Where are the Little Chefs going?

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SteveA30
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by SteveA30 »

The Google sat shows some LC's as still extant, most closed.
I'll visit a local EG diner this week to see what they doing.
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Glenn A
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by Glenn A »

Little Chef as a brand could have continued successfully if they kept their prices in line with their rivals, instead of charging city centre restaurant prices for often poor quality food, improved the quality of their food and had better customer care and cleanliness. My abiding memory of them will be waiting an eternity to be served with stewed tea and greasy chips and a skinny burger at high prices and sullen staff.
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by chriscumbria »

Johnathan404 wrote:
Glenn A wrote:I wonder how long the Little Chef near Haltwhistle will last as this is the only one I see now. It does seem frozen in time with its seventies building and lighting, which I find appealing, and I hope if it is closed, someone can turn it into a decent restaurant.
I really don't think you've been paying attention.
Glenn, further to Johnathans comment, I drove past it last December and it had been converted into a standalone Starbucks.
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by Glenn A »

chriscumbria wrote:
Johnathan404 wrote:
Glenn A wrote:I wonder how long the Little Chef near Haltwhistle will last as this is the only one I see now. It does seem frozen in time with its seventies building and lighting, which I find appealing, and I hope if it is closed, someone can turn it into a decent restaurant.
I really don't think you've been paying attention.
Glenn, further to Johnathans comment, I drove past it last December and it had been converted into a standalone Starbucks.
So that's gone now as well. I wonder if its comrade at Penrith has gone as that would be the nearest to me.
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by SteveA30 »

They've all gone, since Jan 31
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Hdeng16
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by Hdeng16 »

SteveA30 wrote:They've all gone, since Jan 31
Still struggling with that concept in this thread aren't we :D
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roadtester
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by roadtester »

roadtester wrote:
roverman wrote:We have a Wimpy 'kiosk' just outside Stafford, I'm told its been here since the 1950s and is claimed to be one of the first. Theres parking for 3 cars out the front and they have plastic seats under a corrugated roof adjacent to the food ordering area. How its still making money I do not know!
Just found it online.

Looks brilliant. I'll have to make a detour to try it out - perhaps going to/from the AGM!
I happened to be near to this today, so I stopped for a cheeseburger and chips (it's the place Jeni posted a photo of on the previous page, at Milford near Stafford).

Absolutely fascinating - by the way, it's four parking spaces, not three!

It seems to be quite popular.
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by Fenlander »

I stopped at what was Sleaford LC today, for the co-sited Burger King but the whole building was empty, both LC & BK. Further down the A17 at Sutterton which has a similar internal layout the BK is still open and the LC is now an EG diner.
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by Jeni »

roadtester wrote:I happened to be near to this today, so I stopped for a cheeseburger and chips (it's the place Jeni posted a photo of on the previous page, at Milford near Stafford).

Absolutely fascinating - by the way, it's four parking spaces, not three!

It seems to be quite popular.
Was it not the best "fast food" cheeseburger you've ever had?
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roadtester
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by roadtester »

Jeni wrote:
roadtester wrote:I happened to be near to this today, so I stopped for a cheeseburger and chips (it's the place Jeni posted a photo of on the previous page, at Milford near Stafford).

Absolutely fascinating - by the way, it's four parking spaces, not three!

It seems to be quite popular.
Was it not the best "fast food" cheeseburger you've ever had?
Yes - it was pretty good. Cooked to order, so had a much fresher taste to it than most fast food.

I'm a bit surprised nobody from one of the big burger outfits has said "this looks like an interesting template, I wonder if it would work elsewhere?" Or maybe they have and there's some reason I can't think of why it can't really be replicated - planning, maybe.
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by sheeldz »

Glenn A wrote: So that's gone now as well. I wonder if its comrade at Penrith has gone as that would be the nearest to me.
sheeldz wrote:The one on the A66 at Penrith already had all it's singage removed and closed off yesterday as I drove past. Must have closed earlier in the year.
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exiled
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by exiled »

roadtester wrote:
Jeni wrote:
roadtester wrote:I happened to be near to this today, so I stopped for a cheeseburger and chips (it's the place Jeni posted a photo of on the previous page, at Milford near Stafford).

Absolutely fascinating - by the way, it's four parking spaces, not three!

