Anyone of a certain age who endured long hours on travelling on motorways will remember the joys of a Little Chef restaurant.
Maybe you were a kid sitting in the back of a hot car on a long drive to or from a family holiday. If so, the relief and excitement knowing you were soon to pull over into a Little Chef restaurant was indescribable.
At their peak, their were 439 Little Chefs dotted along Britain's motorways and A-roads but now, sadly, there are none. Inspired by American roadside diners, the very first Little Chef opened in 1958 on Oxford Road in Reading and had just 11 seats.
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The 1970s saw massive expansion and growth of the restaurant chain throughout the UK. In and around Merseyside, Little Chefs popped up in Bebington, Eastham, Haydock, Knutsford, Maghull, Whiston and Burtonwood.
The restaurant chain became famous for their Olympic Breakfasts, which was their take on a full English, as well as its Early Starter and Jubilee Pancakes. Other popular options on the extensive menu included sirloin steak, toasted sandwiches, and even a dedicated children's menu with choices like crispy fish fingers and French fried potatoes.
The restaurant's classic menu is still fondly remembered, as is its tradition of providing complimentary newspapers to guests. In 2021, a thread appeared on social news website Reddit asking for people's memories of Little Chef.
Blaw_Weary said: "It was a huge, huge treat that only happened on birthdays or when we drove down south to Pontins." Dpr60 said they went to Little Chef to "marvel at the carpet" and worship the breakfast, adding: "It was a temple to the glorious fry up, especially when you’re hungover."
Ellienagain also reminisced: "There was one that overlooked the sea about half way from my house to my grandmother’s so we would stop there on our way home. I remember having gammon steak or American pancakes. Fun times."
Frusciantifango said: "Yeah...I think I used to get the 'Space Chef's Grill' as a kid. Seem to remember the fried bread being literally a deep fried slice of bread and I loved it."
Oblongunreal said: "Yeah, on the way to Cornwall on holidays. Good memories."
While Gohugatree posted: "Rare occasions, a very special treat. I always wanted to try their cherry pancake with ice cream but I was never allowed… I determined that when I grew up I would go and order one. But they went bust before then, I was fated to never try their cherry pancake."
The restaurant chain's success continued into the 1980s when its parent company acquired its only major roadside competitor, the Happy Eater. By the late 1990s, all the Happy Eater restaurants had been converted into Little Chefs and at its peak, there were 439 Little Chef restaurants serving hungry motorists across the UK.
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However, in the early 2000s the restaurant's fortunes started to decline. Too rapid expansion plus the conversion of single carriageway A-roads into dual carriageways were said to be part of the blame.
Compared to its 1990s peak, by 2005 the chain had lost almost half its locations. In 2007 the business entered into administration and marked out a further 41 restaurants for closure.
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To help secure the future of the business, the company took a gamble in 2009 and hired one of the world's most acclaimed chefs, Heston Blumenthal, to revamp the dated menu at some of its restaurants. Out went the greasy breakfasts and in came new dishes including ox cheeks and breakfast options such as strawberry and orange flowerwater yoghurt.
Blumenthal also added a twist to fish-and-chips by serving the dish with a small bottle containing essence of pickled onion, so diners could replicate the 'smell of the chippy'. The top chef also brought in a team to bring the restaurant's decor, styled on classic diners, up to date.
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The low-hanging lampshades, carpets and curtains were replaced by shiny floors and sophisticated chrome finishes. By 2013, the owners of the chain decided the revamped menu wasn't popular with customers and so reverted to bringing back Little Chef's classics, replacing Blumenthal's creations on the menu - which was entitled: "Goodbye ox cheeks, hello egg and chips!"
Do these awaken any memories for you? Let us know in the comments section below.
However, no amount of tinkering with the menu or decor could save the roadside restaurant chain. In early 2017, its owners Kout Food Group sold most of its remaining 70 locations to Euro Garages who converted the restaurants into partner franchises such as Starbucks, Subway and Greggs, while other locations were sold to McDonald's.
By the end of October 2018, all remaining Little Chef restaurants had closed and been converted into new franchises. Despite Little Chef's demise, there is still a lot of love for the lost roadside stop off.
