Franco's — Restaurant in South Ribble

My Italian Leyland pizza experience

In the heart of Leyland, there's a gem of Italian culinary culture known as Franco's Italian Pizza which I must give credit too.

This traditional pizza haven continues to impress myself and his patrons, and for good reason. From the moment you step inside, you're taken to an atmosphere of authentic Italian hospitality.

With Mr. Franco himself overseeing the action, the restaurant is a testament to his unwavering dedication and passion for delivering a true taste of Italy.

Visual Spectacle and Unmatched Quality as we watched.

Watching the chefs at Franco's (in clear view) create each pizza and meal is an experience in itself. They work tirelessly with fresh, high-quality ingredients and meticulous skill to prepare the perfect pizza and most delicious menu offerings.

You witness the pizza dough being expertly kneaded, stretched, and topped with a variety of fresh toppings before it's popped into the Italian oven. As the dough crisps and the cheese bubbles, you can almost taste and smell the magic happening in front of your eyes and nose.

Generous Hospitality

One of the highlights of dining at Franco's is the thoughtful hospitality that patrons receive. Mr. Franco is known for his warm generosity, often offering a complimentary cheese garlic bread to accompany the main meal. It's the perfect appetizer to whet your appetite while you wait for your pizza. After the savoury course, the selection of traditional Italian gelato provides a sweet, refreshing conclusion to any meal.

Passion and Perseverance

Mr. Franco's dedication is nothing short of inspirational. Despite having only one leg, (i'm sure he won't mind me mentioning this) he personally ensures with energy that every pizza leaving the kitchen meets his very high standards. This determination is not just a testament to his strength but also to his unwavering commitment to quality to each and every customer. As I sat there and watched my meal being prepared you can see that every pizza and dish reflects his love for traditional Italian cuisine, and every bit of his food tells a story of passion and perseverance.

Well here's my conclusion. 5*

Franco's Italian Pizza stands out as one of the finest Italian pizza restaurants in Leyland, bringing the essence of Italy to the local community. Whether you dine in or opt for their reliable delivery service, you'll find an unmatched level of authenticity and quality. The restaurant's warm ambiance, the chefs' skills, and Mr. Franco's dedication create an extraordinary taste experience for families and individuals alike.

Thank you Mr Franco, you are a perfect example of consistent dedication, and in my house, we love your food for sure. (Especially on a Friday...

Five months ago I gave Franco's 5⭐. I have been here for takeaway several times since, with a slight degradation in quality over time, but not much. Yesterday I had to resend my order as the quality was awful. Additionally, during my wait the chefs were arguing, customers stood waiting and a family left their dine-in meal half uneaten. So -

I ordered a pizza with an extra topping of olives and asked for the topping to go to the edge of the pizza - since the size of "crust" as they call it is borderline unacceptable (essentially reducing the size of edible pizza whilst visually filling the box/ plate - cheap trick).

When my pizza was given to me, there was a two inch perimeter of dry crust/bread and then sauce before any cheese or topping, essentially making the edible part roughly a 7" pizza. For £9. I handed it back and said I asked for the toppings to go all the way around the pizza. They refired it and I got in my car to wait.

Moments later the owner approached me in my car and told me the pizza "was already in the oven" when I asked for "crustless". He then said "we will do it this time but we won't do it again". Obviously I corrected what he said, but the action from a business owner to a customer - over pizza topping(!) - totally unacceptable. He then left; I mean left the restaurant completely, mid-chaos.

When the second pizza was handed over I left and took it home. Upon opening the box I was presented with a gigantic slop - Topping to the edge, yes, but basically thrown on. The pizza didn't fit in the box and was squashed at the sides, the cheese was barely melted, almost no sauce and the additional olives were whole olives, not sliced.

On top of that the base was burned.

Disgusting service, disgusting...

We have always enjoyed our Francos delivery we used to go to the restaurant regular when it was at the old police station before it closed the new shop is expensive but the free garlic bread you get if you spend over 20 always makes it worth while. This evening to our great disappointment we never got our garlic bread with our order I rang the shop explaining that we had not received one to be argued with by a staff member saying only orders done over the phone direct with the shop entitle you to the free garlic bread I tried to explain this has never been the case before and I was made to feel like a liar and rudely told that if I’ve received one in the past it was by mistake . Well I’ve had multiple orders through Leyland eats and always spend over 20 pounds so that’s a lot of mistakes when eventually our food came I was very disappointed it was cold and not worth what we paid for needless to say after the way I was spoken to I won’t be...