Plough — Restaurant in Ipswich

We decided to have our Christmas staff meal there. This was the biggest mistake ever.. firstly there was no Christmas music. we asked 4 times but nothing. The tables could have been set up by a small child they were so slap dash. We were spread out over 7 tables when we could have been together as you would expect. There was plenty of space to have us together so we were upset by that. The starters began to come out but it was 20 minuets between the first on and the last one. The prawn cocktail although tasty was literally thrown onto the plate with so much sauce you couldn't see the plate . Then the mains started to arrive. Again 20 minuets between the first and last , in fact I was eating my desert when the last main had just arrived . My steak was nasty lots of gristle, others though were passable. Solid peas. mushy carrots raw sprouts but the roast potatoes were lovely, the only things that were nice. We asked constantly if we could help as the food was getting cold but were told she could cope. clearly not. Again no cutlery. there was never enough cutlery we were taking from other tables . Desert ha ha ha Dry chocolate fudge brownie with "single" cream and no cutlery again . although I was then given a fork ??? single cream + fork ??? no... so the rest of the deserts slowly came out by this time we were all in hysterics at the comedy show and when we were given "soup" spoons for our desert we were all crying with laughter at the total shambles. COFFEE ??? your kidding. we were not even offered coffee . I did have a brief chat with the manager who said that it was a small kitchen . So don't take on bookings if the staff and the kitchen cant cope. Now don't get me wrong the staff were lovely but there simply were not enough. Also while getting drinks I noticed the bar meals going out and they looked fantastic but that only added to our despair . Once bitten and all that...... oh and I had to give 1 star or it wouldn't let me...

I've known the owner for a long time well over 10 years and he has been a really nice guy in this time and visited the plough many times through the years. Yesterday we popped in for the first half of the Ipswich game as my boy wanted to see it and to break up Xmas shopping. As a family I ordered drinks from the bar we wasn't going to have lunch but it was that time I already bought a couple of pieces of chicken. Before deciding and going into the pub which was going to be my lunch at some point anyway me my wife son and 6yr old daughter my wife/ daughter wanted to eat so. They ordered from the menu I went and purchased the food at the bar then went back to the table I then thought I will have some of the chicken I previously purchased. The food arrived and the waitress said you can't bring in food that's not been purchased in house I said ok sorry I know for the future all was ok. Literally finished the last tiny bit of my chicken the owner came up to the table within 20/30 seconds saying LOUDLY!!! I was disrespecting the waitress and I was taking the piss!!! Bearing in mind I had my 2 small children with me. This was uncalled for I do understand that I ate abit of chicken (NOT EXACTLY A 3 COURSE MEAL). However I had purchased a meal and a round of drinks at the bar so as for taking the piss ok but to handle it like that raising his voice in front of my wife and kids basically like we was scum was absolutely unacceptable. To be honest I'm truly disappointed with this if it was all said in a quiet word it would have been no problem as I would have totally understood it's a true shame cause. I've had some good times and spent alot of money over the years at the plough. This experience has left me massively disappointed there was no need for it to be handled in that type of manor.

Owner replied and basically said what I did at the end of my review write up it's true to say he has...

My wife and I went for spot of lunch on saturday on the 9th Dec, the place was almost full of Ipwich supporters, my wife ordered our meal, which were simple dishes, my wife ordered fish pie and fish n chip with mushy peas for me, the time my wife ordered the meal is on the receit they give you after you have paid, the time was 13.04pm, about 6-10 mins later a gentleman came and sat with us, he ordered ham egg n chips, many other people came in after us and we becan to notice they were getting there food before us, when I enquired about our food about 13.45pm, I was told it had only been 20 mins, well we knew this was wrong as we had the time on our slip, the lad how was bringing the food out got very direspectful, and gave us abuse I called a so called manager over to enquire about our food which this time was nearly 13-55pm, and told him that we were abused, 6mins later he brought out our so called lunch, which to be quite honest was not to the standard they keep talking about, my wife and I are both pensioners, and did'nt want or asked to be abused, when all we wanted was a quiet lunch and drink, we both have been going to this place for nearly 5 years, and this the first time that we have so badly insulted, and disrespected, I hope the owner reads this, and if there is a next time, I would like to speak to them about our experience, at there place, What would have happened if the boot had on the other foot , me being chucked out or being arrested, think out it, you people how run this place get a grip of you staff, please no one would like to go through that, after going out for quite lunch n drink. we were both shaken and...