WETHERSPOONS has brought back a fan-favourite meal to its pubs after one determined customer begged the boss to bring it back.
One loyal punter decided he could not let the loss slide.
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Adam Gale, a regular at The Rodboro Buildings in Guildford, Surrey, was gutted to discover that while beans, cheese and coleslaw remained on offer, the tuna topping had been scrapped, according to the Daily Mail.
The humble jacket potato with tuna mayo had quietly vanished from the chain’s menus, leaving regulars baffled.
Unwilling to settle for second best, Adam wrote a heartfelt letter directly to JD Wetherspoon founder and chairman Sir Tim Martin, pleading for the much-loved spud filler to make a comeback.
In his note, Adam explained: “I love visiting Wetherspoons pubs across the country. Yet I am disappointed to see, at my local Wetherspoon in Guildford, that the tuna filling is no longer available for the wonderful jacket potato menu option.
“Your other fillings, such as cheese and baked beans, are lovely. But the tuna one was so nice. Can we please have the tuna filling back on the Guildford menu?”
Sir Tim, known for his hands-on approach, spotted the complaint and swiftly acted.
He admitted: “For several decades, I was a tuna-and-jacket-potato guy. But I switched to a chicken wrap and salad for lunch a few years back, so I hadn’t noticed the tuna had vamoosed.
“No sooner is my back turned. Seriously though, as we speak, tuna has been reinstated. Your wish is my command, as they say.”
The decision means jacket potato fans across the UK can once again tuck into the classic dish with tuna mayo topping, priced at £8.90 with a soft drink or £10.43 with an alcoholic one.
Each spud is served with a side salad, with other fillings including cheese, baked beans, chilli bean non-carne, coleslaw and roasted vegetables.
The move comes after years of Wetherspoons quietly tweaking its menus, often sparking fierce debate among regulars when a favourite dish or drink disappears.
Earlier this month, the pub chain was slammed for axing an “outstanding” chicken meal.
Wetherspoons also decided to axe the steaks, mixed grill and gammon in a major blow for customers.
The pub chain said at the time it wanted to freshen up its food offering and cut back on items branded “loss-makers” after meat prices shot up.
In an email sent to staff, Wetherspoons chief John Huston confirmed that the meats were being ditched “after much debate”.
However, in their place it released a brand new range of gourmet burgers in May.
The mouthwatering selection includes:
- The Big Smoke – Pulled BBQ beef brisket, American-style cheese and maple-cured bacon. Beef – 1,170kcal, chicken – 1,310kcal
- Buffalo Burger – Fried buttermilk chicken breast with blue cheese, naga chilli sauce and melted cheese – 819kcal
- Cheese Meltdown – American cheese layered with gooey Emmental and Cheddar cheese sauce. Beef – 732kcal, chicken – 839kcal
They cost £10.19 with a soft drink or £11.72 with an alcoholic drink.
The chain also rolled out a new Korean-style chicken range.
Spoons also launched a £2.99 breakfast deal in February, with customers able to get a breakfast muffin or a small breakfast with a soft or hot drink.
There are also veggie options available, which is served between 8am and midday.
Meanwhile tea and toast, which comes with two slices and either jam or marmalade, is just £2.49.
It hasn’t been all good news for Wetherspoons punters in recent months though.
The pub chain exclusively revealed to The Sun in January it had increased the price of a host of drinks and meal deals by up to 30p.
The chain hiked prices on drinks by 15p while meal deals were bumped up by 30p.
Plus, the Chicken Bites Basket briefly disappeared from menus earlier this year.
Customers were disappointed when they were listed as “temporarily unavailable” for months.
But they triumphantly returned to menus again in July.
It’s not clear why they were taken off the menu.
Other chains ditching menu items
Restaurants and fast food outlets regularly switch up their menus to meet customer demand.
Sometimes this can mean our favourite meals or snacks disappear.
Greggs fans were disappointed recently when they realised the Mexican Chicken Oval Bite had been discontinued.
The sandwich had been part of the menu for years but it’s now been replaced by the Sweet & Spicy Chicken Oval Bite.
Meanwhile McDonald’s dropped its new menu last week, bringing back its Spicy McNuggets and Chicken Big Mac.
But it meant the Cheesy McCrispy and Halloumi Fries were axed from the menu.
How can I save money at Wetherspoons?
FREE refills – Buy a £1.50 tea, coffee or hot chocolate and you can get free refills. The deal is available all day, every day.
Check a map – Prices can vary from one location the next, even those close to each other.
So if you’re planning a pint at a Spoons, it’s worth popping in nearby pubs to see if you’re settling in at the cheapest.
Choose your day – Each night the pub chain runs certain food theme nights.
For instance, every Thursday night is curry club, where diners can get a main meal and a drink for a set price cheaper than usual.
Pick-up vouchers – Students can often pick up voucher books in their local near universities, which offer discounts on food and drink, so keep your eyes peeled.
Get appy – The Wetherspoons app allows you to order and pay for your drink and food from your table – but you don’t need to be in the pub to use it.
Taking full advantage of this, cheeky customers have used social media to ask their friends and family to order them drinks. The app is free to download on the App Store or Google Play.
Check the date – Every year, Spoons holds its Tax Equality Day to highlight the benefits of a permanently reduced tax bill for the pub industry.
It usually takes place in September, and last year it fell on Thursday, September 14.
As well as its 12-day Real Ale Festival every Autumn, Wetherspoons also holds a Spring Festival.
