Wetherspoons is renowned for its great deals on food and drink - from paninis, to pizzas, curries and fish and chips. But according to a former employee, there are some items you should avoid if you're after good value for money.
An ex-Bristol Wetherspoons worker claims customers aren't getting bang for their buck when they order cocktail pitchers or premium burgers. Robert Kivits, 23, used to work at his local Spoons in Bristol when he was a student.
In the two years he worked there he climbed his way through the ranks to become a supervisor in charge of new staff. He realised some of the 'deals' people go for don't actually save you much money and they can even end up spending more, reports the Mirror.
Also read: Bristol Arena: All we know about plans for venue as Queen play 'incredible' gig
Burgers are a popular option but Robert says this is where you can start to lose out on the money front. The Gourmet option, which is around £6.80 with a soft drink or £8.10 with an alcoholic one.
Robert told the Sun: “Premium burgers cost more - but usually the only difference is cheese, bacon and sauce. Go for a classic and add on the toppings.”
Robert said he used to add bacon to a classic burger to keep his costs down when eating at the chain. This costs around £1.05 - which would mean you would be paying £6.20 with a soft drink, or £7.50 with booze.
When it comes to pitchers, he said: “Customers think you can’t go wrong with a pitcher, and used to rave about how great they were. But if you just drink normal spirits instead, you’d end up saving money and drinking the same amount of alcohol.”
Although prices vary between branches, pitchers usually cost around £6.99 with each jug containing only two double shots in it. So if there are two of you are sharing, you’d be better off ordering a double shot and mixer instead, which will cost around £3.20 each - a saving of 59p.
It comes after a former Wetherspoons worker revealed the trick staff use to get punters to spend more money. Sophia Nasif, who used to work there full time, explained that when she poured someone a spirit and mixer, she used to offer them a “double” before offering a “single”.
This apparently tempts those buying drinks into opting for the double - and the trick has been backed by psychologists who specialise in consumer behaviour. Sophia said on Channel 5’s Wetherspoons: How Do They Do It?: “You say the word double so it sticks in their head first. It worked most of the time because most of the time people would go ‘do you know, why not? I’ll have a double then’.”
Psychologist Kate Nightingale added: “You are going for the easiest, fastest solution, that’s how your brain is designed. If you are asking them, double first makes it so much easier for the brain to quickly choose that first option.”
Want our best stories with fewer ads and alerts when the biggest news stories drop? Download our app on iPhone or Android
