Clarkson’s Farm fans divided after pub visitor shares receipt for Sunday roast at Farmer’s Dog
The cost of a family lunch at Jeremy Clarkson's pub in the Cotswolds has sparked quite a debate online.
Thousands of punters have flocked to The Farmer's Dog since it first opened its doors last August, and Clarkson's Farm viewers have been able to watch the Top Gear legend adapt to life as a landlord.
And for those a bit further afield, seeing the boozer on their TV screens while watching the Amazon Prime series is as good as it's going to get for now.
But between locals and diehard Clarkson fans who don't mind making a long journey, The Farmer's Dog seems always to be packed to the rafters.
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Despite the establishment in Burford, Oxfordshire, being booked and busy, many customers have been raising a particular issue since the pub opened nine months ago - the prices.
People nearly spat their drinks out after finding out the cost of a pint, while the £200 pie on Clarkson's menu also sparked quite a controversy.
Now, the discussion surrounding the cost of a visit to The Farmer's Dog has reared its head once again after a customer uploaded a copy of her receipt online.
A woman shared a post on the 'The Farmers Dog Pub, Jeremy Clarkson' Facebook page following her visit to the venue with her family on Sunday (8 June).
"Went to The Farmer's Dog yesterday, what a lovely experience," she wrote. "Very busy but once we were in the pub for our meal it was a relaxed atmosphere, the food was delicious staff were brilliant."
The customer thought she'd paid a 'great price' for five roast dinners and a few drinks, adding that she 'highly recommended' paying a visit to Clarkson's pub.
Not everyone was so sure that she'd gotten such a steal, though. According to a copy of her receipt, which was attached to the post, she'd spent £14 on two pints of Hawkstone Premium Lager, while she paid £10 for a medium-sized glass of white wine.
Three juices, presumably for kids, were on the bill too, each costing £3.40. Moving onto the mains, a roast beef dinner cost £24 per person, while the three members of the party who opted for both beef and pork on their plates were charged £26 each.
A child's roast beef dinner was priced at £12, while a side of honey and mustard chipolatas set the group back £5, and an extra Yorkshire pudding resulted in another £1.50 being added on.
All of this came to £154.70 before the £19.34 service charge was added, which brought the total bill to £174.04.
The receipt stated: "12.5% service charge is added for parties of one or more."
Loads of people shared their thoughts on whether a visit to The Farmer's Dog was worth the finances, as hundreds of social media users commented on the post.
One person with a bad taste in their mouth said: "P***es me off when they just add a service charge. Should be your decision to tip or not depending on the service. Was looking forward to going here."
Another added: "With the service charge, that's £7.88 a pint. That's crazy," while a third commented: "Service charge added to parties of 1 or more? So everyone then!"
A fourth wrote: "Sorry. But that roast dinner looks like something from a Wetherspoons or Hungry Horse pub."
A fifth chimed in: "I always believe in tipping the staff, but 25% service charge already added! What if the service isn't up to standard?"
However, there were also a host of people who leapt to the defence of Clarkson's establishment, explaining that these prices were pretty much standard for the area.
"You know what you're getting if you choose to go there," one person pointed out. "It's not Wetherspoons!"
Another said: "That's not bad considering it's all British and locally supplied," as a third added: "£30-a-head for a nice dining experience with decent food. Seems pretty good value."
A fourth wrote: "That's pretty good value. At least you know all the ingredients are British at The Farmer's Dog," while a fifth commented: "Seems reasonable and I don't like spending money."
Earlier this year, Clarkson revealed that he came up with his prices with the help of artificial intelligence.
He explained he 'asked an AI program to work out what the average price of lunch in a Cotswolds pub is and just charged that' in his column for The Times, as he is 'not a business-minded person'.
"It's possible that for every customer who comes through the door, I'd lose about £10," Clarkson added. "We are getting better now, but I do ask, if you drop by, to remember this.
"Your lunch, if it arrives at all, is costing us a lot more than it's costing you. So please be kind."
Topics: Clarkson's Farm, Food And Drink, Jeremy Clarkson, Money, UK News, Business, Pubs
Olivia Burke