Steers - less flame, more grilling

[Souper]

I know things inevitably just cost more and more, but sometimes you get to a point where the price of something just hits you.

Like for lunch today, I was out and felt like grabbing a burger. Steers was the closest such joint, even though I normally feel I'm paying too much for what I'm getting anyway. Go inside only to find they've put up their prices (inflation according to Steers is around 15-20%). So I revise my choice from steak roll to a medium size burger and small chips for my 41 hard earned Rands.

Back in the day, Steers used to be unbeatable. Their burgers were king (without them actually having to call them that) and their chips were better than anyone else's hands down.

Now my R41 burger and chips can't even fill a side plate, the patty is anaemic and tasteless which matches my equally anaemic and half raw chips (pre-smothered in this MSG stuff).

I don't mind paying more for something, but don't start skimping on size and quality AND put up the price. Of course the ploy of relaunching what is constantly being whittled down year after year as the 'NOW with 25% more meat, more bun, more whatever' doesn't sit so well with those of us who are [-]old[/-] experienced enough to know that that's how it was in the beginning anyways.

Bye bye Steers, you've seen the last of my moola.

[rainy]

Whenever I felt like a less than half-decent fast-food burger, I would go to Steers. Then I'd be cured of that desire for at least half a year. I've never experienced their chips to be any better than soggy and half-raw, and their burgers were never sensational. I never walked out of any Steer's satisfied with what I got for my money. Honestly, I get more flavour out of McD's or KFC.

Speaking of prices up and quality down, Mugg & Bean pulled that stunt about three years ago by drastically reducing the selection on their menu, as well as reducing the quality and size of their meals. As a result, I boycotted them for a long time. It seems they caught a wake-up call, because their menu is back to what it was in 2008, and the quality, while not always great, has improved again.

[Stool]

Yea about 3 weeks back I went for lunch with my gf at steers. I wasn't impressed at all. My gf loves the chips so she was defensive and asked why? Told her I'm wasting my time and money here. Doesn't look nice, doesn't taste nice.

Chips ain't that bad, if you get some. Stuff in general is really worse than macdonalds.

[Souper]

Speaking of prices up and quality down, Mugg & Bean pulled that stunt about three years ago by drastically reducing the selection on their menu, as well as reducing the quality and size of their meals. As a result, I boycotted them for a long time. The M&B boycott for me is still in effect, for the same reasons. We do Munch these days. Great food, wide selection and reasonable prices for what you get. Never been disappointed.

[Flatty]

I used to love the Steers King Chicken Burger. It just had so much chicken in it I felt it was real value for money, but the other day when I ordered one, it had one and a half piffling little fillets in it, and I was not impressed. It used to be a really filling meal, and now I am hungry afterwards.

Have you also noticed in the supermarkets how they're changing things? I looked at the sticker on the shelf and it says '50g Peppercorns', but you look at the box and it says '45g Peppercorns'. Lazy bastages at the Pick 'n Pay couldn't be bothered to change the sticker, yet they're selling it for the same price. I suppose in their own pathetic way, manufacturers are trying to compensate for ever-rising costs, but I'd rather just pay more for the same amount, if that's the case, OR are they really trying to con us and score an extra few cents? :shrug:

[Stool]

man scary stories on hellopeter
http://www.hellopeter.com/search-reports?keyword=steers

[Souper]

...OR are they really trying to con us and score an extra few cents? :shrug:Definitely a con. Consumers are more price savvy than volume/weight savvy. Nestle have been doing it to their Bar-Ones for years. They've been shaving the grams off the medium size bar - started out at about 80g, today it is 55g. That's another boycott item, although my mom bought me a bunch as a thank you the other day, and they definitely don't even taste the same.

[senorblinky]

That's the thing, I can't stand McD's that processed nonsense freaks me out. Steers used to be ok, but you're right, I just can't rely on them for quality (or value for that matter) anymore.

