Where are the Little Chefs going?

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B1040
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by B1040 »

Both Subway and Greggs seem to be moving into the light meals on the move market.
Was disappointed last summer when the Greggs at Toddington Services was closed at 7pm.
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by Hdeng16 »

WHBM wrote: Wed Apr 06, 2022 10:52
RichardA35 wrote: Thu Mar 31, 2022 20:23
SteveA30 wrote: Wed Apr 10, 2019 20:47 The A31 ex LC at Winterborne Zelston, which was reduced to Subway only has closed along with the petrol station.
The former LC was demolished last year and the build on the redevelopment is coming along with a totally new filling station, a shop on the LC site and a drive through coffee shop at the rear of the site. Open before the jubilee holiday weekend would be my guess.
If that's the one eastbound just a couple of miles north of Bere Regis roundabout, it was one of a number all built under one contract, and same architect, for direct competitor Happy Eater (later absorbed by Little Chef) by onetime regional contractor Dunnings of Weyhill, along the A303, A31 and A35, in the early 1980s. Someone at Happy Eater got financing for the "holiday market". I wonder how many are left now.

Always seemed a bit of an outlier for a Subway, which I always think of as a city centre lunchtime sandwich shop.
They're all over the eurogarages empire along with Greggs. We may see some changes now they own the northern bakery Cooplands though.
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by ravenbluemoon »

Hdeng16 wrote: Thu Apr 07, 2022 18:57 They're all over the eurogarages empire along with Greggs. We may see some changes now they own the northern bakery Cooplands though.
Oh 'eck. I hope that Cooplands doesn't get too Greggsified! We have a Greggs at the services on the A38 just before the M1 coming out of Mansfield. Handy as it's just over the road from work. Much as their veggie sausage rolls are a passable snack, I find most Greggs stuff seems really greasy. Cooplands seems to be that little bit better (and I can get the frozen ones in our local Heron!).
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by Owain »

ravenbluemoon wrote: Fri Apr 08, 2022 01:32
Hdeng16 wrote: Thu Apr 07, 2022 18:57 They're all over the eurogarages empire along with Greggs. We may see some changes now they own the northern bakery Cooplands though.
Oh 'eck. I hope that Cooplands doesn't get too Greggsified! We have a Greggs at the services on the A38 just before the M1 coming out of Mansfield. Handy as it's just over the road from work. Much as their veggie sausage rolls are a passable snack, I find most Greggs stuff seems really greasy. Cooplands seems to be that little bit better (and I can get the frozen ones in our local Heron!).
I wouldn't eat any of their food, but Greggs is surprisingly good for coffee.
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by RichardA35 »

RichardA35 wrote: Thu Mar 31, 2022 20:23
SteveA30 wrote: Wed Apr 10, 2019 20:47 The A31 ex LC at Winterborne Zelston, which was reduced to Subway only has closed along with the petrol station.
The former LC was demolished last year and the build on the redevelopment is coming along with a totally new filling station, a shop on the LC site and a drive through coffee shop at the rear of the site. Open before the jubilee holiday weekend would be my guess.
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by Glenn A »

Owain wrote: Fri Apr 08, 2022 10:12
ravenbluemoon wrote: Fri Apr 08, 2022 01:32
Hdeng16 wrote: Thu Apr 07, 2022 18:57 They're all over the eurogarages empire along with Greggs. We may see some changes now they own the northern bakery Cooplands though.
Oh 'eck. I hope that Cooplands doesn't get too Greggsified! We have a Greggs at the services on the A38 just before the M1 coming out of Mansfield. Handy as it's just over the road from work. Much as their veggie sausage rolls are a passable snack, I find most Greggs stuff seems really greasy. Cooplands seems to be that little bit better (and I can get the frozen ones in our local Heron!).
I wouldn't eat any of their food, but Greggs is surprisingly good for coffee.
Greggs cakes and scones are quite nice and reasonably priced, and their cafes do reasonably priced light meals.
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by RichardA35 »

