This one is especially for my Brit Readers, and it was sparked by this article.
Since visiting her first Wetherspoons with her now husband Andrew in 2024 — it was The Moon Under Water in Watford, in case you’re wondering — Stacey Gitten has now visited 71 Wetherspoons up and down the country. It’s a mission that has seen her travel as far as Edinburgh from their home in Southampton, and she ‘even went to Wales just to go to a Wetherspoons’, she tells me.
But despite having visited 71 of the chain’s carpeted pubs — a mission that she has documented on TikTok under the handle @staceyintheUK (she moved from Chicago to be with her husband) — Stacey has tried surprisingly little of the menu. In fact, she has a go-to order; her control she uses to compare across the ‘Spoons outlets.
(It’s Eggs Benedict, by the way.)
For my Murkin Readers, Wetherspoons (or “Spoons”) is a budget-friendly alternative to the typical pubs and restaurants Over There, with a common menu across almost all establishments, with some local variations.
Okay, I have an admission to make: I’ve never been to a Wetherspoons pub. There’s no reason for this, unless it’s a subconscious desire not to go to any chain restaurants when I’m Over There. I remember being tempted by The Bear in Melksham (I went to that town often because it’s just down the road from Free Market Towers), but never went inside.
Perhaps I should have. (Unless it was because they didn’t serve Wadworth 6X? I dunno.)
Anyway, is our Murkin transplant in the article an idiot?
All input will be gratefully received.
For me, the purpose of going to chain restaurants while traveling is for the known quality experience. No surprises, just the same thing as always. I’m tired, it’s late, I haven’t had to time to look for the good local places, so why not just stop by Cracker Barrel tonight and then we’ll do something local tomorrow. That type of thing. Especially for business traveling (which I don’t do anymore, thank God).
But if one were to suggest going to every Cracker Barrel in the country? Absolutely not. That’s crazy. But then again, if she found something she likes – who am I to rain on her parade? It’s a rare thing to find something you really like and then dedicate yourself to pursuing it, so good on her.
That said, I also do the single item thing. Basically if I find something I really like on the menu for a particular place, then that’s what I always order from that place for the rest of eternity. Kind of a glitch in my software type of thing, I guess, but that’s what I do.
“….I also do the single item thing. Basically if I find something I really like on the menu for a particular place, then that’s what I always order from that place for the rest of eternity.”
I do this, too. I have places I go for a certain thing I like that they do.
Sometimes I think I might be missing out by not trying other stuff they do, but that known entity thing is a strong motivator of my actions.
Whilst on my most recent trip to the UK (Wales and Northampton), I had a quick lunch at Yr Hen Dderwen in Carmarthen with my BIL. A curry and a pint to be precise, and it was…acceptable. Clean, quiet and quick. No surprises of any kind. The IHOP version of a pub.
Now, would I go back? No. That is not the pub experience I’m looking for. I also went to the White Elephant in Northampton where the ale was fresher, the food more to my liking. Only strike against it was the sheer number and volume of the TV’s. The landlady and her staff were very accommodating, offering me a few samples of some ales I’d never had before.
My clear favorite though was The Malt Shovel. Super friendly staff. One of the barmaids said if you tell me a joke I haven’t heard before, you get a free pint. Alas, I did not win as she’s heard them all.
She might be slightly obsessed but I don’t think she’s an idiot.
I think it’s an interesting “McGuffin” to provide an excuse for a day-trip. It’s so easy to get places there because everything is close together. So why not spend a Saturday or a weekend in heading somewhere you’ve never been before? Enjoy the trip and the scenery, and end up at a pub. It may not be “authentic” in that it’s part of a chain, but I’m guessing from the pictures inside the places that it beats the living daylights out of darned near any bar in the US.
Hey, Topcat, you should have tried telling some old “Ole and Lena” Scandahoovian jokes. I’ve never met a Brit that knew any of them; a few of the jokes are even family-friendly.
Is she an idiot? No. She’s just doing her thing. Let her be. Would I do that? Again, no. Not my thing. That said, there have been times long ago when driving down the highway at 2:00 a.m. that a “Denny’s” sign was somewhat reassuring.
I do single item as well. One example — I am a sucker for Prime Rib. That would be Mac’s here in Arlington.
I’m surprised that Spoons even do Eggs Benedict. That seems beyond their target market.
I have a Spoons nearby, but I’m off alcohol.
I’ve always wanted to try the Royal Oak, just off the A30 in Swallowcliffe, halfway between Shaftesbury and Salisbury.
Kindly define “pub” for the ugly American. Having never been to the UK, I’ve always assumed it’s a bar, maybe with a limited short order food menu. What would be an American analogue to Wetherspoons?
Spoons are fine.
Yes they are generic, and tend to attract certain crowds- early morning elderly alcoholics, afternoon welfare types, early evening cheap dates and pre club drinkers but they tend to be quite large so the worst can be avoided.
Food is reasonable and beer generally excellent and cheap. They have a rotating selection of guest ales at a very good price.