Frankie & Benny’s

Talk about service with a scowl. But really, there isn’t any service at all. The waitress is nasty and if looks could kill… But if the food was good, you would probably over look that stuff. Sorry, we can’t. The food isn’t very good. That along with that nonexistent service and the fact its in an airport means we won’t be coming back. Even if we do find ourselves in Birmingham again.

Frankie & Benny’s is a typical chain restaurant… Ok for food, if there is nothing else around. The service doesn’t really listen or bother about special requests and prices are extremely high for the served food quality.

Yup, it’s alright. It’s a Frankie and Benny’s, but all the staff are wearing airport security lanyards.
We wanted to just eat and go, as we had to get through security, and this notion confused the staff who wanted to wait for us to mull the menu over, mull the bill over, and various unnecessary waiting periods that are fine in normal restaurant settings but not when you’re sat looking at airport departures boards and the security gates.
This isn’t to say they did anything wrong — far from it, the place performed exactly as a Frankie and Benny’s should. And the food in comparison to what is on offer through the gates (Wetherspoons or WHSmiths) was excellent.

After trying to get food at the wetherspoons in the nec (which stops doing food at 6 which is when you would want it!), the next option was to try the airport terminal where I found this Frankie @ Benny’s. On arrival, I was told it was busy (I could see that for myself) and there was a 30 minute wait on food but a table was available. I ordered s drink (only a pint of lager) but this took 20 mins to arrive at my table after sitting on the bar for at least 10 mins! Although service wasn’t bad, it seemed rather chaotic with various staff keep having to check what food was going to what table. The menu said a choice of potato option with my rack of ribs bug I wasn’t offered any choice and it arrived with chips. The food itself was hot and fresh which was as well as I’d waited nearly 45 mins by this time. I accept this is an airport venue but surely the management are aware they will be busy and get extra staff to accommodate — there were empty tables throughout the time I was there so it wasn’t a space issue. And being a ‘prime location’ prices are a bit higher and no special offers available.

So if you’ve been to one Frankie & Benny’s you’ve been to them all, well in my opinion. This was a first for me through as it is in an airport.
The menu is standard and the food does the job yo want it to do, hits the spot before your long or short journey. The service was prompt and polite as you would expect.
Now my only concern was that they did try to charge us for a dish we did not order or have the pleasure of eat. The staff did rectify this issue once we raised it with them.
It is probably the best place to eat before heading through security as they offer the best variety of food.

Good place to kill an hour or two before your flight. Generous drinks, large choice menu items, friendly staff. Free wifi. Haven’t eaten anything yet that tried to kill me.

I can recommend this airport restaurant. We ate a steak which was really okay. Just the fries are a bit muddy.