I wrote: Fri May 20, 2022 10:42
I wrote: Thu Mar 31, 2022 20:23
SteveA30 wrote: Wed Apr 10, 2019 20:47 The A31 ex LC at Winterborne Zelston, which was reduced to Subway only has closed along with the petrol station.
The former LC was demolished last year and the build on the redevelopment is coming along with a totally new filling station, a shop on the LC site and a drive through coffee shop at the rear of the site. Open before the jubilee holiday weekend would be my guess.
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Went past today and the branding is Asda, Greggs and Leon coffee
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by SteveA30 »

Leon do good coffee, could become my new local, along with Costa at A350/A3049
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by Osthagen »

Owain wrote: Fri Apr 08, 2022 10:12 I wouldn't eat any of their food, but Greggs is surprisingly good for coffee.
So is KFC, whose coffee pleasantly surprised me on my way back from Portmeirion last year. I can live without their gastronomic concoctions though.
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by SteveA30 »

Excellent news, there has been a gap in roadside provision since LC went down. Proper meals on plates with a knife and fork. They have taken over the Route 38 and Route 303 outlets, Newcott, Haldon hill n/bnd and Saltash, which may mean the one at Trerulefoot. They will have to bring down the price of breakfast though, far too much. Plenty of competition at Haldon, McD and a Costa all adjacent. Costa has become my favourite roadside stop since LC went down. Encouraging eating and drinking while driving should be illegal, probably is. Drive-thru does exactly that.

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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by Ruperts Trooper »

wrinkly wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 02:10 From the Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... ittle-chef
At £15-95 for a big breakfast they'll be following LC into oblivion in double quick time - the Whitbread pubs attached to Premier Inns are just £9.95 for all-you-can-eat and kids eat free.
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by jabbaboy »

SteveA30 wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 07:48 Excellent news, there has been a gap in roadside provision since LC went down. Proper meals on plates with a knife and fork. They have taken over the Route 38 and Route 303 outlets, Newcott, Haldon hill n/bnd and Saltash, which may mean the one at Trerulefoot. They will have to bring down the price of breakfast though, far too much. Plenty of competition at Haldon, McD and a Costa all adjacent. Costa has become my favourite roadside stop since LC went down. Encouraging eating and drinking while driving should be illegal, probably is. Drive-thru does exactly that.

https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Art ... ng-concept
Can't see it working personally, there's plenty places around. There's pretty much Brewer's Fayre, Toby Carvery and the likes all over the place now which offer a better meal and are known for what they do and with a sat nav can easily be found. Just for example nearly every junction on the M62 between Liverpool and Leeds have some form of one.

Then everyone else who don't want to spend an age (most people really) there's McDonalds and the likes all over the place.

The fact all the supermarkets (other than Morrison's) have pretty abandoned cafe's nowadays shows the demand just isn't there imo.
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by Chris5156 »

I like the ambition, but I don’t know if there is a big enough market if you’re targeting drivers who are so unhurried that food “within 40 minutes” will do, and that’s before you get to the prices. Most people don’t want a slow sit-down meal; if they did Little Chef would still be around and services would still have large traditional dining areas. Those things disappeared due to market forces.

If I stop at McDonald’s I can have a full meal served and eaten and be back on the road in the space of 20 minutes and for about a tenner. Why would I stop here?
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by rhyds »

SteveA30 wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 07:48 Excellent news, there has been a gap in roadside provision since LC went down. Proper meals on plates with a knife and fork. They have taken over the Route 38 and Route 303 outlets, Newcott, Haldon hill n/bnd and Saltash, which may mean the one at Trerulefoot. They will have to bring down the price of breakfast though, far too much. Plenty of competition at Haldon, McD and a Costa all adjacent. Costa has become my favourite roadside stop since LC went down. Encouraging eating and drinking while driving should be illegal, probably is. Drive-thru does exactly that.

https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Art ... ng-concept
I stopped at the Route 303 site last year and had a fantastic cooked breakfast and coffee. It seemed to strike a good balance between an US-themed diner/restaurant (like the OK Diner chain) while also having a licenced bar for car club meetups and the like in the evening as well as takeaway options.

