Players in public

[Ameritoon]

Some chains can be okay, but most footballers make double in a week what I make in a year and I still haven't eaten at a sit-down chain in years. No reason to ever eat at TGIF with that kind of money.

[Dr.Spaceman]

I don't get the whole Nando's craic either. You've got loads of smaller eateries in the town where you can get the same for less and it's overall a more pleasant experience.

[Guest neesy111]

I don't get the whole Nando's craic either. You've got loads of smaller eateries in the town where you can get the same for less and it's overall a more pleasant experience.

 

Completely agree. 

[54]

I don't get the whole Nando's craic either. You've got loads of smaller eateries in the town where you can get the same for less and it's overall a more pleasant experience.

Cheeky.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Nandos is shit like as are most chains. Expensive food that isn't that great packaged in themes packed into retail parks or retail centres. The Metro Centre badly needs some independent food places like. Yo Sushi is in decline as well.

[Andymc1]

Nandos is s*** like as are most chains. Expensive food that isn't that great packaged in themes packed into retail parks or retail centres. The Metro Centre badly needs some independent food places like. Yo Sushi is in decline as well.

 

The rent in the MetroCentre must be sky high so i'd imagine it'll always be mostly chains in there.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Nandos is s*** like as are most chains. Expensive food that isn't that great packaged in themes packed into retail parks or retail centres. The Metro Centre badly needs some independent food places like. Yo Sushi is in decline as well.

 

The rent in the MetroCentre must be sky high so i'd imagine it'll always be mostly chains in there.

 

Aye sadly, and that also prevents independent retailers from opening up there.

[HaydnNUFC]

Is Longhorns independent?

[Wullie]

I'm generally very anti-chain, I'll try and go independents or small regional chains wherever I can as far as restaurants are concerned. I'd simply rather they had my money. Trickier with pubs since most are affiliated to chains now.

 

The entire point of a chain for me is reduced costs, which they can pass on to the consumer, even if the quality is bog standard. So I get Wetherspoons, it's £2 a pint ffs, I get McDonald's. What I don't get is people frequenting chains where they pay a premium for stuff that a local independent will almost always be doing better for less. Anyone who goes in that Byron at the Monument when Fat Hippo is round the corner is a fucking idiot. Ditto La Tasca.

[Figures 1-0 Football]

I'm generally very anti-chain, I'll try and go independents or small regional chains wherever I can as far as restaurants are concerned. Trickier with pubs since most are affiliated to chains now.

 

The entire point of a chain for me is reduced costs, which they can pass on to the consumer, even if the quality is bog standard. So I get Wetherspoons, it's £2 a pint ffs, I get McDonald's. What I don't get is people frequenting chains where they pay a premium for stuff that a local independent will almost always be doing better for less. Anyone who goes in that Byron at the Monument when Fat Hippo is round the corner is a f***ing idiot. Ditto La Tasca.

 

Couldn't agree more with this.

[Guest neesy111]

Is Longhorns independent?

 

Yes.  While they have a number of restaurants now it's just been through success from their original one in Sunderland.

[Guest neesy111]

I'm generally very anti-chain, I'll try and go independents or small regional chains wherever I can as far as restaurants are concerned. I'd simply rather they had my money. Trickier with pubs since most are affiliated to chains now.

 

The entire point of a chain for me is reduced costs, which they can pass on to the consumer, even if the quality is bog standard. So I get Wetherspoons, it's £2 a pint ffs, I get McDonald's. What I don't get is people frequenting chains where they pay a premium for stuff that a local independent will almost always be doing better for less. Anyone who goes in that Byron at the Monument when Fat Hippo is round the corner is a fucking idiot. Ditto La Tasca.

 

Spot on.  The byron example is perfect, though Fat Hippo in town is always full when I go and requires booking in advance.

[HaydnNUFC]

Is Longhorns independent?

 

Yes.  While they have a number of restaurants now it's just been through success from their original one in Sunderland.

Cheers. Good, I go there before home games now and then.

[samptime29]

moron footballer wastes money on moron food, what a shocker

 

State of this post FFS.

[LoveItIfWeBeatU]

I don't get the whole Nando's craic either. You've got loads of smaller eateries in the town where you can get the same for less and it's overall a more pleasant experience.

What Nandos alternatives do you recommend?

 

Footballers and other famous people just name drop Nandos on Twitter to get a load of free food.

[Guest neesy111]

I don't get the whole Nando's craic either. You've got loads of smaller eateries in the town where you can get the same for less and it's overall a more pleasant experience.

What Nandos alternatives do you recommend?

 

Footballers and other famous people just name drop Nandos on Twitter to get a load of free food.

 

In town the Chicken Coop is good.

[Dr.Spaceman]

There's a few places in the Grainger Market that do superb menus.

[Pilko]

There's a few places in the Grainger Market that do superb menus.

 

Slice, Urban Grill and the place that does the dumplings are all fucking class.

 

Agree re: Byron/Fat Hippo and Nandos/Coop. Don't understand why you'd go to Subway either, there's that lovely Camera Shop sandwich place next door to Coop anarl.

