They know how to charge 😯
It's all about the offers. Two for one and all that.
[url= http://www.pizzaexpress.com/latest-offers/ ]You paid full price?
[/url]
Amateurs.
You went to Pizza Express?
Amateurs.
Nah went with tesco vouchers. Daughter wanted to go for birthday dinner there. Thank Christ the wife had sorted the vouchers! First visit for us as laddo is a right fussy sod. Did try and use another voucher but terms and conditions said no!
The service is bloody awful IME. Stay well away.
Nah went with tesco vouchers. Daughter wanted to go for birthday dinner there. Thank Christ the wife had sorted the vouchers! First visit for us as laddo is a right fussy sod. Did try and use another voucher but terms and conditions said no!
So you're grumbling about the fact Pizza Express is expensive, even though you didn't pay full price?
1/4 of the price if you did it with the Clubcard.
I love this place. 😀
You went to Pizza Express?Amateurs.
😐
I'm just noshing on an Asda veggie pizza, hand made I tell you, right in front of my very eyes. It's the size of a spare wheel for an Escaladae. Thrown a bit of bacon on, and bosh/boom/plop, pizza fit for a King*
*I have no kids to entertain.
No Jamie I was making a statement of fact. Their business model is clearly good and they know how to charge 😉
However yes woohoo for the forty quids worth of tesco vouchers that cost ten quid in points. Certainly helped with settling up!
Oh and fwiw the service was excellent, maybe because it was partly done by the guy who looked like the owner/manager?
I'm just noshing on an Asda veggie pizza, hand made I tell you, right in front of my very eyes. It's the size of a spare wheel for an Escaladae.
Handmade as in some spotty oink splattered some tommy sauce + cheese + veggie scraps on a disc-shaped pre-formed slab of uber-gluten?
Thrown a bit of bacon on, and bosh/boom/plop, pizza fit for a King*
It's a known fact in [s]my[/s] the universe that smoked bacon dramatically improves any food stuff. Hell, I think I'd even eat Baco Pops for brekkie, bacon muffins for tea and bacon yogurt for desert!
Have to say I'm a big PE fan, I think their Pizzas are better than anything I've found in Italy.
FF, you're 'aving a laugh, right?
I certain hope he is as even little take away only pizzerias in the back streets of Rome serve far nicer food than Pizza Express.
Pizza Express: the Berni Steak House for the Jamie Oliver generation.
Tawdry cardboard crap.
Unsurprising that people on STW would be all snobby about Pizza Express I suppose. 🙄
I've eaten pizza in Italy and make my own pretty decent ones at home from scratch using a baking stone etc - and I reckon Pizza Express pizzas are excellent.
If you get the codes it's good value too IMO.
It used to be good upto about 10yrs ago. Toppings reduced etc
I recently went into their WHampstead branch and was surprised how tired theyve let the decor become.
Why not stay in and have fun with the kids building your own pizza, fun, easy and the ingredients are inexpensive... own choice of toppings...
Why not stay in and have fun with the kids building your own pizza, fun, easy and the ingredients are inexpensive... own choice of toppings...
Sometimes now and then it's nice to go out. You should try it sometime.
Rickmeister true- no need to ride outside either. Simply ride your turbo.
I recently went into their WHampstead branch and was surprised how tired theyve let the decor become.
Did you complain about it to the PE people or just here? It amazes me how people grouch on here then accept the lower quality they moan about again and again. Fo example, our Nandos - great for the kids - got tired plus we had poor service and Mrs K complained to head office. We had a letter and within 6 weeks the whole place was refurbished and the staff pool had undergone several changes. We were invited back for a meal on the house to experience this and express our comments.
PE is just another franchise. Service is dictated by the staff that work there - if you don't like it, complain locally first and if no joy to head office and hope that PE value thier reputation enough to do something about it.
At the OP - why the surprise - it's a business with a sales model, one which involves attracting you in and then up selling as much as possible.
