Once upon a time, chain restaurants were gloriously straightforward.
You went in hungry, left full, and didn’t need a ring light to enjoy yourself.
These days, though, a growing crop of high-end chains has swapped wipe-clean tables for velvet booths, neon slogans and ceilings dripping in faux flowers.
The food still matters — in theory — but the camera often gets served first.
The Rise of the “Posh Chain”
Over the past decade, Britain’s high streets have been quietly colonised by restaurants that look more like film sets than places to eat.
Their secret weapon isn’t just truffle oil or mood lighting — it’s Instagram.
These restaurants are built to be photographed, tagged and shared, preferably by influencers sipping theatrically oversized cocktails.
Middle-class diners with disposable income have lapped it up, booking tables not just for dinner, but for content.
Big Mamma’s Big Moment
Few chains embody this better than Big Mamma, the French-owned Italian group that burst onto London’s food scene with Gloria in Shoreditch back in 2019.
Since then, the brand has multiplied, rolling out a half-dozen flamboyant trattorias across the capital — each more theatrical than the last.
Think monochrome stripes, scarlet velvet booths and menus that lean heavily into Neapolitan comfort food with a glossy finish.
For years, the formula worked beautifully.
Tables were packed, feeds were flooded and diners happily paid premium prices for pasta served with a side of spectacle.
But lately, the shine has dulled.
Style, Substance… or Neither?
A recent grumble from a disgruntled diner — comparing Big Mamma to “Frankie & Benny’s for rich people” — opened the floodgates.
Online reviews have grown sharper, with critics accusing the chain of prioritising aesthetics over flavour.
Words like “wannabe socialites” and “all show, no soul” pop up with increasing frequency, alongside complaints about crowds blocking staircases to perfect their selfies.
Daily Mail food critic Tom Parker-Bowles takes a more forgiving view.
While he warns against any restaurant that values likes over service, he admits Big Mamma still has its charms.
In gloomy times, he suggests, a bit of over-the-top fun isn’t the worst thing in the world.
Gaucho: Luxury on a Plate — and a Bill to Match
If Big Mamma sells fantasy Italy, Gaucho offers a polished version of Argentina — at a price that would make Buenos Aires blanch.
The steakhouse chain, owned by the Rare Restaurants Group, boasts 20 locations nationwide, including a heavy London presence.
The experience is carefully choreographed: knowledgeable servers explain cuts and wine pairings, while diners sink into leather banquettes under dramatic lighting. It feels indulgent — and it is.
A 400g ribeye in Piccadilly will set you back £51.50, while a fillet pushes £68.
Reviews are mixed. Many praise the food and atmosphere, but others say the hype doesn’t survive first contact.
One Covent Garden diner admitted TikTok lured them in — only to leave feeling underwhelmed and unlikely to return.
Big Mamma Responds
Criticism hasn’t gone unnoticed. Co-founder Tigrane Seydoux insists feedback is taken seriously, pointing to an impressive average Google rating of 4.8 across the group’s UK restaurants.
Every review, he says, gets a response — good or bad — because improvement starts with listening.
Still, etiquette expert Laura Windsor remains unconvinced.
Half Italian herself, with family roots in Naples, she argues that real food doesn’t need a marketing team.
When hype overtakes care and flavour, she says, dining becomes an expensive illusion.
Daisy Green’s Picture-Perfect Promise
The Daisy Green group sells itself on relaxed Australian vibes, good coffee and buzzy settings.
Some of its venues — like Larry’s beneath the National Portrait Gallery — lean into glamour, while others trade on location.
Peggy Jean’s, a floating barge restaurant in Richmond, is at its best bathed in summer sunshine, fairy lights twinkling over the Thames.
But take away the weather, and the magic can vanish.
Several diners complain that once the view fades, so does the experience — with long waits, cold food and hefty bills souring the mood.
The group has also sparked controversy in Hampstead Heath, where its takeover of long-standing, much-loved park cafés prompted public outrage and a “Save Our Cafes” campaign that has so far changed little.
Tattu and the Theatre of Dining
Born in Manchester, Tattu has built a loyal following by turning dinner into a fully immersive event.
Founded by brothers Adam and Drew Jones, the Chinese-inspired chain now spans five UK cities, with international expansion on the horizon.
Its interiors are unapologetically dramatic — designed to wow as much as feed.
Laura Windsor sees this as part of a wider cultural shift.
Once, she recalls, Europeans laughed at tourists photographing everything they ate.
Now, we do it ourselves, louder and faster, chasing applause rather than enjoyment.
Beer Halls, Bavarian Dreams and Albert Schloss
Albert Schloss has made Alpine-style beer halls fashionable again, filling cavernous urban spaces with long tables, live entertainment and steins the size of small buckets.
Influencers love it, and social media is awash with posed tankards and party snaps.
Reviews, however, are split. While many rave about the atmosphere, others describe chaotic nights, average entertainment and prices that don’t quite match the experience — especially during ticketed events like New Year’s Eve.
The Quiet Luxury of McDonald’s
Ironically, the truly wealthy often skip the velvet and neon altogether.
McDonald’s — fluorescent lights, plastic trays and all — has long had admirers in high places.
Princess Diana famously took William and Harry there, determined they experience something resembling normal childhood treats.
Former royal staff recall the princes’ fondness for Big Macs and fries, despite having palace chefs on standby.
Celebrities from Cara Delevingne to Kim Kardashian have also been spotted under the Golden Arches, proving that status doesn’t always crave spectacle.
So, Is the Hype Worth It?
The question lingers: are Instagrammable restaurants cheapening good food, or simply making dining out more fun? For some, a dramatic backdrop enhances the experience.
For others, it distracts from what really matters — flavour, care and genuine hospitality.
Perhaps the answer lies somewhere between a velvet booth and a plastic seat.
After all, whether you’re tucking into truffle pasta or chicken nuggets at 2am, the best meals are still the ones you actually enjoy — not just the ones that photograph well.
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