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Summary
Entering its 56th year, the granddaddy of all UK pizza chains has “survived the passing of time”, and is still hanging in there. These past five years have not been vintage ones for the brand, however – since its takeover by Hony Capital in 2014, “the whole experience seems a bit more soulless” and, after a continual slide, its ratings bottomed out somewhere between “just so average” and “all-in-all not bad”. As “a good introduction for kids to eating out” however, it still enjoys massive support thanks to its “kind and supportive service given to frazzled grandparents and over-excited grandsons”. Some wider hope comes from the “improved” Oxford Circus branch which is the prototype of a promising new look (“with a central bar feature, at which you can eat if you prefer, plus draught Peroni and a better menu,which has brought some desperately-needed vigour back to this tired chain”). At the end of October 2020 in reaction to the pandemic, the chain announced 1,100 job losses at 73 sites, although no actual closures amongst its total of 370 sites were involved.
Summary
Entering its 55th year, the granddaddy of all UK pizza chains has “survived the passing of time”. These past five years have not been vintage ones for the brand, however – since its takeover by Hony Capital in 2014, “the whole experience seems a bit more soulless” and, after a continual slide, its ratings have bottomed out somewhere between “just so average” and “all-in-all not bad”. As “a good introduction for kids to eating out” however, it still enjoys massive support thanks to its “kind and supportive service given to frazzled grandparents and over-excited grandsons”. Some wider hope comes from the recently “much-improved” Oxford Circus branch which is the prototype of a promising new look (“newly revamped with a central bar feature, at which you can eat if you prefer, plus draught Peroni and a better menu has brought some desperately-needed vigour back to this tired chain”). “Only a few more hundred branches to refurb now...”
Summary
“There is a lot more competition in the chain pizza market these days”; and while this long-enduring (est 1965) feature of every high street still has a very large fan club, it is steadily losing support. Some of this may be that “it is inevitably a much less distinctive presence nowadays” and huge numbers of reporters do still see it as a “safe bet” (and most particularly “an easy choice for a meal out with a five-year old”). More rivalry doesn’t really explain its steadily bombing ratings however – in particular the evaporation of the once-excellent ambience at its branches since Hony Capital took charge. In this regard, cynicism seems justified: “my favourite branch has been ruined by the greedy private equity owners cramming in small tables so that the atmosphere is as delightful as rush hour on the underground. Such a pity – as it was so good for so many years”. “Generous discounting” has also seemingly become a permanent factor – “without one of their plentiful voucher deals, it can seem distinctly overpriced”.
Summary
For the first 20 years of this guide, this famous pizza chain with its “surprisingly distinctive branches” was – with tedious regularity – the survey’s most mentioned group: constantly re-inventing itself to remain everyone’s favourite standby, especially with kids in tow. Competition is sharper nowadays however, and since its ownership changed a couple of years ago (to Hony Capital) ratings and the volume of feedback have slipped well below their historical average. Yes, it is still much-mentioned, and still “as reliable as ever” to armies of loyal supporters, but harsher critics “are stunned by the complacency and staleness of the brand: even the ubiquitous, good value voucher deals are starting to lose their shine”.
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