Are bottomless deals a con?

Unlimited food and drink sounds like excellent value but beware of the catches

As a nation, we love to go bottomless. 

Brunches, pizzas, sushi, prosecco – it’s the all-you-can-eat buffet turbo-charged. Restaurants promise us endless food or drink (and sometimes both) and supreme value for money – but is it really?

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When bottomless is bad

I recently went to Gordon Ramsey’s Street Pizza in Southwark, London which offers bottomless pizza for £20 per person. I’d been gifted a Virgin Experience voucher to cover the meal and was excited to indulge. 

Now, I love pizza. But I can barely manage a whole one when I eat out and I usually pay about £10 – £13. And that’s for a good pizza, of my choice, plus a few slices taken home in a doggy bag for lunch the next day. 

So already, £20 for pizza feels steep, even if it’s bottomless. 

At Gordon Ramsey’s Street Pizza, you don’t order the pizza you want. Instead, the servers go around with whatever pizza is ready and serve customers a slice at a time. It’s a win for the restaurant preventing waste, but it means you’re not getting a choice, may have to wait longer for a pizza you like, and you’re only eating as much as you’re served.

We got there when it was quiet and were initially offered loads of slices in quick succession – too many if I’m honest – but as the restaurant got busier, the service slowed. What’s more, drinks were not included in the bottomless experience – and they were expensive. 

My boyfriend and I shared a bottle of wine and when the bill came they’d added a 15% service charge – which we paid as the staff were lovely.  But it meant our ‘free’ meal was about £40. 

Without the voucher it would have been almost £80 – significantly more than I’d usually pay for pizza and wine for two at my favourite pizza place. Last time I went to VIP Pizza in Brighton, I paid £47.30 and had leftover pizza for lunch the next day.

When I’m paying to eat out (or even when I’m not) I prefer quality over quantity and really value choice. I didn’t rate the pizza either (sorry Gordo) so all in all, it didn’t feel like I was getting value for my money. 

But are all bottomless offers created equal? Let’s see.

What is bottomless?

Bottomless is the cute term that means you can eat or drink as much as you like. You pay a set price and there’s usually a time limit. 

For example, with bottomless brunch it’s mostly focused on the booze. You’re typically served unlimited drinks (often prosecco) by the glass, for up to two hours, and it may or may not include a meal. 

There are other variations of bottomless, such as all-you-can-eat buffets, where you help yourself to as much food as you want instead of being served. These are more geared towards families. 

What’s the catch?

There’s quite a few.

Catch one: You’re at the mercy of staff

As I found with Gordon Ramsey’s Street Pizza, you can only consume as much as you’re served within the time limit. If it’s busy, or you’re not sitting in a visible spot, you could be in for a long wait. 

Catch two: You may be held back by slow eaters

Some places have certain rules to prevent waste, such as London’s Pan Asian restaurant, Inamo. It won’t serve you more food unless 75% of the dishes have been finished on the table. I’m all for waste reduction, but you may not get as much for your money if you’re with friends who don’t eat at the same pace.

Catch three: There’s often a limited menu

You may find your food and drink options are limited, so you’re not getting exactly what you want. You might be able to expand your choices, for an extra charge, such as upgrading a brunch plate to a main meal (as is the case with Caribbean restaurant, Turtle Bay) or having premium cocktails. But if one of your party upgrades, then the whole table may have to, such as at TGI Fridays, Turtle Bay and Slug and Lettuce. 

Catch four: You could end up spending more than you need to

This depends on your appetite or approach to alcohol. For example, the bottomless brunch at Turtle Bay starts at £35.50. It includes a brunch dish (which costs around £9) and unlimited cocktails, prosecco or beer.

However, it also runs a happy hour during the day until 6.30pm and then 9.30pm until close which includes 2-4-1 cocktails. These usually cost around £10 so you could get a brunch dish and two happy hour cocktails for £19 (saving £16.50) or four cocktails for £29 (saving £6.50), without the rush of a two-hour time limit.