Thankfully this is joburg, so we're spoiled for choice. Souper, if you're ever in joburg again, we have to go to Duke's in greenside, they specialise in burgers and I can pretty much guarantee a mouth-gasm (at the same price as some of those Steers monstrosities)

---------- Post added at 05:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:19 PM ----------

Come to think of it, there really is enough choices about to completely skip most fast-food franchises (for the joburgers at least) just take the time to go look for them. And don't even get me started on woollies prices or quality compared to the new checkers.

[Hoss]

Man I thought it was just the steers here in my town that is going downhill. Seems its the same nonsense all over.

[Flatty]

man scary stories on hellopeter
http://www.hellopeter.com/search-reports?keyword=steers

I try not to think about things that staff do in the kitchen, otherwise I'd never eat out again.

I worked as a barman at this place & one of our perks was a free meal during our shift. I'd had a hectic night the previous night and slept really late, so I didn't even have time to catch a meal before starting the nightshift. I go into the kitchen to organize my meal, and the pimply cook, with other skin issues, licks her thumb and puts it on the frozen patty repeatedly whilst asking me if I wanted a burger. Needless to say, I turfed it in the bin when it arrived and went hungry.

As a bar manager at another place, I was in the kitchen when someone returned their steak as it was underdone. So my buddy, the head chef, takes out his plonker, wipes it all over the steak, then gobs on it, then whacks it back on the grill. :cuckoo:

It is for this very reason that I NEVER send food back - I will rather walk out, or just go hungry.

[Vortex]

Steers has taken a MAJOR drop all over the country it seems - apparently it is because they want to start competing in the same speed category as McDs..
We had the same scenario, only we complained on HelloPeter's and the regional manager spoke to Tres in person - she told the guy that if she wants food that tastes like plastic she would go to McDs.. They gave us a replacement meal for 1/2 the R value of the one we had bought the previous time though and it wasn't much better.

I prefer making my own burgers now - look & taste better. I still need to work on my chip skillz though..

[EyeBall]

I had the same , The chips is horrible and my Kid used to love stealing a chip or 3 from my plate until I bought steers .. he grabbed a chip , took a bite and the rest the dog ate.
We bought two hero steak rolls for 38 buck a pop and I was amazed at the size ... the roll couldn't have been longer than 13 cm .... and tasteless

I'm never buying steers again .. even my wife who is a steers fan agreed

stupid steers ...

[Souper]

I prefer making my own burgers now - look & taste better. I still need to work on my chip skillz though.. Homemade always tastes better. Although I don't think we've ever tried making our own fries?!? I just have two burgers instead :)

---------- Post added at 09:34 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:31 AM ----------


Thankfully this is joburg, so we're spoiled for choice. Souper, if you're ever in joburg again, we have to go to Duke's in greenside, they specialise in burgers and I can pretty much guarantee a mouth-gasm (at the same price as some of those Steers monstrosities) Come to think of it, there really is enough choices about to completely skip most fast-food franchises (for the joburgers at least)...

Us lowly PE folks haven't got quite the selection as the larger centres. Very few "independent" spots for things like a burger. Sadly, people just seem to keep on supporting the rubbish franchises out of apathy (or lack of taste).

[Drusky]

I can go down to the harbour and for under R40 bucks I can get a feeesh and cheeeps. Fresh and delicious.... man I'm quite hungry now...
We PE folks have also noticed that our really fancy restaurant Old Austria is priced favourably compared to the big brand chain restaurants like Spur.

[WondaWoman]

We have made fried chips at home. I prefer to make oven baked wedges though, less oil. And I make excellent gourmet homemade burgers thankyouverymuch!

[Albereth]

We have made fried chips at home. I prefer to make oven baked wedges though, less oil. And I make excellent gourmet homemade burgers thankyouverymuch!

Samples, or it never happened.

