Toby Carvery Norton Canes — Restaurant in Cannock Chase

Popped in for a quick bite to eat at about 5pm, It wasn't particularly busy when we arrived but they had a few tables reserved, it was a toss up between here, Walsall or Dudley as it was the same distance for all three but Norton Canes had the better reviews so we chose there. Service when we walked in was great, we were greeted warmly and seated promptly. However at the door was a member of the kitchen team in an incredibly dirty jacket who had clearly never heard of an apron holding a baby...probably not the most hygienic thing in the world.

When we went up to the deck the same guy who had been standing holding the baby at the front door was carving...i'll assume he washed his hands. Asked what we'd like and offered the upgrade which we said we'd have and had a mix of the meats, he then carved one thick slice of each meat. We then moved on to the veg, of which there were plenty of choices however they didn't look the most appetising as most of it was rather dry looking.

As I mentioned the meat was carved incredibly thick which isn't as bad for the turkey, gammon and pork but it is especially bad for the beef which was unfortunately carved a lot thicker than the others, I estimated about 12mm thick which as a result was incredibly tough and difficult to cut as well as eat so I did not eat it all in the end, the sausages were overcooked and the yorkshire puddings had clearly been there for a while as they were flat and doughy so would have benefitted from another minute in the oven to firm up...I ended up eating half of one. Stuffing wasn't very good, it had probably been sitting for a while but it was pretty tasteless. The vegetables weren't great, starting with the roast potatoes...they were not ruffled at all and had also clearly been reheated as they had developed a leathery surface on the outer part of the potato, just inside was moderately burnt and much of the potato had disintegrated...this only happens when you reheat a roast potato, there was also no seasoning on the roast potatoes which made them even less palatable. The cauliflower in the cauliflower cheese wasn't cooked and by that I don't mean that it was a bit al dente because i'm someone who likes their veg soggy, I like it with a bit of bite but i'd say that it was about a minute off being raw, no cheese on top with a bland sauce. Carrots weren't too bad. Sweetcorn was okay. Garden peas were dry as they had been sitting for a while, my partner couldn't quite put her finger on the texture but I said that it reminded me of when you make a pot noodle and the peas don't quite get covered in the water so you have a dry pea that's slightly soft but in a weird crunchy way. The macaroni cheese was also overcooked and dry but it was still pretty nice. The dauphinoise potato was the best thing on the plate. After we'd finished eating what we could a different server came and cleared our plates and asked as she was clearing them if we wanted to order desserts and we said we'd need a few minutes to decide and she said that she'd pop back in a few minutes, she didn't come back and we kept trying to grab her attention from the table but she didn't look over and it wasn't until she came to clear the table next to us that we just asked for the bill.

Overall a disappointing visit but we probably picked a poor time to come as I am assuming we got the dregs of the food from lunchtime service, I'm not sure if the carver was new but it wasn't a great look to have a guy serving in a dirty white chef jacket and i'm pretty sure M&B provide aprons. I used to make sure my carvery guys always had a couple of spare aprons so they at least always had a clean apron to change into if one got dirty as it looks better for guests and generally it's a good idea to carve your meat thinner and fan it across the plate so the plate seems more full and it's easier to eat. Service was great at the start but a bit rubbish at the end despite...

Approximately two months ago, my partner and I ordered a takeaway from Toby Carvery, enticed by their bold claim of being the "home of the roast." Regrettably, what we received was not a comforting, high quality meal but a culinary disaster I would not wish upon anyone.

We spent roughly £40 on two large roast dinners and a few sides, expecting a meal that would reflect the reputation and branding of a chain supposedly dedicated to perfecting the traditional roast. Instead, we were met with what can only be described as one of the most disappointing meals I have ever encountered.

Let us begin with the mashed potato. It was, quite frankly, atrocious. Lumpy, flavourless, and lacking the creamy texture one would expect, it genuinely made me question whether it was made from real potatoes or reconstituted instant mash. It seemed as though it had been half heartedly mashed no more than once or twice, leaving a grainy and unpleasant texture.

The meat was equally poor. The portions consisted predominantly of fat, with very little actual meat. What little meat there was lacked both flavour and moisture, making it nearly inedible. It felt as though no care or consideration had gone into its preparation.