Catch five: Trouble at the buffet

With all-you-can-eat buffets, there could be queues and the food you enjoy could run out. 

Catch six: Bottomless could ruin your day

There’s always the danger of getting carried away with bottomless or all-you-can-eat deals.  No shame, we all want to get our money’s worth.

But it does mean those 90 minutes could become all about consuming, rather than relaxing with loved ones. It could ruin the rest of your day if you get so full you’re uncomfortable or so drunk you need to be taken home.

As an FYI, ‘bottomless’ booze isn’t allowed in Scotland, under its licensing laws, so you’ll always be restricted to a certain number of drinks.

Is bottomless worth it?

Some bottomless deals are better than others. In many cases their value will also depend on your preferences such as what you like to eat, your appetite and how much you’d usually spend on a meal and drinks. 

For many, it can be a lively occasion with friends and the fact it’s bottomless is a bit of fun, rather than essential money-saving. And if I do indulge, I prefer ones where the food is free-flowing, as well as the drinks, such as at Inamo, in Soho, London, but only when I get a deal. The last time I went, I found a Groupon deal for £29.

But for me, bottomless deals aren’t my number one choice for eating out. I don’t think I can eat or drink enough to make it worth my while or my money. I love eating out but I hate a time limit and I prefer having more options than what’s usually offered.

Saying that, if the right bottomless deal came along, at a decent price (probably no more than £35), with lots of good quality food options, plenty of drink choices and the opportunity to try new things, I could be persuaded. 

Tips for getting good value

If bottomless is up your street, see if you can cut the cost using online deals. For example, Timeout is pretty good for London. We spotted the following at the time of writing, which are good examples of what to look for:

• Brewdog’s bottomless brunch (which includes bottomless beer or prosecco plus a meal) costs £30 per person but you can get it for £20 at five London locations via Timeout.

• A bottomless brunch at London’s Inamo costs £39.95 if you book direct with the restaurant. However, it’s £32.95 on Timeout or £27.95, if you book an earlier sitting.

But beware some ‘deals’ – as they can actually be more expensive. For example, Inamo’s bottomless deal is £49.95 (plus an admin fee) on Wowcher and £92 for two on Virgin Experience Days. 

Consider the cost and what is important to you when eating out. Compare prices to the standard menu and see if it’s worth it. I find that small plates, such as dim sum, sushi and tapas, which can often be quite expensive standalone, can work out better value in a bottomless setting.

Alternative ways to eat out for less

If bottomless isn’t for you, there are other ways to save on eating out. For example, if you’re happy to eat earlier, lunch menus can be cheaper than dinner. 

And if you can be flexible, you might consider eating at the restaurant of chef training colleges for heavily discounted meals at specific times on set days. Rouge Restaurant at New City College Redbridge campus serves lunch Monday to Thursday between 12pm to 2pm, with dishes starting at £3, and themed dinner nights on Thursdays between 6pm and 9pm.

Buy a qualifying product on Comparethemarket.com and download the Meerkat app for Meerkat Meals (here’s our hack so it only costs £1). It gives you 25% discount at Pizza Hut (Sunday to Thursday), Brewers Fayre (Sunday to Thursday) and Prezzo (seven days a week).  

‘Pay what you feel’ restaurants are another way to eat well for less. Not-for-profit restaurant Happy Maki, in Brighton, East Sussex, offers vegan sushi rolls, bowls and sides to eat in or takeaway on this basis and The Long Table, in Stroud, Gloucestershire, offers pay what you can lunches and dinners. 

And if you’ve got children, look for special discounts. Bella Italia and Hungry Horse offer £1 meals for kids on selected days, and you’ll see more restaurants offer similar deals during half-term and school holidays.

Be sure to keep an eye on our restaurant deals page, for the top discounts handpicked by the Be Clever With Your Cash team.