Whenever you go into a Wetherspoons and marvel at the lower prices, you might wonder just how they do it.
Chances are their pints are going to be cheaper than the other pubs in the area, but as you quaff your beer the cogs in your brain might start turning towards the question of how.
One of the 'urban myths' around the pub chain which Wetherspoons strenuously denies is that they buy up massive amounts of booze which is about to hit the sell-by date on the cheap, and then flog the lot to their punters before anyone notices.
Advert
According to Wetherspoons, this is a 'ludicrous fairytale' and revealed the real reason behind their unbeatable prices.
They said it's because they have longer opening hours and sign long-term contracts with suppliers for better deals.
However, the are other reasons for 'Spoons pubs being cheaper than many of their competitors, as Channel 5 documentary Wetherspoons: How do they really do it? revealed.
One thing 'Spoons has going for it is their pubs aren't brewery owned, so they can shop around for better prices and aren't tied to a limited pool of suppliers.
If you're wondering why a particular brand of beer has vanished from your local 'Spoons, then that might be the reason.
On top of that the documentary claimed there's a rule that each pint pulled at the pumps needs to have five percent of head, and managers can test it by weighing the glass of beer.
Having another source of revenue through their food also helps, as does the speed provided by having Chef Mike in the kitchens, while Wetherspoons have taken a leaf out of the supermarket book and compares prices to local competitors.
If pubs in their area are charging low prices, then the nearby Spoons will try and drive their own prices down in response.
Despite this, there seems to be no immunity from the price rises which have plagued other pubs.
The pub chain said that as of the beginning of February, most prices would increase by 3.95 percent.
However, the cheap prices don't apply to every 'Spoons in the country as in some of them, the price of a pint has climbed close to £7 which for Brits is pretty much armageddon.
Fortunately, most of their pubs are much cheaper than the Moon Under Water in London's Leicester Square, but the cost of a glass of that alcoholic amber nectar is climbing steadily upwards pretty much everywhere you look.
It might reach such a point that people stop playing the Wetherspoons game as it's too pricey... but let's hope it doesn't come to that.
Topics: Wetherspoons, UK News, Food And Drink
Joe Harker