[Greg]

Chain restaurants have their uses, families with kids etc. Too many s**** ones about but these days there's a few decent chains about, CAU, Wahaca, Cote, Ping Pong all pretty decent really. Don't think any of them are in Newcastle mind.

 

 

[Fugazi]

I don't get the whole Nando's craic either. You've got loads of smaller eateries in the town where you can get the same for less and it's overall a more pleasant experience.

What Nandos alternatives do you recommend?

 

Footballers and other famous people just name drop Nandos on Twitter to get a load of free food.

 

In town the Chicken Coop is good.

 

 

Turtle Bay is a decent chain restaurant.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

I'm generally very anti-chain, I'll try and go independents or small regional chains wherever I can as far as restaurants are concerned. I'd simply rather they had my money. Trickier with pubs since most are affiliated to chains now.

 

The entire point of a chain for me is reduced costs, which they can pass on to the consumer, even if the quality is bog standard. So I get Wetherspoons, it's £2 a pint ffs, I get McDonald's. What I don't get is people frequenting chains where they pay a premium for stuff that a local independent will almost always be doing better for less. Anyone who goes in that Byron at the Monument when Fat Hippo is round the corner is a f***ing idiot. Ditto La Tasca.

 

Agreed!

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Chain restaurants have their uses, families with kids etc. Too many s**** ones about but these days there's a few decent chains about, CAU, Wahaca, Cote, Ping Pong all pretty decent really. Don't think any of them are in Newcastle mind.

 

 

 

They are kind of forced on people though, especially at retail parks and centres where these big chains can afford the rent etc. So we as consumers are kind of lead by the hand to where we eat and what we eat and we get overcharged massively for poor to average food.

 

Nando's for example is f***ing ridiculous and way overpriced. The food is poor.

 

Mind, I go to that 'Chinese' buffet place thing in Metro Centre a lot with the kids as it's ready made so no waiting around and the kids like to pick and choose from different things. But it's s*** food really.

 

When we go to Mannheim in Germany they have a Chinese/Oriental buffet place and it pisses all over what we have in Town and the Metro Centre, the standard of food is like night and day and the price is similar.

 

I think culturally here in the UK We just accept any old s***. Queues, average food and p*ss poor beer.

[Guest firetotheworks]

I'm generally very anti-chain, I'll try and go independents or small regional chains wherever I can as far as restaurants are concerned. I'd simply rather they had my money. Trickier with pubs since most are affiliated to chains now.

 

The entire point of a chain for me is reduced costs, which they can pass on to the consumer, even if the quality is bog standard. So I get Wetherspoons, it's £2 a pint ffs, I get McDonald's. What I don't get is people frequenting chains where they pay a premium for stuff that a local independent will almost always be doing better for less. Anyone who goes in that Byron at the Monument when Fat Hippo is round the corner is a fucking idiot. Ditto La Tasca.

 

Absofuckinglutely. The amount of people I've heard say that Five Guys is 'just an expensive McDonald's' but have gone back multiple times is daft, especially since most have never been to Fat Hippo. Same with Zizzi's when the best Italian restaurant in Newcastle is just around the corner and half the price. Basically everything from The Botanist down to The Vineyard apart from Bar Luga and Dacantus as overpriced shite for mugs.

 

I've still got an 'it is what it is' approach with Nandos, The Toby and Wetherspoons though, you can't really complain considering what you get.

[Guest neesy111]

I'm generally very anti-chain, I'll try and go independents or small regional chains wherever I can as far as restaurants are concerned. I'd simply rather they had my money. Trickier with pubs since most are affiliated to chains now.

 

The entire point of a chain for me is reduced costs, which they can pass on to the consumer, even if the quality is bog standard. So I get Wetherspoons, it's £2 a pint ffs, I get McDonald's. What I don't get is people frequenting chains where they pay a premium for stuff that a local independent will almost always be doing better for less. Anyone who goes in that Byron at the Monument when Fat Hippo is round the corner is a fucking idiot. Ditto La Tasca.

 

Absofuckinglutely. The amount of people I've heard say that Five Guys is 'just an expensive McDonald's' but have gone back multiple times is daft, especially since most have never been to Fat Hippo. Same with Zizzi's when the best Italian restaurant in Newcastle is just around the corner and half the price. Basically everything from The Botanist down to The Vineyard apart from Bar Luga and Dacantus as overpriced shite for mugs.

 

I've still got an 'it is what it is' approach with Nandos, The Toby and Wetherspoons though, you can't really complain considering what you get.

I really don't get five guys love tbh.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Portofino in Newcastle as an example - quality food at reasonable prices. I've spent less in there on great food than at TGI or Nando's for shit food. There used to be a lovely tapas place on Westgate Hill, pissed all over la tasca.

 

There is a place in the Grainger Market that did or used to do noodles and other stuff and again it pissed all over stuff you'd get at say Waggamama.

 

Newcastle badly needs a decent kebab house mind...