Little Chef

[oldwheels]

Let's face it they were pretty diabolical. I ate there perhaps once or twice and that was it. Apparently they went down as motorists would rather seek out a Burger King, McD's or KFC.
Just to remind you what an Olympic breakfast was, two rashers of bacon, an outdoor-reared (yes, really) pork sausage, two free-range griddled (whatever that may be) eggs, mushroom, sauté potatoes, griddled tomato and Heinz baked beans.

They were a franchise so standards would be a bit variable. Never had any complaints myself and they were very handy as there was not much choice in my main travelling days. Where else would I get breakfast at 0630 in rural Argyll?

 

[Bonefish Blues]

They were a franchise so standards would be a bit variable. Never had any complaints myself and they were very handy as there was not much choice in my main travelling days. Where else would I get breakfast at 0630 in rural Argyll?

They weren't franchises. The overall Licence changed hands a number of times over the years. wiki worth reading.

 

[Cycleops]

I went to the one in Bicester quite a few times, about 18/20 years ago. One day I ordered an early starter breakfast, I was informed by the waitress that they had no eggs, so looking at the menu I said out loud to myself, what shall I have? And the waitress, suggested without the slightest hint of irony that I have an omelette.

It was powdered egg of course. Yet another reason.
Maybe they were hoping to appeal to those nostalgic for WW2 food?

 

[cyberknight]

used to enjoy the one near peterborough, was a great stop convenient when we were on the way to the east coast like mablethorpe etc

 

[Bonefish Blues]

It was powdered egg of course. Yet another reason.
Maybe they were catering for those nostalgic for WW2 food?

No, they were pre-made frozen ones, it was never powdered egg.

ETA
https://www.thecaterer.com/archive/little-chef-admits-omelettes-are-bought-in

 

[MidnightRider]

I remember the choice between Little Chef and the 'Happy Eater' chain. Seem to remember the Happy Eater had marginally better food choices, a wider range.

Was always puzzled was the Happy Eater logo on the roadside signs. What seemed to me at the time a tomato trying to make itself throw up. Every time I passed one of the signs I wondered what idiot designed it for a food establishment and what idiot at head office signed it off for use.

Me and a friend used to use these places relatively often, as we travelled a lot and at one time they were reasonable value, had car parks, did not involve long hunts for eating places and you knew what you would be offered.

When the prices started rocketing in both chains, we moved to hunting down alternatives. For us the basic food when combined with the price hikes killed them off, plus puzzlingly the service speed became very slow in most venues of both chains around the same time.

 

[MichaelW2]

A11 Mildenhall rounderbout was our roadside dining establishment on trips to The South in 1970s.
We never used the nearby famous cafe at Red Lodge. Red Lodge used to survive by servicing the passing trade but was bypassed by the A11 dualling. It is now a destination.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

They were shoot

 

[Venod]

2.  Ilkley, again on the A65 (arguably at Burley-in-Wharfedale, as it was between the 2)

Remember calling in there on a FRC Sunday club run. I think Skipton was the intended destination but aborted here because of bad weather.

 

[Cycleops]

I'm sure we all remember them through rose tinted nostalgic specs but in reality the food was rather disgusting and the places rather tacky.

 

[markemark]

I'm sure we all remember them through rose tinted nostalgic specs but in reality the food was rather disgusting and the places rather tacky.

I think this is the nub of it. It was a more general uplift from the truckers’ cafe. But as society wanted and expected better and better as times changed little chef didn’t keep up.

 

[PK99]

I think this is the nub of it. It was a more general uplift from the truckers’ cafe. But as society wanted and expected better and better as times changed little chef didn’t keep up.

MrsPK and I were remarking just the other day how far Motorway service stations have come. Compare the Watford Gap of old with the new service stations with multiple fast food and coffee franchise options.

Similarly expectations on non motorway roads.

 

[PeteXXX]

My main memory of Little Chefs was that they bought up a lot of the Transport Cafés, put flower pots around the entrances and banned lorries.
For that reason alone, I've never set foot in one.

 

[presta]

I remember going in one when I was a kid in the early 70s and being bemused at the eyewatering prices, so we never went back, and carried on using transport cafes.

 

[Gunk]

MrsPK and I were remarking just the other day how far Motorway service stations have come. Compare the Watford Gap of old with the new service stations with multiple fast food and coffee franchise options.

Similarly expectations on non motorway roads.

Don’t know if I agree, most services these days just serve up a choice of ultra processed fast food.

If you travel regularly over to Europe you realise how bad ours are.