The vegetables were no better. Poorly steamed to the point of being limp and watery, they lacked even the most basic seasoning, rendering them completely unappetising. To top it all off, the gravy—a vital component of any roast—was a watery, flavourless mess. It did nothing to elevate the meal, leaving everything tasting bland and uninspired.

The vegetarian option—a cheese and mushroom parcel—was, unbelievably, even worse. The inner filling had a gluey, wallpaper paste consistency that was as unappetising as it sounds. The flavour, if one could even call it that, was indescribable and not in a good way. It was a bizarre, off putting taste that seemed to come from nowhere and left an unpleasant aftertaste. It was a horrendous attempt at a vegetarian offering and left me questioning how it ever made it onto the menu.

Given that this order was placed midweek, I would have expected the kitchen to have ample time to prepare the meal with care and attention. This was not during a peak period, so there is no excuse for such a lacklustre offering.

Following this experience, I submitted a complaint via Toby Carvery’s online feedback form, hoping to address my concerns and request a refund. I had even taken photographs of the meal to illustrate its poor quality, yet my complaint was completely ignored. This lack of acknowledgement only deepened my disappointment and demonstrated a shocking disregard for customer service.

As a former Assistant Manager within the Mitchells and Butlers group (the parent company of Toby Carvery), I can categorically state that this level of quality and service would never have been acceptable in any of the establishments I managed. There is a standard of care and quality expected from a brand of this stature, and Toby Carvery failed to meet even the most basic expectations.

For anyone seeking a proper roast dinner, I would strongly recommend Newhall Farm or Shoal Hill Tavern instead. While they may be slightly more expensive, the quality is leagues above what Toby Carvery delivered. Paying a little extra guarantees a meal that is both satisfying and reflective of the effort put into its preparation.

In conclusion, Toby Carvery’s claim to be the “home of the roast” feels entirely hollow. My experience was an unmitigated failure in both food quality and customer service. I will not be returning, and I urge others to avoid wasting...

I miss my local Toby carvery used to eat there regularly until it closed permanently 😢, could never understand how such a busy, well liked place was shut down ! Anyway I was in the area of this T/C so me & my daughter thought it was fate we should be here so went in for a carvery, we expected it to be as good as it was at our old local T/C but we're left disappointed. I hate when someone comes over whilst im eating and asks "how is your food"? I'm stuck with saying it's ok so they go away or giving the long description of what's right and wrong with each item on my plate 🤔 and as it was a mostly 'wrong with list' I didn't feel like discussing it in earshot of other customers was appropriate. Anyway here goes.

1. Server at carvery was rude and not helpful, we stood there for a while before he acknowledged us, even though he had seen us, then he said right back and walked off somewhere leaving us stood waiting. I did my plate and at no point did he ask if either of us wanted extra yorkie or the sausages, which as my daughter doesn't eat potatoes or veg she would of appreciated to be given the option, he didn't even explain that you can add them as extras & pay more so my daughter asked me " can I have sausages "? To which I told her she can, I will pay extra so she added 2 to her plate. He didn't smile & wasn't very polite.
2. The roast potatoes were possibly the worst I've had, they were the same texture inside /outside, no crispiness to the exterior and tasted greasy ! They just weren't good at all, Yorkshire pudding was like rubber & the small amount of turkey was very very dry. If I hadn't been starving from not having dinner for 4 days I'd of left almost all of it. We were worried about ordering pudding but went for it and I can at least say thank God for the puddings they were both lovely, we both said we could of just eaten a couple of puddings each & not bothered with carvery if we'd known ot wasn't going to be nice. If I'm ever near here again I might come in just for the pudding. The lady that seated us and gave us our glasses and took our pudding order was the complete opposite of the man on the carvery, she smiled, & was polite. I don't understand how the price of a carvery goes up by so much just by adding 2 small sausages to the plate ?! At our local pub if you're having the larger option carvery it includes an extra yorkie, and pigs in blankets, aswell as the fact the plate is definitely bigger to fit more food on so making the extra on the price worth it, I think this should be looked at there at Toby Carvery, who wants to pay so much more just for 2 small sausages and not even an explanation about the price difference when my daughter asked about the sausages ! Very poor...