Very disappointed today, I got up on the computer re the earlybird menu, it said £4.99 + unlimited salad, but it did not say any particular Harvester , so fine I thought I have not got much money , but we had to go over to High Wycombe for something, so we popped into the Blacksmiths arms (Harvester), sat down and shock horror £7.49 , I queried it and they said the price is different in all Harvesters , WHY? it is very deceiving , it should be a fixed price in all Harvesters, I was too tired and hungry to up lift a go elsewhere, but we just had the meal, could not afford a drink or even to give a dip, I await your reply from Jacqueline Diamond.

I visited the Harvester in Hambrook, Bristol and whilst my wife's food was OK, my meal was very poor.

I ordered the salmon, and as soon as it was served to the table I instinctively knew that I shouldn't eat it, but should have asked for it to be taken away. Unfortunately for me I didn't, and suffered the consequences later in the evening, and for some time after.

I've never felt able to trust Harvester food again, and certainly don't see that changing anytime soon.

Went to the one at Lowerstoft couple of weeks back as we had another holiday, food was excellent as before

The Harvester on Rogue was the one closest to us in Bromley, obviously not been there since....

Was alot better when 1/3 off all meals before 6.30pm, potions were bigger and more choice. Been going frequently for 8 years, gone twice since the menu change & wont go back! Small portions and more expensive than before. Very disappointing!

Why cant you compare it with other pubs, when thinking about where to go for a meal as a family cost comes into it, if i got the same 1/2 chicken my local pub its £9.99, compared to that its a hell of a deal and there is no free salad at my local either !

Just because something has been on offer for ages dosent mean that it shouldnt be mentioned, its 353 now so people appreciate it.

Surely you cannot compare with other pubs! Harvester is not really a pub - more of a drinks with food chain. Compare it to last week's price at Harvester or last month's price or even last year's price and it is the same price (before 18.30) so it should not be described as a deal. It's a pretty good price compared to elsewhere and many seem to appreciate the meals there - most on this forum seem to have eaten there before so you are very much in the minority in not knowing about it. Perhaps it's not been on HUKD before.

A fiver for a meal is a deal compare that to other pubs ! , im also making people aware , i didnt know about the deal before i went on holiday and others might not know so im bringing it to there attention, people will vote hot or cold and its up to 330+ now so people must appreciate it

It is less than the usual price, it goes up at 18:30

but what about this bit?

im pretty sure they didn't film every restaurant and only found 3 where this was happening, in fact i doubt they filmed in more than 5 restaurants which makes it a 60% hit rate!!

and you shouldnt vote this cold cos its always been this price. Its still a deal which many might not have known about.

this deal has been on for like 3 years....

I did read your post properly. You appeared to form the consensus that because the programme showed a couple of branches that had failings, that they are all pretty similar, which contradicts the part I've highlighted.

Thing is, food poisoning can be contracted from something you ate up to 7 days previous, with some other gastric illnesses being longer.

Fact remains that you can't single one thing out without it being verified by a proper microbiological sample - tying it up to the food you consumed.

The doctor is only speculating and should have offered to take a sample from you.

it was filmed undercover...

and if you read my post properly, i did not say it was company policy to serve food after it had been on the floor - the key word in brackets is "except"...

and like i said, i don't believe what they showed in the programme happens in every branch, but for it to happen in 3 (or was it more?) makes it a regular occurrance... im pretty sure they didn't film every restaurant and only found 3 where this was happening, in fact i doubt they filmed in more than 5 restaurants which makes it a 60% hit rate!!

ouch!

hhmmm, a fiver for a spitroast ... the wife will be pleased :w00t:

it was either there or from the cereal i had in the morning as that was the only thing i ate that day, the doctor i saw that evening said it was more than likely food poisoning.

Thanks I might check that out. :thumbsup:

I used to love the service 2 years ago and I only went for a big treat when I had the spear cash. I went to one a couple of weeks ago in Reddich and the service there was rubbish. The table was dirty it took over 10min to ask for a drink and another 10min to get the drink, I ordered the mixed grill the meals wasn’t like how it used to be and the salad bar didnt taste fresh. Unless it was just that Harvester that I went to I really miss how it used to be. :cry:

It definitely was Harvester on Rogue Restaurants, I remember watching it just before my girlfriend & I went to lunch at our local Harvester :smiley: Yeah it was pretty bad (floor was filthy with oil so the "chefs" were sliding about all over the place), but I can't imagine that they are all like that!! Our local always has great food and I would go back anytime.

Are you a glutton for punishment? :-D

I don't like the changed menu. I wanted to have the old menu. I don't know why they changed it. C**p!

Trouble is you can have a problem anywhere you go, you never know whats going on behind the scenes.