This breakfast was their mid size offering for about £9 and came with fried bread (Because cholesterol doesn't count on holidays!)
IMG_20220717_102140237.jpg
Chris5156 wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 08:42 I like the ambition, but I don’t know if there is a big enough market if you’re targeting drivers who are so unhurried that food “within 40 minutes” will do, and that’s before you get to the prices.


One thing the Route 303 site has that would make you want to/need to stop there is an instavolt charging point. For those stuck waiting for electric cars to charge then a "slow service" cafe would be a reasonably pleasant place to spend an hour or so.

While I agree with Chris that the market for sit down meals for travellers isn't huge, if the chain concentrates on the very busy holiday routes in the South West they might just have a chance, but at £15 for a breakfast? No way.
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rhyds
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by rhyds »

Another thing to remember is that for the last 2-3 years there's been a massive increase in UK families holidaying in the UK rather than going abroad due to Pandemic restrictions. In my opinion we won't be seeing these numbers this year, as overseas travel is now unrestricted and folks have had the confidence to book abroad again and frankly most UK holidays aren't a "budget" option compared to foreign package tours.

This shift is going to hit these kinds of roadside restaurants as the number of potential customers will be lower, and given the economic headwinds that hospitality is facing (massive ingredients cost inflation, staffing shortages, energy price hikes) it might not be an easy ride.
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by roadtester »

Chris5156 wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 08:42 I like the ambition, but I don’t know if there is a big enough market if you’re targeting drivers who are so unhurried that food “within 40 minutes” will do, and that’s before you get to the prices. Most people don’t want a slow sit-down meal; if they did Little Chef would still be around and services would still have large traditional dining areas. Those things disappeared due to market forces.

If I stop at McDonald’s I can have a full meal served and eaten and be back on the road in the space of 20 minutes and for about a tenner. Why would I stop here?
I thought it was quite interesting that the entrepreneur behind this chain has never learnt to drive, so perhaps he doesn’t have much of a feel for drivers’ needs and priorities or for the pressures they face, and this, combined with a bit of nostalgia for LC has caused him to slightly misjudge the market.

To me, the price points look too high. A family visit could easily cost north of sixty quid - I’m sure it’s not a rip off in terms of his costs and so on but in these cash-strapped times, I think most families would rather put that sort of money, if they’re going to spend it at all, to something like a proper evening out, rather than just a pit-stop.

That said, all credit to him for offering some extra choice and giving it a go.
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

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rhyds wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 10:25 This breakfast was their mid size offering for about £9 and came with fried bread (Because cholesterol doesn't count on holidays!)

IMG_20220717_102140237.jpg
They can’t be fish fingers on a breakfast surely? Odd shaped hash browns?

Also, I assume you’re one of those weirdos that don’t like eggs. :P
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by rhyds »

Big L wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 11:06
rhyds wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 10:25 This breakfast was their mid size offering for about £9 and came with fried bread (Because cholesterol doesn't count on holidays!)

IMG_20220717_102140237.jpg
They can’t be fish fingers on a breakfast surely? Odd shaped hash browns?
They're hash browns but turned on their side, they were definitely not fishy!
Big L wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 11:06 Also, I assume you’re one of those weirdos that don’t like eggs. :P
Fried eggs taste like greasy radial tyres to me, so I avoid them!
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by trickstat »

rhyds wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 11:12
Big L wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 11:06
rhyds wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 10:25 This breakfast was their mid size offering for about £9 and came with fried bread (Because cholesterol doesn't count on holidays!)

IMG_20220717_102140237.jpg
They can’t be fish fingers on a breakfast surely? Odd shaped hash browns?
They're hash browns but turned on their side, they were definitely not fishy!
Big L wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 11:06 Also, I assume you’re one of those weirdos that don’t like eggs. :P
Fried eggs taste like greasy radial tyres to me, so I avoid them!
How would you know? Are crossplys tastier?
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