It seems to be quite popular.
Was it not the best "fast food" cheeseburger you've ever had?
Yes - it was pretty good. Cooked to order, so had a much fresher taste to it than most fast food.

I'm a bit surprised nobody from one of the big burger outfits has said "this looks like an interesting template, I wonder if it would work elsewhere?" Or maybe they have and there's some reason I can't think of why it can't really be replicated - planning, maybe.
Does Wimpy still do that strange sausage in a bun?

I've thought for a while the Irish diners like Rockin' Joes, and Eddie Rockets would fit well in place of LC.
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roadtester
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by roadtester »

exiled wrote:Does Wimpy still do that strange sausage in a bun?
Yes, the Bender is still a core element of the Wimpy menu!
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by Moore_O »

roverman wrote:We have a Wimpy 'kiosk' just outside Stafford, I'm told its been here since the 1950s and is claimed to be one of the first. Theres parking for 3 cars out the front and they have plastic seats under a corrugated roof adjacent to the food ordering area. How its still making money I do not know!
Low overheads?
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punyXpress
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by punyXpress »

What are the odds on KFC being next ? :o
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Truvelo
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by Truvelo »

Moore_O wrote:
roverman wrote:We have a Wimpy 'kiosk' just outside Stafford, I'm told its been here since the 1950s and is claimed to be one of the first. Theres parking for 3 cars out the front and they have plastic seats under a corrugated roof adjacent to the food ordering area. How its still making money I do not know!
Low overheads?
There's always been customers whenever I go past it. I tend not to visit fast food joints these days but I could make an exception. After all, I am probably the closest Sabristi to it.
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Big Nick
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by Big Nick »

Hdeng16 wrote:
SteveA30 wrote:They've all gone, since Jan 31
Still struggling with that concept in this thread aren't we :D
With apologies to Red Dwarf fans... :D
From 2:40 https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotatio ... Hrwut2dV0k

Lister: Where are the Little Chefs, Hol?
Holly: They're closed, Dave.
Lister: Where is?
Holly: Everywhere, Dave.
Lister: What, Colchester?
Holly: Everywhere's closed down, Dave.
Lister: What, Towcester?
Holly: Everywhere has closed, Dave.
Lister: What, Selby Fork?
Holly: They're all closed. Everywhere's closed, Dave.
Lister: Peterborough isn't, is it?
Holly: Everywhere is closed, Dave.
Lister: Not Chelmsford?
Holly: Gordon Bennett! Yes, Chelmsford, everywhere, everywhere's closed, Dave!
Lister: Ringwood?
Holly: They're closed, Dave, everywhere is closed, everywhere is closed, Dave.
Lister: Wait. Are you trying to tell me everywhere is closed?
Holly: I wish I'd never let him out in the first place.
Last edited by Big Nick on Wed Feb 21, 2018 21:43, edited 1 time in total.
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IAN
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by IAN »

The company still seems to be in denial - Website still going strong as of 21.02.18. Has menus, a restaurant locator and a statement asking customers to bear with them while stores are being refurbished and website updated. Customers are still being invited to join their loyalty scheme!

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SteveA30
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by SteveA30 »

What about Amesbury Countess? Is that closed? :bang: :facepalm:
Called in to Ilminster EG Diner today, on the way back from the A358 consultation at Ruishton. It has the LC menu on a new unbranded menu card. The Olympic breakfast is now the Mighty One and 15p more. The Jubilee pancake is the Anniversary pancake. In 2 months EG have to make up their mind about all these limbo cafes.
I was going to the KFC near J25 for a nice chi........Doh!
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Re: Where are the Little Chefs going?

Post by vlad »

Truvelo wrote:
Moore_O wrote:
roverman wrote:We have a Wimpy 'kiosk' just outside Stafford, I'm told its been here since the 1950s and is claimed to be one of the first. Theres parking for 3 cars out the front and they have plastic seats under a corrugated roof adjacent to the food ordering area. How its still making money I do not know!
Low overheads?
There's always been customers whenever I go past it. I tend not to visit fast food joints these days but I could make an exception. After all, I am probably the closest Sabristi to it.
That's my nearest Wimpy - I know it well although I've never actually been there.

It's one of the things I always look out for when I'm travelling along the A513 (which isn't that often to be honest) as I can't help thinking if it disappears then the rest of the chain will soon follow.

We could have an awayday there - or in the pub next door - just for the novelty you understand.
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