Pizza Express whinge re new GF bases: update

[DartmoorGuerrilla]

Update from Pizza Express:

Thank you for letting us know about your experience when you dined recently

at one of our restaurants. I'm sorry to learn that you were disappointed

with our new gluten free bases.

These bases are made exclusively for PizzaExpress in a gluten-free

environment to ensure their quality and safety. We are always looking for

ways to improve and having only recently introduced gluten-free bases to

our menu, we will continue to develop this. Please be assured I have passed

your comments on to our Food Team for future consideration.

Should you have any further questions please don't hesitate to contact us

on 0207 563 7723

Not really an answer, is it? At least not an answer to what I wrote. Anyway I rang the number and spoke to a nice young man called Dan who took the time to listen carefully to my feedback.

Apparently this new base came about because they wanted to make their own GF bases in house and not buy them in: a matter of company pride etc etc. Anyhow I pointed out that I don't give a damn who makes it, as long as it tastes nice and had a good texture - like the original GF bases. Indeed the trial base is so poor it is damaging to their brand.

To cut a long story short it sounds like everybody hates the new bases and he is collating the evidence to go back to management with it to see whether they will switch back in the trial outlets.

[SilverDreamMachine]

Hi DG,

Thanks for the feedback and taking the trouble. Fingers crossed the effort is rewarded!

[Irene Administrator]

We spotted the change to bases over a month ago and wrote a long complaint to HO. We then met with the PR person and various managers to discuss our disappointment. We didn't blog about it as we wanted to get all the facts to hand; we wanted to get the final bits of info from them before we do, in the interests of fareness.

Our main gripe was that we were served the base either totally undercooked with the toppings sliding off or burnt. We have also complained that if they are changing this permanently they need to update the menu so people are aware and are able to make the choice to try it or go for something else.

We were really surprised when this new base arrived without warning; plus it seems so were the branches!

Will keep you posted and will let you know when we get a moment to write up the blog.

[DartmoorGuerrilla in reply to Irene]

Thanks Irene, I'm glad to hear there's an organised campaign of feedback. I will be interested to hear the outcome.

In addition to your comments (I imagine you'd have to weld the toppings to make them stick on), I also thought the mouth feel wasn't pleasant. I chewed and chewed and the texture didn't improve. It was like eating one of those supermarket ones... the well known brands that made me make my own...

I also thought it tasted gluten free in a way the old GF bases didn't.

Well I'm hoping the economics of it will persuade them to switch back to what was an excellent product that didn't need changing.

I'm currently taking at least £60/week elsewhere, and finding things I can eat at Bella Pasta, Frankie & Benny's and various other places close to my office that I never would have tried otherwise.

[KathrynS_UK]

It seemed look like a failed pancake when I had one. I think it would have been less horrendous if they blind baked it first to let the middle cook properly.

I fed this back as well as my disappointment.

The in store staff told me they had changed bases as the old ones burnt too easily.

[LisaC-S4]

I agree the first GF base was amazing . I felt like I was eating a proper traditional pizza.

This one looks and tastes like a shop bought base.

Being back the old one!