The Lydiard Beefeater - Swindon

We ended up at this beefeater after being told that on Sunday 19:50 another restaurant down the road could not cook steak nor burgers (see my other review)When we arrived there was a sign saying that because of staff shortage only pre-booked reservations were accepted. We were really hungry after a day work, so we asked the manager if he could accommodate 2 of us.He was very understanding and gave us a table.The 2 staff and the manager were really busy serving everyone, but they pulled it off.They should be given a reward for dealing with so many customers. We ordered a steak and a burger.Usual good beefeater quality for the steak, but the burger was excellent. Beer was very cold, a nice addition to our dinner.The apple crumble was good too.I must give 5 stars to this beefeater for the staff effort on its own.Well done and thank you.

Waited a while to order. It took over an hour and half for food to arrive lunch time. Guests arrived after us served first even though our meal was not out of the ordinary. 3 adults a a child age 6 in party. After long wait one person food was forgotten. No apologies or anything but we won’t charge for that meal. Food was cold as if sitting the kitchen for long. May be all due to we wanted to change the seat because we were sat under air conditioning. Horrible manager didn’t like that. Previous week he was very obstinate too. Got there 15 minutes early so waited in bar for half an hour and had to remind him. Will never go again. Used to go for lunch every other week with a friend.

Great place for a breakfast. Situated next to junction 16 of the M4, perfect start to a journey. Continental buffet style, more than enough to choose from topped off with an all you can eat cooked breakfast for a very reasonable price.

I typically do not like to leave negative reviews about restaurants, especially during this challenging time for the food industry, but I feel compelled to share my experience from Sunday. If you choose to dine at this restaurant, there is a high chance that you may receive frozen and extremely hard food, with minimal apologies or shock from the staff. Our party of 6 had a reservation for 1:30pm. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a friendly young waitress. However, we were seated next to the kitchen door and till station, which constantly banged as staff came in and out. We could also hear unprofessional conversations and complaints about other customers from the staff near the till, which was not appropriate for paying customers. Our starters were fine, but it took an hour to receive them. We ordered another round of drinks and by 3pm, our main meals had still not arrived. When we inquired, a rude waitress told us it was being prepared. At 3:20pm, our meals finally arrived, but with incorrect meat orders and the meat was overcooked and cold. My mother's "steak and ale pie" was frozen inside and rock hard. The manager barely apologized and disappeared into the kitchen with the pie. The way our concerns were handled was appalling. None of the staff seemed willing to apologize or address the issue. We requested contact information for head office and a young waiter reluctantly handed us a card. Do not waste your time or money at this establishment, as there is a risk of receiving subpar food and poor service.

During my stay at the Premier Inn, I enjoyed breakfast and dinner at the Beefeater at Great Western for two days. The food was delicious and freshly cooked, and the table service was excellent despite the challenging staffing conditions caused by COVID-19. I will definitely be returning!