JDW cuts prices again for own version of EOTHO

01-Sep-2020 - Last updated on 01-Sep-2020 at 09:21 GMT

Meal deal: burger dishes have dropped in price by £1 as part of the scheme

Pub giant JD Wetherspoon (JDW) has slashed its prices for again in its own version of the Government’s discount scheme.

JDW’s Stay Out to Help Out initiative starts today (Tuesday 1 September) and will see prices reduced on a range of food and drink from Monday to Wednesday by the same amount as they have been for the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme but the deals will run until Wednesday 11 November.

The discount includes the pub behemoth’s three plates deal, which had an average price across the estate of £10.75 before the deal and is now available for £7.50 – a reduction of 40%.

Meals such as an 11” pizza plus a soft drink have fallen in price by almost two fifths (38%) from £5.49 to £3.99 while diners wishing to have a burger and a soft drink will see the cost drop by £1 from £4.99 to £3.99.

For sweet-toothed guests, dessert prices have also been slashed from £3.60 on average to £1.99 with the Stay Out to Help Out discount in place.

Great boost

JDW founder and chairman Tim Martin compared the deals to prices from takeaway and fast food outlets.

He said: “The Government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme was extremely popular with our customers and a great boost to the hospitality industry.

“We are keen to offer our customers a superb choice of food and drink at great value for money prices.

“Our offer means a class beef burger in our pubs will be even better value than McDonald’s. The classic burger in JDW is £3.99 v McDonald’s Big Mac medium meal (comprising Big Mac 1.6oz beef patties, medium fries, medium Coca-Cola Zero Sugar), which costs £4.59.

“In addition, cappuccino in our pubs will be 50p cheaper than McDonald’s and our customers can have free refills too."

Price comparison

Martin added: “Our prices are also lower than Domino’s Pizza for an 11” pizza. The 11” Margherita pizza and soft drink is £3.99 at JDW compared to Domino’s two topping 11.5” pizza deal (no drink) at £5.99.

“A Domino’s Pizza Mighty Meaty 11.5” meal deal costs £9.99 (no drink) compared to the JDW Spicy Meat Feast at £5.99 (including soft drink) – a saving of £4.”

This follows the pub group announcing it was reducing food and drink prices across its pub estate a week after it revealed they were set to increase in July.

JDW previously confirmed it was increasing prices on food and drink across its estate by about 20p a meal and about 10p an alcoholic drink.

This reduction announcement followed Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak cutting VAT on food and soft drinks from 20% to 5% in his ‘mini Budget’.