Italiano / The Grill Inn

[Dan]

Have you ever eaten at the parks restaurant - The Grill Inn? Share your opinions below!

With the 2019 Ultimate Pass you receive 20% off at the Grill Inn.

 

[Harry]

I've eaten at Grill Inn twice.

Not much variety I thought at the time from looking at the menu (I'm a picky eater), but a bowl of chips was nice.
10/10

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

I not been in there as during the firework event they usually are fully booked up but with a fussy eater we usually have lunch and eat dinner back home.

 

[Dan]

I have attached the Menu for the Grill Inn below, there seems to be some great options here, and the food quality appears to be superb. The kids menu is also reasonably priced - I'm very interested to see how popular this option is, I can imagine lots of people use this on their way out if they are parked at the Apocalypse entrance or are using the hotel.

I have also heard from a friend that there is some interesting theme park related artwork within the California Room related to older Theme Park attractions in California - this may be worth checking out if and when the room is open!

 

[Emma]

There’s not a wide range of menu to choose from however the quality is gorgeous. I personally love going out of my way to have a meal there.

 

[remlap]

The grill is great value, especially when there are season pass discount vouchers for 40% off.

I can’t remember the exact name of it but they do a tower burger for about £15 that’s really good.

 

[Harry]

10/07/19

 

[Harry]

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

What’s the prices like in there as always fancied going in there during the closed season with my 40% discount we get as pass holders

 

[remlap]

What’s the prices like in there as always fancied going in there during the closed season with my 40% discount we get as pass holders

If you use the 40% vouchers it’s dirt cheap. We’ve eaten there (2 adults and a child) for around £22 and that’s off the regular menu.

 

[Dora]

I’ve heard that there’s an exclusive discount of 30% if you download the app too.

 

[Dan]

It looks like The Grill Inn has been rebranded to "Italiano" in an interesting move by the park. Italiano presumably remains in the same location that The Grill Inn was located, but serves a very different menu to that offered by the former Grill Inn. Take a look at the menu below:

What are your thoughts on this brand and menu change? There are certainly some lovely sounding offerings, which I can't wait to try on one of my visits to the park this season!

Find out more about Italiano and book your table at: https://www.draytonmanor.co.uk/italiano

 

[remlap]

This seems slightly crazy. Not everyone likes Italian! The grill catered for everyone. They were refurbishing it when I weren’t during Feb half term, most of the memorabilia and ride photos had gone at that point which this explains.

 

[Anth0ny]

The Grill Inn always busy when I walk past, and I think that rebranding as an Italian restaurant will put a lot o people off who dislike Italian food, The Grill had something for everybody.

To me this is making the park into something it is not it doesn't suit the park at all. Italian food is messy which might not be ideal for families, and to me it is a sit-down formal meal. People would also be more likely to say "let's going for pizza" rather than "let's go for Italian" (even pizza is Italian) and I don't think this brand makes it obvious. An Italian restaurant doesn't strike me as a family restaurant, if that makes sense?

Also, it's to be expensive to re do all of the signs around the park, there are signs by the main entrance on the wall by Drunken Barrels on the entrance road sings, and the signs on the restaurant itself. It seems odd that they're remaking a perfectly good restaurant whilst they're not spending any of that money on the park itself. It's also probably to lose the opening day images of some headline rides from the glass bit, which is another sad loss. I always liked the beer in thegrill, hope they don't swap that lol

Some of the language on the menu isn't the best for younger families too, "Fromaggi", "Rigatoni", "Bacconcini", "Positano". It all sounds very up market, expensive, and something that would put your average family off to me.

Also, what does this mean for Safari Pizza Pasta? That'd be a tragic loss considering the quality of the theming, location, convenience and price...

 

[remlap]

I am at a genuine loss at what they are thinking with this one. A child can make a mess with a burger, but that’s nothing compared to what they can do so try spaghetti bolognaise.

Also as you mentioned. What does this mean for safari pizza, I can’t see why you would go to the Italian rather than safari which is inside the park :s

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

It looks expensive and doesn’t say the size of the pizza. Maybe it could be a outside company running it which Drayton earn money off the rent.

 

[Dan]

Here is a look at the new Italiano signage which can be seen from the Clock Tower / Apocalypse Entrance from the park! The branding looks really smart, and looking at the restaurant it is great to see that there is potentially an outdoor area with permanent fencing outside of the conservatory, and the interior looks rather smart too.

The promotional images of rides like Maelstrom and Excalibur have been removed.

 

[remlap]

When visiting the park today I noticed all the Italiano signage has been removed. I don't know if they're planning to re-brand it or if a restaurant at the top end of the park is gone forever.

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

I think cause the safari restaurant in the park offers nearly the same items on that menu it’s pointless having 2 restaurants selling the same food.

 

[Ciaran]

When visiting the park today I noticed all the Italiano signage has been removed. I don't know if they're planning to re-brand it or if a restaurant at the top end of the park is gone forever.

I’m fairly sure it never even opened to the public as Italiano. Short lived to say the least!