such circumstances.
Recently, not in a pub, but in Debenham's cafe I ordered chicken curry and rice for which they wanted £6.
I was handed a plate which was three quarters plain boiled whit rice and what looked like a teaspoon on curry.
I was shocked and asked for some more curry, to which I was told sorry, that's the portion size.
I told them that they could have it back and feed it to the pigs, as I wouldn't be eating it, much less paying £6 for it.
Far far worse than these joints are motorway service stations. I'm sure people must take leave of their senses when they part with their hard earned cash and pay astronomical prices for frankly ordinary, usually badly cooked food.
My advice?
Eat a hearty breakfast before a day out. What's wrong in taking a few sandwiches with you for lunch? How long do they take to make? If you get caught short, find a chain pub, like a Weatherspoons (if you can bear it) the food is generally a disappointment but at least it's consistently bad.
When your expectations aren't too high, it's not easy to be disappointed :-)
-9
Click to rate Report
It is precisely this attitude that makes us British what we are.This is a classic example of rip-off Britain.Unfortunately,it is a sad fact that we as a nation tend not to complain at the appropriate time where poor quality food & service is concerned.I get so angry by the fact that these establishments take advantantage of ripping off customers & inevitably get away with it.Measly portions,bland food,lousy service & overpriced.Welcome to rip-off Britain.This is what makes the British the laughing stock of the world.The larger pub & restaurant chains I find are the worst.Brewers Fayre & Garfunkels are typical examples.
It is all too easy to be complacent at the time & then feeling aggrieved at being ripped off afterwards because you have failed to complain.This just would not happen in America or elsewhere.MikeP has put this whole matter into perspective.You only have yourself to blame.DON'T let them get away with it.Complain at the appropriate time.
It is all too easy to be complacent at the time & then feeling aggrieved at being ripped off afterwards because you have failed to complain.This just would not happen in America or elsewhere.MikeP has put this whole matter into perspective.You only have yourself to blame.DON'T let them get away with it.Complain at the appropriate time.
+6
Click to rate Report
Laughing Gravy - 30-Jan-10 23:34
I see nothing rude in Fanny-Ann's comments. Complaining is the only way that standards can be improved and those who do not complain have only themselves to blame if they feel ripped-off. The failure of people to complain in the UK is one of the reasons that service delivery is so poor.
If goods are not of an acceptable standard, which could be a subjective opinion, the consumer is entitled to ask for the matter to be put right. If this is not done then he is entitled to withhold payment. In the case of a meal the amount consumed is the determining factor. If someone has consumed half a bottle of wine before pronouncing it to be corked, the complaint would be unreasonable. A few sips out of two different glasses would be a different matter.
If goods are not of an acceptable standard, which could be a subjective opinion, the consumer is entitled to ask for the matter to be put right. If this is not done then he is entitled to withhold payment. In the case of a meal the amount consumed is the determining factor. If someone has consumed half a bottle of wine before pronouncing it to be corked, the complaint would be unreasonable. A few sips out of two different glasses would be a different matter.
-8
Click to rate Report
Ok fanny-ann, I'm so sorry for 'moaning'-not, isn't that the point of this site? It is called the Weekly Gripe after all.
Do you just come on here to be abusive? Unlike, I suspect, most people who do for a little lighthearted banter which at the same time can be informative.
You say you stick up for yourself, well I say there can be a fine line between doing just that and the plain rudeness which you have exhibited on here. After this I shall commence writing my new gripe about pointless people who are rude to strangers on websites!
Do you just come on here to be abusive? Unlike, I suspect, most people who do for a little lighthearted banter which at the same time can be informative.
You say you stick up for yourself, well I say there can be a fine line between doing just that and the plain rudeness which you have exhibited on here. After this I shall commence writing my new gripe about pointless people who are rude to strangers on websites!
-9
Click to rate Report