[Arbythep00nage]

Man I thought it was just the steers here in my town that is going downhill. Seems its the same nonsense all over.
Your steers is terrible, I was there on Wednesday and the toasties I got were really bad and damn expensive. Grahamstown steers makes the best chips though.

[Hoss]

Which one did you go to? But more importantly why did you not swing by?

[Vortex]

So this thread made me decide to send Steers a 'suggestion' - This is what I posted to them (http://www.steers.co.za/contactus.php)..



I'm not sure what the plan is, but I have noticed that everyone I talk to about Steers has nothing good to say anymore - I have had the same experience, the quality of the preparation, taste and makeup of the food is just terrible. This is not something isolated to a single franchise either, I have tried all of the Steers restaurants around my area and each one has been really horrible. After the last disappointment we were given a free replacement meal, but that was also extremely lackluster. We have not been back since - believe it or not I find the McD burgers tastier now - I never would have thought that could ever happen! As I said, this is not isolated - One of the forums that I frequent had a thread started up by a person in PE who was moaning about the same thing. Everyone who commented had the same story. Steers had really better do SOMETHING or they might well lose the remaining fans!
The reason that I am posting this is that I really used to love the food, it used to be a real treat, and I find it extremely sad that the wonderful brand is being systematically destroyed like this.


I honestly wonder if it's too late for them to recover the brand, South Africans tend to vote with their feet - possibly for the reasons that Flatty outlined - too scared of the backlash, rather just leave and not come back.

[Stool]

funny story
I know where the main owner of steers lives. Its on the same island in greece I was on called Limnos.

got one grand mansion. made his millions and then some. doubt he will care much.

took the bird today for some wimpy. prices the same as steers and man was it tasty :D

[Vortex]

:drool: I like wimpy.. I think their food has improved over time.

[senorblinky]

:drool: I like wimpy.. I think their food has improved over time.

Winpy and checkers are doing some interesting things. Checkers with their meats and cheeses to lure the higher LSMs, and Wimpy with it's overhauled instore displays and staff training - it's still a reach for best burger, but I enjoy going to wimpy, don't remember the last time i was let down by their service, or upset about the quality.

Price is still a major thing though.

[Sabre]

I like Wimpy breakfasts, the rest of their food is meh. Agree though about Steers, used to like on their burgers and chips and am now very disillusioned, I've moved on to gourmet garage .. yummy burgers and chips :)

[Flatty]

I had that Wimpy massive burger they advertised a couple of months ago - nothing wrong with the taste, except it was cold, and I was hungry so I just ate it.

[Stool]

triple cheese burger was the best for me

[Tresbien]

Wimpy is still ok, except when you have to have breakfast there three times a week sometimes. Then it gets a bit much, but I have to admit, when you know the staff and they bring your tea before you've not hardly sat down (excuse the poor English) then it makes up for the slightly oily eggs. :pompom: for Wimpy. :cry: for Steers, their chicken burger tastes like a child's toy-grocery component.

[Drusky]

Tres you shouldn't eat children's toys. Blinky, Shoprite Checkers are a bunch of thieving bastards. I have nothing good to say about the way they run their receiving bays or their accounts department.

[Stool]

wimpy has their flaws sure but for me it aint as numerous as steers. one thing that grates me with wimpy is one day u get a full plate of chips and another just 10.

[Arbythep00nage]

Which one did you go to? But more importantly why did you not swing by?
The one at the ultra city, I was with people from work driving back from Kimberly otherwise I would have given you a shout and popped in to say hi.
It was damn hot there and those roadworks in town are seriously painful.

[WondaWoman]

We tried Primi on the weekend for a breakfast. Was really yum. Service was excellent and the food was well prepared.

[Megnut3025]

Ive also been to Primi before and the food was amazing!! Im not sure how many of you have heard of Groupon? I joined it about 6 weeks or so ago and Ive really enjoyed some of the deals! They have had some awesome food deals... like breakfast/ lunch offers at quite nice places in PE. Not sure what the deals are like in other parts of the country? :pompom: