J D Wetherspoon Pubs

[WolfRain]

I've never had any trouble with my local J D Weatherspoon pub. You do get the occasional Chav, but they are few and far between. I find the bar staff are amazingly helpful too!

They do Marston's Organic Cider for the same price as a Strongbow (£2.10) which is Vegan.

[Mr Flibble]

You do get the occasional Chav, but they are few and far between

what part of essex is that?

[Jamie]

Has anyone noticed at Wetherspoons (I know loads of you hate it but I've only ever been to nice ones!) that there are some new menu options, involving 'roasted vegetables in balsamic'?? Specifically, there was a panini, and on a jacket potato. I thought that sounded really nice and looked forward to trying it on a spud the other day...

Well the idea sounded nice but the actually thing was AWFUL!!! I could barely touch it in and in the end shared my hubby's veggie burger with him. I came with a salad, which came with dressing, I have no idea if that was vegan, and the stuff itself... it just looked, AND TASTED, like it was the gunk scraped out of the bottom of the drip tray after having a BBQ!! Urgh it was really repulsive. I could barely make out what any of the veg were, it was all very blackened, and the balsamic wasn't like anything I've had before, it really tasted like BBQ scum to me, which is an odd thing for something to taste like, but there you go.

Anyone else tried it?? Is it possible I just had a dodgy one, because you'd think they wouldn't bother going to the expense of reprinting the menus for something that bad!!

[twinkle]

Jamie - could it just be that they burnt it?

re. whether the dressing was vegan - do you ask your servers to look at the ingredients normally or do you just guess based on the descriptions? Cos if they told you it was vegan and then you had doubts that's a bit crappy.

[Jamie]

actually I thought it was on the vegan list on the website, but now I go and check, it's actually not! I'm doing rubbish lately I must have just seen it on the menu and assumed it must be. There is 'side salad with dressing' on the vegan list though so the dressing might have been ok. As for asking - I've always had the veggieburger and chips everytime I've been before (it's the only reason I go!) so I've not needed to ask... usually we find a table, and I sit there to mind it while my hubby goes and orders the food. It was daft of me not to think of asking, I just got confused. I didn't ask later about the dressing because the eating area is miles away from where the staff are... and I was just going to leave the salad and eat the spud.

They might have burnt it, it was really odd - like they'd scaped it off the bottom of the oven after leaving it in there for a week while cooking meat over it... I couldn't stand it.

And the spud itself wasn't the nicest fellow I'd seen... I think I'll end up sticking the burger, which I love! And onion rings. Those are both on the list!

[EFCliz]

I wrote to Wethersppons recently with a few enquiries. I thought people might like to know what they said. I asked about the curry club. Basically the mushroom dopiaza is not vegan but the dhaal masala is. However, they say that the nan breads aren't. I've written to them again and asked them to clarify because on the website it says that they are. I also suggested that on the normal menu they swap the mushroom dopiaza for the dhaal masala so that they have an extra vegan option apart from on curry nights.

Also, they have some vegan wines. The only one that is available in all pubs is the Fetzer Syrah Rose. In some pubs they have Macon Lugny Jadot, Etchart Malbec and Bonterra Chardonnay. Also all of their champagnes are vegan.

[Jamie]

gosh it's a bit worrying when they are giving conflicting info like that!

[Gorilla]

i haven't been to a Wetherspoon for ages, i used to like them but i don't really trust them any more.

[emzy1985]

It's funny you should mention Whetherspoons burger being vegan cuz when I went into the one in Stevenage the other day the bar tender actually had a list of what was and wasn't vegan/vegetarian etc. (Was impressed!!!) But to my dissapointment....there were no vegan options. Please correct me if I'm wrong cuz I loved eating in there with my friends!!!

[RedWellies]

The last time I contacted Wetherspoons, they said the website had the correct information. Some pubs' lists were incorrect. I would have thought those lists should have been updated by now!

[Cumin]

I wrote to Wethersppons recently with a few enquiries. I thought people might like to know what they said. I asked about the curry club. Basically the mushroom dopiaza is not vegan but the dhaal masala is. However, they say that the nan breads aren't. I've written to them again and asked them to clarify because on the website it says that they are. I also suggested that on the normal menu they swap the mushroom dopiaza for the dhaal masala so that they have an extra vegan option apart from on curry nights.

Also, they have some vegan wines. The only one that is available in all pubs is the Fetzer Syrah Rose. In some pubs they have Macon Lugny Jadot, Etchart Malbec and Bonterra Chardonnay. Also all of their champagnes are vegan.

Did you ever get a reply about the nan bread ? I notice it's still listed as vegan on their website.

[Ruby Rose]

How could they possibly be making naan bread vegan? I can't believe for a minute they're using soya yoghurt. Hmm. I'm really suspicious about their vegan-friendly list now.

[Cumin]

yes- I was wondering about that. Mind you - I'm sure it's possible , even without yoghurt.

[Pob]

Well Sainsbury sell vegan naan bread, so it's definitely possible.

Maybe they just happen to buy it from the same manufacturers...

[alisont]

Last Wetherspoons burger i had was def vegan, it seems to depend on the branch/staff as to how much vegan info they have!

The nearest one to me have not a clue over which curry club items are ok but the Brum pub staff were v helpful checking lists and pointing out vegan beer knowledge too!

[BlackCats]

I have had vegetable burger in wetherspoons loads of times but never tried anything else because I thought that was only things I could have. It def didn't have cheese in it. Its only really there and Pizza Express that I have eaten apart from chips or jackets in cafes and pubs.

[emzy1985]

Hmm I think I'm gonna have to do some indepth research on this cuz online everyone is telling me it's vegan and ITRW people are saying it's not.

[RedWellies]

Cumin had indepth conversations with Wetherspoon's head office. They stated absolutely that the burgers are vegan. I eat them and I wouldn't if I didn't believe them.

[Linxie]

Does anyone know if Wetherspoon's nachos are vegan if you order them with out cheese and sour cream!?

[Cumin]

Linxie, I think you're going to need to call them yourself for that one as it would not be on their list.
Otherwise - Look here for answers to questions about JDW food.

[Nadine]

Bad news folks, Wetherspoons veggie burgers definitely contain cheese. I was with a few vegans yesterday and unfortunately we ordered them. They tasted a bit suspect so I asked the barstaff who confirmed that they had cheese in them! Grrr.

[Risker]

Having worked at a wetherspoons I really don't think that the barstaff are privvy to that information. Are you sure that the member of staff wasn't just assuming it?

I seriously doubt there is cheese in them - especially as I ate one recently.

[Nadine]

I do think they also looked(there were stringy melted cheese looking bits inside the burger) & tasted like they had cheese in them as did my vegan friend. I have had their veggie burger before & the flavour has changed. The section of their website that says what is vegan also seems to be down at the moment. I've sent a query to their website and will let you know if they respond.

[Risker]

Works ok for me and still says they're vegan. Maybe they ran out and bought some veggie burgers from a nearby supermarket?

[BlackCats]

OK - I just went to Wetherspoons and ordered veggie burger my friend asked if I had cheese in it now and two staff said 'no' but when I cut it open it definitely does look like cheese. I didn't eat it just in case. Maybe it isn't cheese I took small bite but couldn't tell?

It says 'New' by Veg burger so I assumed they have changed the burgers - so annoying.
Maybe it isn't cheese I don't know if I'm getting paranoid by reading this thread but definitely is a different burger from before.

[Cumin]

Spoken to them on the phone just now. The new ones have cheese :-(

[RedWellies]

Oh bloody hell!!! Time for some complaints I think!!

[veganbikerboy]

definatley time to complain as their website says 'new' veggie burger but still says its vegan.

on the bright side i notice there are now a couple of curries that are vegan, i'm sure before it was only some of the side dishes.

[BlackCats]

AARGH - I just had bite of cheese then! (It tasted weird like washing up liquid or something.)
So annoying! - that was my staple 'I can join in with omnivore world sometimes dish'.