Indeed, I agree, I only use a turbo trainer a couple of times a year too.. but its always an option...
It used to be good upto about 10yrs ago. Toppings reduced etc
Traditional pizzas don't have much in the way of toppings, normally very sparse. The Pizza Hut / Dominos pile it high with stuff type of Pizza is very different to anything you'd find in Italy.
I just think All the pizzas on their menu taste the same. I went for the first time in years a couple of weeks ago as my daughter wanted to go, but again it all tasted a bit samey. Not sure it's overly expensive, though not cheap for what it is (unfortunately I did pay full price as it was an impulsive visit). The pizzas are priced similarly to any other high street restaurant chain pizzas, but are very average. My wife makes pizzas from scratch and they are better than any pizza I've ever had - even in Italy. Definitely the best meal in her repertoire.
Their Peroni is very reasonable.
Oh no, hang on my mistake...... It's blummin ridiculous!!!
Pizza is nommy mind.
Their Peroni is very reasonable.
Any reason why thier Perpni is different from anyone else's? 🙄
Not sure about Perpni., but aye, a large bottle of Peroni is over six and a half quid last time I went.
PE in Gunwharf Quays wasn't too bad about 10 years ago, haven't been in one since mind but I do remember them doing a fab Salad Nicoise... Hmmm I must go back.
kayak23 - Member
Not sure about Perpni., but aye, a large bottle of Peroni is over six and a half quid last time I went.
mmm Peroni, I have found something nicer than it there and it's the free ones in the place I am now 🙂
As for PE last time I was there we were trying to get a lifetime ban from the entire chain as we were on a Stag do 9hrs in so I have no comment on the Pizza.
I like pizza express for a quick meal out but I resent any buisness model that depends on overcharging the casual customer to subsidize the voucher user.
I was very surprised to find in one that we were expected to wait an hour as they had run out of dough and were getting more shipped in from another restaurant.
I like them and think the prices aren't too bad (when compared to dominos rubbish). I love their huge superfood salad
I was very surprised to find in one that we were expected to wait an hour as they had run out of dough and were getting more shipped in from another restaurant.
To be fair I have never tried to cook pizza without dough but I reckon it wouldn't end well. As for just knocking some up, unless it's rested for 24hrs it's not going to make properly good pizza.
Love pizza express, but we NEVER pay full price, all of tesco clubcard vouchers go there atm we have £37 worth of vouchers to exchange.. thats a lot of pizza! We occasionally get given pizza express vouchers too, currently have £40 to be used! Think I'll have pizza this weekend.
Possible but I can knock up a passable dough in less time than an hour. Any restaurant that runs out of the Principe part of their main dish is a bit questionable.
Yep making dough is the quick bit, resting it takes the time and it really makes it taste better.
I'd also say at the quickest and rushing it I'd want 30 mins to make a decent dough but it's nowhere near good enough to sell to anybody let alone make for my mates!
PE's business model is based on the use of discount vouchering as opposed to marketing budget to advertise. As a result, full price reflects that difference. No problem with that. It's one of the more successful models these days, especially with online vouchering/deals.
The trick then is to get the upsell once they have hooked the customer and drive as much profit through wet sales and add ons.
Fair play to them - the model clearly works well!
🙂
Its gone from just right to a bigger border/sparse.
Ties in nicely with authentic cost cutting
Gachet - Member
I certain hope he is as even little take away only pizzerias in the back streets of Rome serve far nicer food than Pizza Express.
Amateurs!
EVERYONE knows the best Pizzas can only be found in Neapolitan back street trattoria.
The odd time I ended up in a PE, even with vouchers in hand, I end up spending a fortune. 2 large beers at £6 a pop and I've doubled what the food cost in booze expenditure 🙁
Whatever you do don't think "I'll treat myself and go for a Peroni Gran Riserva". I was bloody glad work were paying, I would still be overdrawn if I were.