Now they have been on TV it makes them more determined to sort out any problems and not have it happen again , if it hadnt been expossed then it would have carried on as normal, it was the management that was to blame they know what was happening but didnt do anything.

Actually it was Yates not Wetherspoons.

that program was shot undercover so they didn't know trhey were being filmed.

i personally would not eat in a Harvester again, I have had wire in my food in one in Romford, got food poisoning from one at Benfleet and had the worst service ever at one in Rayleigh (was left standing for ages at the desk "greeted" by a mumbling sour faced bint who sat us down then ignored us for 20mintues at which point we left)

I dunno if I'd agree the drinks are cheap, but I like Harvester on the whole.

We love the Harvester (in Cheltenham) - my husband and I ate there a few weeks ago on the early bird special and the bill came to just under £20 for a 3 course meal (if you call the salad a starter) and a drink each. I always have kickin garlic chicken and rocky horror for desert - yum!

Incidentally, I have never ever had an upset tummy from the harvester and have been going there for many years - not that I'm saying others haven't but it's our place of choice these days due to the speedy service and variety.

i wouldn't ever go to a harvester again since seeing several of their branches on "rogue restaurants"...

their processes and procedures for hygiene were truly shocking...

it wasn't a case of it being just one or two bad branches in the chain, they were following the standard company wide procedures (apart from when they dropped an entire rack of cooked chicken on the floor and continued to serve it!) which apparently are followed by all the other chains.

A nice price maybe... but what is the real price in terms of risk to your health?

:w00t: The vegetarians are totally spoilt for choice !

nope, 100% certain harvester was on there... rogue restaurants was a series so the spoons one probably came in a different episode.. they also hate yates' in a different episode

this deal has been running for a few years very big ferdy.

Harvester is wicked! Great value, always going to our local when we can't be bothered with cooking after a long day at work!

One thing though - The corn on the cobs seem to have been shrunk in the wash... they are very bad, they are so small... hehe only a minor issue though ;-)

When we went there a few months ago with the 2 month old baby, the service was very slow for some reason, isn't always that way though, and the earlybird offers good value.

One gripe though, is that the salad bar at Hillington is very basic compared to a Harvester we ate in down near Solihull.

Its been like this for a looooooooooooooooooooooooooong time.

First of all they got rid of virtually everything from the bar menu so that you had to eat in at the main restaurant (which is a pain if you're doing your lunch hour).

They then changed the menu (very good now that Fish & Chips is £4.99.

Now, because a lot of people decided not to go to Harvester because they got rid of food from the pub section, they're reintroduced it there!!! HaHa!!!

AMO

Old deal - always £4.99 and, from my experience, terribly poor quality food served by harassed staff offering poor service. Glad to hear that my experience is not common - nevertheless, I will not be going back. Cold from me, I'm afraid, as it is not a new deal (i.e. it is always this price at this time).

Went to the one in Redbourn on Sunday - 2 adults, 1 child = £22 and that included main meals and puds..... service was excellent and the food was really nice. It's nice to have somewhere to go that does what it says on the tin!

I've always found the Fish to be superb. As good as a chippie. Shame the chips come out the oven though. Considering a large cod in my chippie is £3.70 alone then £4.95 is a steal.

Trouble is I;m sometimes full up from the salad bar before the main arrives lol

While the food at Harvester is nothing to shout about, it isn't bad - and it is a fairly child friendly restaurant (particularly during the EarlyBird). I find the service to be very good at our local Harvester - all older ladies who understand parents & childrens needs. The food is nothing to write home about, but the kids enjoy it - and the price is right.

you sure that was harvester? The rogue restaurants focused on wetherspoons which we all know is shocking for quality, hygiene and service.

Only experience of Harvester with the Salad Bar was in Perth. Great food, really really nice. Good to see a Pub Chain try and be healthy too, with not every meal coming with a portion of chips.

Would have no hesitation in eating at Harvester again. However, you do find with these cheaper deals you get a meal that is smaller or of less quality than the standard meal.

i go on a regular basis-staff and food fantastic :thumbsup:

have you been to a harvester before ?

When we are on holiday we always go to the Lowestoft Harvester and I can concur that it is lovely!

There is a voucher knocking around for a FREE sundae too!