[alisont]

I nearly had one Sat but the 45 min wait for food put me off, thats really annoyed me (refrains from swearing) They seem to be the only pub chain to have a vegan burger on offer. We do go from work as its the only pub i can eat in and im due to take students on summer scheme twice

I think as many of us need to hassle/email wetherspoons it cant be that hard to change things round (thinking of the mars bar issue veggie power got that one swapped round?)

I will email to complain and if no reply will ring.

Off to warn others on other vegan forums - need to make sure others dont eat any by accident

[Gorilla]

i'm going to email them and complain too.

[Poison Ivy]

I've e-mailed a complaint to them I hope they take some notice of us on this.

[Risker]

I've sent a note from the comments box on the page that says what's suitable for vegans. I'm sure I sent them a message from there before though and never received a response.

[Troutina]

ARG!!!
How annoying!!
Deffo time to complain, its the only place I can eat cheaply with my friends without it being a salad!

Last time I ate there, me and a friend both ordered veggie burgers.
When they came, she was given a FISH burger!!!

[sugarmouse]

Seripusly!! I would have been pi$$ed! What did you say!?

[Troutina]

Seripusly!! I would have been pi$$ed! What did you say!?

Well she didn't go mental- I told her she should have done, but she just made the point that she ordered a VEGGIE burger, and this was FISH!

[Pob]

My partner Toni had one recently and said it smelt and tasted cheesy so she left it and just ate the chips.

I hope no-one with a milk allergy gets ill from them.

I filled in the web form - is there a proper email contact?

[Pob]

I notice that the veggie burger is now off the vegan list.

[BlackCats]

I filled in the feedback bit to complain and I said I wanted a response - if I don't hear anything I will probably call them.
I asked them if they would consider bringing back old style burgers as well.

[scoultas]

Also left a comment via their feedback form. Here's hoping that (like Sainsbury) if they realise how many people appreciated the previous burger they'll bring it back!

[Geeni]

Another complaint lodged - fingers crossed!!!

[Troutina]

I was reluctant to fill in the formal complaints form, because they wanted so many details- they don't need my address and phone number, just my email address is fine! I filled in the form at the end of the 'vegan' list, which hopefully will get through to them.

[BlackCats]

I know I noticed that - I didn't want to give my phone number either. I'm sure they won't call me to discuss it so why do they need it?

[EFCliz]

I ate one on Teusday after looking at the website to check, so on Tuesday this week it was still saying they were vegan. When it came it did seem a bit cheesy but I trusted the website and there was nothing else I could eat anyway.

Have sent a VERY strongly worded letter.

[!!]

this is most dissapointing, i am in the process of complaining too.

[RachelJune]

I just sent my rather stroppy complaint, althought I've never actually trusted Wetherspoons enough to eat there. We did pop in a little while ago but, given the conflicting info posted on this thread, decided it wasn't worth the risk - I'm so glad I went with my instincts now.

After the success with Sainsburies, I reckon the more of us that bombard Wetherspoons with complaints the more likely we are to get their attention.

[cobweb]

I'm like that, RJ - just cannot trust eating places on the whole . I occasionally buy chips from a place that says they are vegan friendly but i get a horrible aftertaste and could swear it's an 'animal-fatty' thing . Tend to eat only what I make now unless it's from a reputable company

[philfox]

is this the vegetable burger or the spicy bean burger? neither are on the website as vegan. i was contemplating going there on thursday (during the day, so not curry club time) i think i'll go to a tapas place in stead. they actually label their stuff. i've also emialed wetherspoons for being so complicated. i dont see why they cant list stuff on the menu as vegan if they can list stuff as low fat, or what not for other people

last time i went i also realised there wasn't even a vegetarian salad!

[Pob]

The vegetable burger was listed on the website as vegan up till a couple of days ago, philfox. I presume they corrected the list after the complaints from us lot. It was vegan until they changed the recipe and added cheese.

[philfox]

i see. i think the ones near us only has a bean burger last time i was in (which i ate after ready the veggie burger was ok on their site, confusing the veggie and the spicy bean burger)
i think i'll stop frequenting so many chain pubs as they make my head hurt >.<