The Restaurant Group plc

Frankie & Benny's New York Italian Restaurant & Bar prides itself on a 1950s New York theme, based on its supposed American/Italian roots.

The Lunch Menu does its best to imply a 1950s Manhattan skyline on its wrap-around cover; but, even the black and white tone does little to hide the obvious fact that the photo represents a very 21st century view of the 5th Avenue / Broadway area as it appears today. A period shot of the Manhattan skyline can look beautiful taken from certain angles; but the image chosen here is rather cluttered and ugly, complete with dot.com signage hanging off a building in the foreground. Wheteas an authentic period photograph would have maintain the 50s feel of nostalgia, the current one takes away from it.
In reality the restaurant chain operates exclusively within the U.K. and oversights such as this may be less apparent to its largely British clientele.

Inside, the Lunch Menu continues the Italian theme with cliché green, white, and red text; but, the type font and general imagery are less pronounced than, say, the 'Ed's Easy Diner' menus which push the 50's Americana theme to excess. Frankie & Benny's menus cater for a slightly more sophisticated clientele in that respect.

I like the concept for the menu cover; but, as I have explained, I think the finished item fails to deliver on its premise. The inside is also very cliché and borderline tacky. The photo inset of a pizza, with the overlay text "Let's get LUNCHIN'" delivers a cheaper cafe feel - which is probably not what the restaurant was going for.
The pound sign emblazoned on the cover, to advertise the promotional price of the 'mains' (albeit probably unavoidable) also detracts from the illusion of sitting in a New York restaurant.… (meer)

The 2015 main menu of Frankie & Benny's has a nice wrap-around cover Photograph depicting a typical New York street view during the 1950's.
A little research on some if the landmarks revealed the scene to be that of Orchard Street on the Lower East Side, of Manhattan. The shop in the foreground being that of the SKS Novelty Co. The building still looks pretty much the same today, except the corner spot is now occupied by the Rosario Pizza house.

On the inside of the menu, the Italian-American theme is carried through with alternate green, white, and red text mimicking the national colours of Italy.
The menu is varied. As well as the expected pasta and pizza dishes, you can also find burgers, steak, and even a few *fish dishes.
Another point worth noting is the establishments purported 'family run' business.
On the inside cover is a legend that reads like a Mario Puzo storyline.

'Frankie Giuliani left Sicily at the age of ten, with his Mamma and Poppa; landing at Ellis Island, New York in 1924. They moved in with relatives in Little Italy. From the home country his Poppa brought a little money, and together with much ambition opened up a restaurant within a year. His Mammas home-style cooking and recipes were the success that allowed Frankie to take over a thriving business with his 'ol school pal Benny, in 1953.'

The caption is embellished with a photograph of the owners taken some point during the 1950's, all of which goes to cement the restaurants credibility as a long running and trustworthy place to take your family. Or, so they would have you believe.
I was so intrigued that I decided to do a little more digging into this fascinating story. But, what I uncovered left a sour taste in my mouth.

Themed restaurants are a comfortable relaxing dining experience, specifically because there is an understanding between you and the restaurant that you are suspending your disbelief in order to take part in an illusion that you are sitting in; a cafe in Paris; or, a medieval banqueting hall; or, a real Irish Pub, etc. You know it's not real, but neither is any ride in Disneyland actually taking you into the future of Tomorrowland or back in time to meet with pirates of the Caribbean.
On the other hand, if you are allowing your choice of eating establishment to be driven by reputation and a long established presence, indicating a quality of service or a certain skill for prepairing good food stretching back 90+ years; it is a betrayal of trust to find out that the intricate web of 'facts' that you have been fed turns out to be a corporate lie.

The entirety of the Giuliani story; the sicilian roots, the whole lower east side, Little Italy, back story was cooked up along with Mamma Giuliani's meat balls in 1995 on the desk of some advertising executive with the brief to create a mythos that would instil trust in the public to dine at a chain of British restaurants fighting rivals in the catering industry, presumably some with a genuine claim to an authentic family run history (there are a few out there).

When the buying public are no longer actively taking part in the 'gag', then the tables are deceptivly turned and the joke is played on you! Advantages are taken, and this is what is known in the trade as a 'confidence trick', and it is wrong.
Add to that, the companies poor record in environmental issues:
*In November 2015 the chain was given the lowest rating (red) in an assessment of the sustainability of its seafood products.
Old man Giuliani would be spinning in his grave (if he'd ever had one!)

Four stars, reduced to half a star for being a cheating corporate Fat Cat, with low moral standards, and no soap in the bathroom at Basildon festival leisure park 15/02/2016. (Just think about it when the waiters who have answered 'the call of nature' serve you your salmon fillet on a bed of mixed salad) - nice!

Shame. Otherwise, a nice menu.… (meer)