The service is so variable its almost a lottery. A couple of years ago, the Perth branch was staffed almost exclusively by eastern europeans and the service was fantastic. On the last visit at the end of October it had reverted to being run by North Muirton neds and was 'kin awful.
On recent experience I can recommend the one in Kendal and Southampton Row.
PE's business model is based on the use of discount vouchering as opposed to marketing budget to advertise.
Not sure that's the case, a lot of restaurants are using discount vouchers now just to fill covers as discretionary spending has taken a big hit post 2008. It's hurting the bottom line:
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/feb/27/tragus-cafe-rouge-strada-losses-restaurant-vouchers
Is it just me or is it a strange name for the brand? Pizza Express, it sounds like a kebab shop. Also if the dough is made and toppings are ready to go, a pizza takes 10 mins max..... so why is their place called 'express'?
EDIT: Bit of history from Wikipedia:
Founded in 1965 by Peter Boizot, PizzaExpress opened its first restaurant in London's Wardour Street. Inspired by a trip to Italy, Boizot brought back to London a pizza oven from Naples and a chef from Sicily.[3] In 1969 jazz performances began at its Dean Street restaurant, London.[4] PizzaExpress was the first to bring pizza to the UK high street in 1965[3] and was the first to sell Peroni beer in the UK.[5]
In 1995, PizzaExpress expanded into Ireland and currently operates 10 restaurants there under the brand name Milano.[6] The company also owns the brand name Marzano. Originally Marzano was used in countries where the brand name Pizza Express was not available, as with the use of the name Milano in Ireland, but it also exists in some territories, such as Cyprus, to differentiate between the restaurants selling primarily pizza and those offering a wider range of non-pizza meals inspired by Italy
When you're in a strange town on business and need a reliably decent meal PE fits the bill just fine, it won't be memorable but it'll do just fine.
The Pizzas in Italy though, oh my god, even little places that are essentially a stone oven set into a wall with a few plastic chairs next to it seem to churn out the most amazing food, if you think they're no better than PE you've been taken to the wrong places.
It wasn't "express" last night but the 40 mins between entering and getting food was a welcome change which gave iua us time to talk as a family.
I also skipped the peroni as I was driving, but on seeing the price I was glad I was driving.
All in all we enjoyed it and will go back to the same one as the staff were lovely and all the food was eaten.
What restaurant can you buy a big (600ml?) Peroni for much less than £6 then?
(Pubs don't count)
Not sure about Pizza Express, but I'm not so keen on eating commercial pizza dough after learning what [url= http://www.myhealthwire.com/news/food/543 ]chemicals get thrown in[/url] 😯
Pizza night Friday with homemade [url= http://www.varasanos.com/PizzaRecipe.htm#HandKnead ]soughdough pizza[/url] FTW!
Cheers,
Jamie
llama - Member
What restaurant can you buy a big (600ml?) Peroni for much less than £6 then?
(Pubs don't count)
Virgin lounge Melbourne free...
PE if fine, it offers pretty decent pizza at a reasonable cost.
The menue has prices and no one makes you order a large peroni. ( I don't think 6 quid is too bad )
Two pizzas and two beers for just over £30. That's not bad. It's a bloomin bargain if you have one of the many vouchers.
Yes, its not the ultimate restaurant or the ultimate pizza. The same order in zizzi or Ask would be just as much and probably of a worse quality.
Virgin lounge Melbourne free...
Has the champagne run out?
What restaurant can you buy a big (600ml?) Peroni for much less than £6 then?
Probably not many, I wasn't complaining at the price, (though the £4.20 a bottle stuff doesnt seem expensive ) just that I always seem to spend a lot in there. I blame the company I'm usually with.
One of the only places that has anchovies, a pizza is not complete with out those little salty fishies, this apparently is not a commonly held belief 😆
I like it.
We took my (hair shirt wearing) older brother there once, for my daughters birthday party - lovely pizza, bit I've never heard someone gripe so much about price, and he wasn't even paying 😉
seriously, its a running comedy in the family, never spends a penny, vouchers for everything - even goes to the library to use the internet rather than pay for it at home. Just for a laugh we bought him Taybarns vouchers as a present once - I don't think he ate for a week before or after 😆
Why not stay in and have fun with the kids building your own pizza, fun, easy and the ingredients are inexpensive... own choice of toppings...
Why not indeed... 🙄
Sometimes people like different things..
DrP
Two pizzas and two beers for just over £30. That's not bad.
You live in London, don't you?
At an East Lancashire pub and then on to a kebabbery: Two pints of decent beer rather than fizzy pish, fiver; two 12" pizzas, tenner. For "just over" thirty quid I could go out on the lash, grab a pizza on the way to getting a taxi home, and still have a tenner left.
Granted, the 'ham' is turkey painted pink, but as a voodoo vegetarianist this doesn't overly concern me.
Why not stay in and have fun with the kids building your own pizza, fun, easy and the ingredients are inexpensive... own choice of toppings...
Yes, I agree. Wrightyson [i]is[/i] a bad parent.
You live in London, don't you?
Cougar, try ANY civilised town south of the mines.....
Beer/cider's at least £3.50 a pint, even in a dingy pub!
DrP
I live just outside London but I can't think of a place I've visited in the uk or Europe where it has cost any less.
I've recently been in geneva for a few months. The same meal would cost around £80 - £100.
At an East Lancashire pub and then on to a [b]kebabbery[/b]: Two pints of decent beer rather than fizzy pish, fiver; two 12" pizzas, tenner. For "just over" thirty quid I could go out on the lash, grab a pizza on the way to getting a taxi home, and still have a tenner left.
I believe the phrase you are looking for is 'kebablishment'.
Still, comparing a takeout to a restaurant isn't really fair. And you still have to live in East Lancs.
And you still have to live in East Lancs.
Surely there's no need to live North of the Watford gap in this day and age?
And you still have to live in East Lancs.
...in the 1980s.
[i]Unsurprising that people on STW would be all snobby about Pizza Express I suppose[/i]
It's not snobbery from me, I simply think that PE is overpriced and underportioned.
There's one in Cirencester, right next to a proper little Italian trattoria. A few times I've come out of the Italian after a really nice, really good value, home-cooked meal and looked at the folks in PE and thought 'why'?
But, you know, each to their own.
A close mate of mine at uni, the nephew of Peter Boizot the founder of PE, floated PE on the stock market. Made a fortune, it then crashed under the new management, then bought it back into private ownership, rejigged and resold it for a huge amount!!
Clever business strategy if it works!
Surely there's no need to live North of the Watford gap in this day and age?
Unless you're into mountain biking of course.
There's one in Cirencester, right next to a proper little Italian trattoria. A few times I've come out of the Italian after a really nice, really good value, home-cooked meal and looked at the folks in PE and thought 'why'?But, you know, each to their own.
Yeah, you definitely don't sound like a snob - or massively smug. 😆
I'm all for independent restaurants, home-cooked food, yada yada yada - but I think PE do what they do well, and sometimes it's what you want.
Can I also suggest if you think their portions are small you're a greedy ****er! I'm a big guy and I can barely finish most of their pizzas. I'd agree it's a bit overpriced unless you are using a code though.
[i]Yeah, you definitely don't sound like a snob - or massively smug[/i]
I can assure you, I'm neither. I'm just confused as to why someone with a direct choice of two establishments serving a similar style of food would pick the one that has higher prices and inferior food. The answer is, of course, mainly, the power of branding.
[i]I think PE do what they do well, and sometimes it's what you want. [/i]
This is perfectly fair. Sometimes I just fancy a burger, and, as I'm not a food snob, if McD's (or better still BK) is the nearest place doing it, that's where I'll go. However, if there was a place right next store to either that sold better burgers for a cheaper price, I'd go there.
Clever business strategy if it works!
The guy that runs Hell Pizza in New Zealand did the same thing, started from scratch built a good chain and reputation, sold it, new owners screwed it up he bought it back.
Love Hell Pizza 😛
Surely there's no need to live North of the Watford gap in this day and age?
So far south of the Watford gap that it's fine, anything from the channel to Cumbria/Durham/Northumberland is a dump really.
Pleased it isn't just me who objects to £6 for a beer. FFS, it is not like there isn't enough margin in a £10 or £12 pizza as it is. I reckon the pizza costs them about £2 to make so even taking into account the staff and overheads, the pizza makes them plenty of margin without raping me for a beer on top of it.
As far as I know they don't even use a proper wood fired oven do they?
There's one in Cirencester, right next to a proper little Italian trattoria. A few times I've come out of the Italian after a really nice, really good value, home-cooked meal and looked at the folks in PE and thought 'why'?
But, you know, each to their own.
Equally, our local family run trattoria, is more expensive than PE and serves pish. They trade on their 'authenticity' to the pseuds.
They don't take Tesco vouchers either 🙂
Pleased it isn't just me who objects to £6 for a beer. FFS, it is not like there isn't enough margin in a £10 or £12 pizza as it is. I reckon the pizza costs them about £2 to make so even taking into account the staff and overheads, the pizza makes them plenty of margin without raping me for a beer on top of it.
Did they force you in there at gunpoint?
I can assure you, I'm neither. I'm just confused as to why someone with a direct choice of two establishments serving a similar style of food would pick the one that has higher prices and inferior food [i][b]in my opinion[/b][/i].
FTFY. Not everybody likes the same stuff - your opinion isn't necessarily superior to other peoples'.
I reckon the pizza costs them about £2 to make so even taking into account the staff and overheads
So at £6.31/hr (UK Minimum wage) you get 19 minutes of staff time.
Assuming it takes 2 mins to take your order, 3 to make the pizza, say 2 to slice it and bring it to your table and 2 to clear and wash up thats 9 mins which leaves £1 for ingredients, heating, lighting, insurance, ovens, and all that other shit that people making mad claims on the internet don't understand. Our local cheap as **** pizza shop used to charge £6-8 for a large pizza just about thrown at you.
Equally, our local family run trattoria, is more expensive than PE and serves pish. They trade on their 'authenticity' to the pseuds.
Fair enough, but this means my other statement still applies, but this time in PE's favour
[i]I'm just confused as to why someone with a direct choice of two establishments serving a similar style of food would pick the one that has higher prices and inferior food. The answer is, of course, mainly, the power of branding.[/i]
They don't take Tesco vouchers either
I live in Cirencester darling, do they take Waitrose vouchers? 🙂
Not everybody likes the same stuff - your opinion isn't necessarily superior to other peoples'.
Exactly, which is why I said
[i]But, you know, each to their own.[/i]
Came across as: 'if those stupid plebs want to eat their rubbish chain food then let them, I'll be at the authentic trattoria, revelling in my awesomeness' 😉
well it is STW Grum
[b]Why do[/b][s]if[/s] those stupid plebs want to eat their rubbish chain food [s]then let them, I'll be at[/s][b]when they too could be at[/b] the authentic trattoria, revelling in [b]the glow of[/b] my awesomeness
🙂
your opinion isn't necessarily superior to other peoples'.
+1
the Pizza Express Calabrese is pretty much my favouite dish ever!
we go to them in London all the time, 2-4-1 with the tastecard, or there was a 40% off deal not long back. they're a contractor's dream.
what makes me angry is when they try to refuse the tasecard because we didnt book or something! even when its completely dead. ive even been turned away at the door for not pre-booking only to stand outside phone them up and book a table for right then! jumped up jobsworths.they also pull yor pants down with Peroni! as if anyone ever pays full price tho!?
mikewsmith - Member
well it is STW Grum
Why do those stupid plebs want to eat their rubbish chain food, when they too could be at the authentic trattoria, revelling in the glow of my awesomeness
🙂
