A pub landlord hit back after a punter claimed its breakfast came with frozen butter and wet toast.
The Roebuck pub on Garstang Road brands itself as a family and dog-friendly brewery chain, known for its traditional British cuisine.
Its website said: "The team at the Roebuck are passionate about our food menu so you can relax and enjoy our quality dishes and great service at this fantastic venue" - so a scathing TripAdviser review left by one diner did not go down well.
The reviewer, named only as David, touched on some specific details that he claimed ruined his experience at the pub.
He wrote: "We had the misfortune to stay at the Premier Inn next door and this was our nominated refreshment stop. No food available at all Thursday night and Friday mornings breakfast was utterly awful.
"Lukewarm teas and delightful instant coffee!, and the worst poached eggs I’ve ever encountered. Accompanied by frozen butter and wet toast. My wife’s choice was no better. It’s a sad day when the highlight is a box of Frosties. The 'chef' should be ashamed. A real shame."
Shortly after the review was posted online, the managers of the pub decided to respond to David's complaints. They wrote: "I have to say I am a little perplexed by your review of the breakfast you received during your visit.
"Given the level of dissatisfaction I would of expected to of spoken to you at the time of your visit being the duty manager on shift that day. Butter is kept in the fridge not the freezer, and I am even more confused about the “wet toast” comment?
"Unfortunately we are not a Whitbread site and therefore do not have the Costa coffee machines enjoyed by those sites. I would greatly appreciate it if you would contact me directly in this matter to discuss further."
The Roebuck is rated four out of five on the review site with a total 1,145 reviews. Of those comments left, nearly 800 people rated the pub as either 'Excellent' or 'Very Good'.
Some of the more recent reviews left praised the team for their food and service. One person wrote: "We were on the way to Heysham to catch the ferry but we were a little early so decided to pop in for breakfast, been here a few years ago and remember having a great meal.
"The lady that served us, Ann was brilliant and looked after us very well. Will definitely call again when passing."
Another person wrote: "Visited Bank Holiday Monday on the way up to the Lake District. We were staying at the Premier Inn and decided on the full cooked breakfast here. Needed to book a time - not a problem which meant we were served very quickly.
"I have to say it’s one of the best breakfasts we’ve had for a while. I chose the vegetarian option while hubby had the standard cooked breakfast. We were greeted warmly on arrival and shown to our table. Everything was clean and well laid out. The breakfast arrived quickly and was piping hot - nothing was too much trouble for the friendly staff.
"I would have no hesitation in recommending The Roebuck for breakfast - just need to make sure you book a table/time. The only downside was the lack of filter coffee but this did not mar our experience at all."
