Bar News

I think Burger and Lobster could struggle a bit in Cardiff. Their proposition is simple - things cost £20. That means £20 for a burger, or for a lobster. Now, I think £20 for a Lobster is decent-value. At the high end of the Cardiff pricing, and the market for anything costing £20 is going to be quite limited in the city I imagine. But I think most people would scoff at £20 for a Burger - however wonderful. Most Londoners would do so too - notice their restaurants are in places not known for people who need to be careful with their money - the City, Farringdon, Mayfair and Knightsbridge - or those too drunk to care - Soho.

I think they'd have to adjust their pricing for Cardiff. £15 for a burger tops. And £20 for lobster. Would that undermine the business model though which must clearly rely on some cross-subsidisation for burgers to lobsters?

I think Burger and Lobster could struggle a bit in Cardiff. Their proposition is simple - things cost £20. That means £20 for a burger, or for a lobster. Now, I think £20 for a Lobster is decent-value. At the high end of the Cardiff pricing, and the market for anything costing £20 is going to be quite limited in the city I imagine. But I think most people would scoff at £20 for a Burger - however wonderful. Most Londoners would do so too - notice their restaurants are in places not known for people who need to be careful with their money - the City, Farringdon, Mayfair and Knightsbridge - or those too drunk to care - Soho.

I think they'd have to adjust their pricing for Cardiff. £15 for a burger tops. And £20 for lobster. Would that undermine the business model though which must clearly rely on some cross-subsidisation for burgers to lobsters?

Any restaurant who can not be bothered to produce a proper website with menus will not get my business. I thought the restaurant sounded good and was looking forward to it, i am not now!

Any restaurant who can not be bothered to produce a proper website with menus will not get my business. I thought the restaurant sounded good and was looking forward to it, i am not now!

As I understand it, that is the menu, a burger, or a lobster. Both £20, nothing else.
(Well, apart from the drinks)

Edit:

Can't see that catching on, to be honest. I'm sure they've done their homework, but I can't see £20/burger & chips being too attractive when there's so much better competition around. Some of the Brains pubs can serve excellent value for money.

Despite being a chain, many of the pubs have a completely unique character. 33 Windsor Place is pretty much Cardiff's best kept secret for a decent shopping late lunch, it serves excellent quality food for a city centre chain pub, is quiet, friendly and comfortable. Even if you prefer the more commercialised, noisy, plastic enviirnoments, it's not like Cardiff isn't served by the usual Café Rouge, Gourmet Burger, Waga Mamma's, etc. practically every couple of yards - and it won't cost you £20 for a measly burger at any of those.

Just 1 burger to choose from? Does it even have cheese? If it at least has 2 burger options for cheese or no cheese, then they would need a menu otherwise how would you know?

IMHO The Urban Taphouse do the best burgers in Cardiff and you could have two of theirs for £20 and still have change for a mucky magazine!

From my own experience and that of friends, people tend to go here for the novelty or for a special occasion. Most people also go for lobster for obvious reasons. Whatever we think, we shoukd be glad its coming to cardiff and, as someone has said, they must have done their homework!

No novelty in being ripped off by trendy eateries. Seriously, though, I agree they sell a lot more lobsters than burgers. But as to having done their homework, so did the last twenty restaurants and shops that have opened and closed within a year in Cardiff.

Craft beer write up from the Guardian http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/oct/14/top-10-craft-beer-pubs-cardiff-wales

Little O'Neil's in Trinity Street to become a Nicholsons pub. This looks like an M&B corporate brand with most of their Nicholsons venues in London and south east with a few in Scotland as well. Story here -

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/f ... ed-7927447

Not sure if this is a positive. O'Neils is a cod Oirish brand dreamt up by a bunch of suits in an office in Birmingham with each venue bedecked in vaguely Irish but ultimately meaningless tat. The whole concept is vaguely offensive. However I do actually like that pub as it is. Not sure a change to what appears to be a Ye Olde English chop house style brand represents an improvement.