Toby Carvery customers have until the end of today, Friday, October 16, to claim a roast dinner for £7 through the chain's app. The promotion follows a social media storm sparked by claims that the restaurant was weighing meat to reduce portion sizes.
Controversy over meat weighing
The debate began after footage appeared to show kitchen staff using scales to weigh meat before serving it to customers. The video, shared by content creator Tee Gee, was filmed at the chain's Poole restaurant in Dorset and led to speculation that the practice was a cost-cutting measure. Toby Carvery has seven restaurants listed on its official website across Merseyside, with branches in Liverpool, Wirral, Formby and St Helens.
In the clip, a staff member is seen weighing meat while preparing a roast dinner. Tee Gee captioned the video: “Tiny Yorkshire puddings and they're weighing the meat now. Good job I went king size. Next, they'll be counting the peas.” A chef featured in the footage reportedly said the team had been weighing portions for around three weeks, although it was unclear whether the same practice was taking place at other branches.
Chain defends portion sizes
The video attracted hundreds of comments, with some customers threatening to boycott the chain over concerns about portion sizes. However, Toby Carvery has rejected suggestions that it is reducing the amount of meat served to diners, insisting that scales are sometimes used for staff training and quality control.
A spokesperson for the chain said: “Don't worry, Toby fans, nothing has changed with our portion sizes. Our chefs are highly trained and generally carve portions using their experience.
“Sometimes, we use scales to help to train new team members, or to reassure existing chefs that their portion servings are on point, ensuring accuracy and quality for our guests.”
The company added that weighing meat was not a cost-cutting measure but part of a long-standing training and quality assurance process within its apprenticeship programme, which helps train hundreds of new kitchen team members each year. The spokesperson said the checks were designed to ensure the amount of meat chefs carve by sight remained consistent across its restaurants, helping customers receive the same roast dinner experience wherever they visit.
In response to the controversy, Toby Carvery has also invited Tee Gee back to the Poole restaurant for a behind-the-scenes look at its kitchens and an opportunity to meet the team.
How to get the £7 deal
With today marking the final day of the promotion, customers have a limited window to take advantage of the £7 roast dinner offer. The deal is available through the Toby Carvery app and allows diners to enjoy one of the chain's traditional roast dinners at a reduced price.
Meals typically feature carved meat, seasonal vegetables, roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings and traditional accompaniments. Known as the “Home of the Roast”, Toby Carvery operates around 150 restaurants across the UK and has been serving traditional British roast dinners since 1985.
A standard roast dinner typically starts from £10.99, meaning the £7 offer could save diners £3.99 on a qualifying meal. Customers hoping to take advantage of the promotion should check the Toby Carvery app for the full terms and availability before visiting, as the offer ends today, Friday, October 16.