Staff are lovely and food excellent! There are 3 of us and we have a main, salad bar, drink and pudding for around £22

PP
xx

Went to a Harvester recently and had a The Original Combo, portions are getting smaller and smaller each time I go, was only given a small chicken leg. Complained and it came back slightly bigger, not impressed this time! :x

I used to work there, loved the place - it instilled my passion for chargrilled food lol, so much so we've a bbq grill just outside my kitchen door and cook on it most nights :smiley: I still remmeber how to make the savoury mushrooms

went there about three weeks ago with the family. food was lovely and plentiful ...... definately recommended:thumbsup:

They trimmed down the earlybird menu slightly a while ago , when they extended it to 7 days, and being 6' 4" used to love the mixed grill, which was not only very tasty, but a good size, unfortunately no longer included :cry:

Maybe I could order 2 meals instead?, only joking! Seriously I don't think I've had a bad meal in my local harvesters yet, usually 'The Fountain' in Milton Keynes, although I do have to be careful not to bang my head on the low ceilings lol!.The earlybird offers great value, and gives you the chance to enjoy a nice meal out with the family, in usually very pleasant surroundings, and for not much more than you'd probably pay for a cr*p takeaway.Good menu choice, and of course the 'make as many trips as you like ' salad bar, and bread rolls are also included in the price.

Thanks for the reminder! :thumbsup:

I guess some places will have there problems , it was extremely busy where we went but only waited 20 max mins which was good

Couldnt beleive how big the gammon steak was it was massive :smiley:

Harvesters round here are JANK food is carp, service is terrible

sorry but the harvester in perth has to be the worst one i have ever been to sat for 45 mins no drinks order taken or food order had our 3 kids with us just walked out but cant falt the food so nice

Aye service at the one in Hillington, Glasgow we went to was great. :thumbsup:

Has been this price for a long time, nice reminder, good food at the harvester. Great service too.

http://www.harvester.co.uk/our-menus/earlybird-menu.html

We went to the one in Lowerstoft and ate there 5 nights while on holiday, the food was excellent , im pretty sure all harvesters will be this good, let me know !

£4.99 Menu...

The Original Spitroast
Half a freshly spitroasted chicken lightly seasoned and served with crisp,
seasoned fries, corn on the cob and our delicious barbecue dip.

Simply Chicken
A succulent flame-grilled breast of chicken served with a jacket potato
and garden peas.

Gammon Steak
Served with crisp, seasoned fries, garden peas, a grilled half tomato and your
choice of a grilled fresh pineapple ring or two fried eggs.

Kickin’ Garlic Chicken
Half a freshly spitroasted chicken drizzled with a buttery, roasted garlic sauce
with a feisty chilli kick. Served with crisp, seasoned fries and corn on the cob.

Simply Pasta (V)
Wholewheat penne pasta in a rich tomato sauce, served with garlic bread on
the side. To make this meal really healthy let us know and we’ll leave off the
garlic bread.

Fish, Chips & Peas
Chunky battered fish served with crisp, seasoned fries and garden peas.

The Harvester® Burger
100% flame-grilled beef burger topped with Emmental cheese. Served with
sliced tomato, iceberg lettuce and mayonnaise in a soft white bread bun with
crisp, seasoned fries.

Hot Piri Piri Spitroast Chicken
Half a freshly spitroasted chicken drizzled with spicy Piri Piri sauce.
Served with crisp, seasoned fries and corn on the cob.

Bourbon BBQ Glazed Spitroast
Half a freshly spitroasted chicken drizzled with our own recipe barbecue sauce.
Served with crisp, seasoned fries and corn on the cob.

Mesquite Chicken Burger
A succulent flame-grilled chicken breast dusted with a smoky,
spicy Mesquite seasoning. Served in a soft white bread bun with
crisp, seasoned fries

£5.99 menu

Totally Stuffed Mushrooms (V)

Open mushrooms stuffed with delicious blue Shropshire cheese and
cherry tomato risotto. Served with buttered baby potatoes, garden
peas and grilled tomato.

The Original Combo
A quarter of freshly spitroasted chicken and a half rack of flame-grilled
ribs. Served with crisp, seasoned fries, corn on the cob and our classic
barbecue dip.

Chicken ‘N’ Mash
Great any day of the week! Half a spitroasted chicken, served with fresh
mash, rich gravy and peas.

Simply Pasta with a Cajun Blackened Chicken Breast
A succulent Cajun blackened chicken breast on a bed of wholewheat
penne pasta in a rich tomato sauce, served with garlic bread on the side.

Scampi & Chips
Crunchy breaded scampi served with crisp, seasoned fries and garden peas.

Barbecue Chicken & Bacon
Flame-grilled sweetcured bacon steak and Emmental cheese served in a
chicken breast, with Hickory smoked barbecue sauce. Served with hot buttered
baby potatoes and garden peas.

Bacon Burger
Our beef burger topped with a flame-grilled, sweetcured bacon steak and
Emmental cheese. Served with sliced tomato, iceberg lettuce and mayonnaise
in a soft white bread bun with crisp, seasoned fries.

8oz Rump Steak £7.99
An 8oz prime cut of rump steak, specially trimmed to our exacting
specifications and grilled just the way you like it. Served with crisp,
seasoned fries, garden peas and a grilled half tomato.