Wetherspoon staff are specifically trained to ask customers if they want a ‘double or a single’ with special phrase

A few years ago, a documentary aired that showed all the behind-the-scenes stuff that staff at Wetherspoons go through during training to make you fork out that bit more when you get to the bar.

The documentary was titled Wetherspoons: How Do They Do It?, and aired on Channel 5 back in 2021, focusing on, that's right - the iconic high street pub chain that is J D Wetherspoon.

Several Spoons branches around the country are situated in various different locations, with some looking like normal pubs, others in iconic buildings and some hidden away from the majority of the public.

At the time of its release, the doc stated that across all chains, they welcome around 500,000 customers everyday, as it continues to stand out in bigger cities like London and Manchester as a place to go that is kinder on the wallet than most.

In fact, it's almost expected by the majority of customers to go into a Spoons and to be welcomed with the open arms of cheap, affordable booze.

A customer was interviewed for the doc and stated: "If it's in Spoons I wouldn't expect (a pint) to be more than £3.50.

"Between £2.50 and £3.50," they stated.

It sits well below the 2024 average of £4.70 for a pint, according to the Office of National Statistics.

But with its patrons watching every penny, Wetherspoon workers claim to have had training to upsell every order and to encourage customers to part with a little more money per round - all using one key phrase.

There's a method that Spoons staff use to get you to pay for a bit more. (Peter Dazeley/Getty Images)

"It's part of the training for members of staff to try and add an extra item onto every order," one employee said.

"[We say] 'do you want a double or do you want a single?' We say the word 'double' first so it sticks in their head. It works most of the time," another staff member added.

However, Wetherspoons made a statement denying these claims - saying that upsell is only encouraged for soft drinks.

The statement said that while customers are still asked 'if they want a pint of Pepsi, rather than the standard size', it has 'discouraged... upselling of spirits... for the last 10 years'.

And while a budget-friendly pint is the order of the day, 'speedy service has to be matched with precise pouring'.

Staff will make sure to say double before saying single. (Getty Stock Photo)

"Staff mustn't give the staff more alcohol than necessary. So ensuring a fair share of froth is vital," the documentary's narrator says.

According to a former branch manager, bar staff need to ensure a certain amount of head with every draught pour to avoid giving away too much booze.

One worker said: "Managers can test this by weighing a beer. They weigh the glass first then I think they are told by head office what the weight should be with a 5 percent head."

Wetherspoons declined to add any further comment.