Hmm, still a pet hate mine Mcdonalds and yet sadly required whilst travelling.

I don`t know why I eat them, ok , obviously because I`m hungry and they are open, but I always feel ill after them in some way, they just don`t suit me at all.
The same with Burger King.

One chain that I do like is Nandos, really not bad at all.
Apart from you can take the rest , Subway et al and sink them your majesty at your pleasure!

And another thing, why was Wimpy actually tempting in the 70`s and now the same as all the rest? The sausage around the tomato was actually pretty clever!
Milk shakes were simply milk shakes and not some form of undrinkable alien jelly (like they are now) that does not even go up a straw and if tipped outright onto somebodies head would now probably remain there for days before finally moving on to a new solar system rather than a human stomach?

I really would like to see all the traditional "greasy spoons" back and open for a quick bite. They are getting rarer and rarer.

Hmmm... I always feel ill after eating anything from the evil Big M so I avoid them like the plague, but unfortunately whenever I go and stay with my Mum it's where she usually takes me if we need a bite. Not at all impressive, but she loves those dumbass MacFlurry things.

Wimpy! Yes, those sausages were a work of art. I always enjoyed the infamous "Brown Derby"!

As for greasy spoons... they seem to be on the verge of extinction. Almost impossible to come by now. A greasy spoon fry up may not had done ones health any favours (but isn't it interesting we have much more obese kids these days?) but by heck... you knew you would get a bloody filling meal.

There ought to be extermination orders on MacDonalds, Burger King and most definitely Subway (who seem to be multiplying like rampant rabbits) and a preservation order on greasy spoons!

Yesterday, after weeks of gourmet French cuisine as well as excellent Japanese and Thai meals, I fancied a home cooked fry up.

Sausages, bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms, fried eggs - the only thing I avoided was chips.

Big mug (chipped) of tea.

Fab.

Not so long ago we were in Torquay and went to the bus station. There was a little cafe there which served instant coffee and very greasy sausage sandwiches. The ash trays on the tables were overlowing, so that you felt as though you were having an extra side serving of fag ash. The children found it highly amusing, and I found it quite nostalgic. I have to assume the fag ash is now off the menu. I wonder if the cafe is still there and if the sandwiches still repeat on you several hours afterwards.

Oh the good old days!

BTW I don't get what the photo is about. I guess it's a spoof of some kind, but not sure why. Are they suggesting that MacDonalds might sponsor the monarchy? What a frightful idea. I also hate their food. Burger King is slightly better. Whatever happened to The Great British Burger??

"Wendys" was the burger shop I actually took a liking to, but I probably had not developed a taste bud by then, so I really could not say now what it was like.

There are some other very disappointing expensive chains as well. The great Ken Homs`(and I mean "great", he is brilliant) "Yellow River" chain is not good and very expensive to boot too, quite a shame.

"Waggamama" is one of the good ones though, reasonable and clever with service.
Pizza Hut is appalling and I don`t care if I never enter one of those again, Pizza Express do vary, which at least shows they are cooking something from fresh.(maybe)

I still chuckle at a Guardian article a couple of years back about "Little Chef", when apparently a customer asked for an omelette and the waitress said "the postman has not been yet!"


We post eggs??? Jeez!

and the great old "Galleon" in Notting Hill is where I lunched for 2 pounds almost every day when i lived in Portobello Road for 15 years. Gone but not forgottenn.

I think that one of the things that hit the "greasy spoon" trade was the new customer ideal of expecting a glass of wine in a private cafe that was not a chain.
This then increased the popularity of the chains as the rush to get in and out quickly increased.

At a local caff from my hometown, I would often sit all morning with the papers and cups of tea, this was obviously not affordable for the owner who finally asked one day if I could actually "buy something else!!"

I did not get that quote then, but I do now. I don`t think any of us spent much in there and the biggest money made was probably on the pinball machine. I visited there recently, it is now a Bradford and Bingley.