You may remember my popular piece on the decline of Little Chef written last year. Sadly it seems the optimism I expressed then was misplaced and things have changed completely in just a few short months: now Little Chef is not long for this world and is doomed to extinction just short of its 60th birthday. Stopping for my customary post-hospital lunch at Weston on the Green, I was disappointed to find notices on the counter saying they would be closing in just a few days' time to become a Starbucks, and talking to the staff revealed it wasn't just this branch but the entire chain that is closing down for good. Many of you might say good riddance to it, but I feel despite all its troubles Little Chef still had potential in the right hands to establish a place in today's world, and I for one will miss it. I guess I'll have to find somewhere else to eat after my hospital appointments in Oxford as its replacement doesn't serve what I call 'proper' food.
Showing posts with label Little Chef. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Little Chef. Show all posts
2017-05-09
2016-11-16
The decline of Little Chef
Today I'm going to look at something that not so long ago was a familiar landmark that could be seen almost everywhere and a welcome sight for hungry travellers, but has disappeared in large numbers and is now quite an unusual thing to see: the humble Little Chef restaurant. I had noticed the gradual disappearance of Little Chefs from British roads but didn't realise just how drastically the company had shrunk until I discovered the brilliant Motorway Services Online and ended up spending many hours reading the fascinating information there, including a full history of the Little Chef brand.
This told me that from a peak of over 400 restaurants just 15 years ago, there are now a mere 70 Little Chefs left, which is the lowest figure since the early seventies and a hell of a decline for such a once-popular chain of eating places. Although in many locations they are now a rare sight, there are still two of them within a few miles of each other on my route home from the hospital, at Weston on the Green and Bicester, so for old times' sake I decided to eat at the former after an appointment this week and found it a very nostalgic experience. This is one of the handful of restaurants that were given the 'Wonderfully British' refurbishment a few years ago and has a reputation as one of the best Little Chefs in the country, and certainly I was pleasantly surprised by the clean and welcoming atmosphere and good quality food
This told me that from a peak of over 400 restaurants just 15 years ago, there are now a mere 70 Little Chefs left, which is the lowest figure since the early seventies and a hell of a decline for such a once-popular chain of eating places. Although in many locations they are now a rare sight, there are still two of them within a few miles of each other on my route home from the hospital, at Weston on the Green and Bicester, so for old times' sake I decided to eat at the former after an appointment this week and found it a very nostalgic experience. This is one of the handful of restaurants that were given the 'Wonderfully British' refurbishment a few years ago and has a reputation as one of the best Little Chefs in the country, and certainly I was pleasantly surprised by the clean and welcoming atmosphere and good quality food
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| A rare sight. The Little Chef at Weston on the Green in its current guise. |
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