PizzaExpress — Restaurant in England

What a dismal experience!

Arrived at 6:25 for a booked table. The restaurant was busy and most tables occupied. Our drinks order was taken shortly followed by the food.

Having watched countless pizzas be boxed up and leave by crash helmet clad recipients, we began to wonder where ours was. An hour after arriving we noticed a kerfuffle by the servers. Transferring from one plate to another checking the bases etc. low and behold, it was our order! Not surprising really as by now the restaurant was only 2/3 full and everyone by now had eaten.

When we all eventually got our food, it was clear to see why they were checking the food. It was cold, inedible and substandard to what was expected.

I have been eating at Pizza Express’ for a long time, and at many different locations. It always been a safe bet for a quality pizza. With the Fiorentina the egg should be baked in the oven to the pizza, mine was clearly pan cooked as the bottom was crispy, like it had been added additionally after frying it. The raw slaw was just red cabbage and carrot, no sign of onion or white cabbage, so quite bland and dull. The additional red onion requested for the pizza toppings was uneven, randomly cut and looked like a year 5 cooking lesson in chopping vegetables had been done, most peculiar!

Eventually we caught a server, and explained the situation, she went and got the general manager. Almost immediately she offered 50% off the food. But stated that all diners are treated the same as takeaway, and are served within the hour? From experience, I have never had to wait an hour for a pizza, so not sure why the restaurant would treat diners so poorly, considering they are in front of the team and likely to tip?

For the first time ever I left food, as did everyone except my daughter, who normally eats pizza three days after we bought it. - so I can’t judge hers by any normal standards!

A thoroughly miserable experience and one we will not repeat there. I would suggest as other reviews have mentioned, they seem to prefer takeaway more than diners and so wonder if they should down size the restaurant and focus on...

Normally, in a Pizza Express, I go for the pizza and am rarely disappointed. Nice size and usually adequate toppings. Last time I went for the lasagne. Nicely layered, didn't collapse when cutting it, and tasted really good.

Today, though, at Tower Park, the lasagne choice left me underwhelmed. The pizzas came out and looked good. I had food envy...

The lasagne placed before me was sizzling around the edges, nice and hot with just the right amount browning on top. Like it!

However, the general appearance and consistency was one of an Asda microwave meal lasagne, cooked on high for 4 minutes. It was saggy and spread out, barely holding shape and certainly not the built up, layered look and feel of what a lasagne should be, like other Pizza Express restaurants produced in the past.

Taste wise, it was OK. Somewhat better than a £3.50 option from a supermarket. Actually, it was convincingly better, taste-wise, than a microwave meal version. For the £14 or so it cost, I would not expect anything else. Sadly, though, it wasn't making me want to have the lasagne again. It now feels a bit hit and miss.

As for the restaurant, it was only serving 4 tables, so while the food came out fairly quickly, the atmosphere was lacking, but that wasn't their fault. I was also offered parmesan cheese, but that never arrived. Yes, I could have gone to find it or my server myself. It just felt that once offered and accepted, the server literally went off to get it but carried on doing other things, rather being a bit more attentive.

I am just saying how it is and don't want to be too critical. All the other food choices at our table were good. I would still return, as Pizza Express is usually an easy choice, and we know what to expect. Drinks are way overpriced, but a jug of water is free!

Maybe just remember my review if you fancy giving the lasagne a go. It might be OK, it might not. The pizza is generally consistent with a...

Subject: Formal Complaint – “Kids Eat Free” Offer and App Failure

Dear Pizza Express Customer Service,

I am writing to raise a formal complaint regarding my recent visit to your [insert restaurant location] branch during the school half term. Your signage clearly stated that children eat free during this period, which was one of the main reasons for my visit.

However, upon arrival, I was informed that in order to access the offer, I needed to use the Pizza Express app. I immediately downloaded the app while seated in the restaurant, but when I attempted to register, the app required a confirmation code sent via email. Unfortunately, despite multiple attempts and even trying with different email addresses, I never received any confirmation code. I checked spam and junk folders, and the emails simply never arrived.

Because of this technical failure—completely outside of my control—I was unable to redeem the “Kids Eat Free” offer and was charged full price for my meal. This was extremely disappointing and left me feeling misled by what appears to be a promotional offer that was effectively inaccessible to genuine customers.

I would like to request a full refund of the amount equivalent to the children’s meal(s) I should have received free of charge, or an appropriate compensation in line with your policy. Additionally, I urge you to review your app registration process and in-store communication to ensure that customers are not penalised for technical issues with your system.

Please confirm receipt of this complaint and advise on the steps you will take to resolve...