'We have listened to all your feedback': New owners of Northampton's Buddies USA chain announce 'version two' of 2019 menu

The new owners of a popular Northampton diner chain that overhauled its iconic menu at the beginning of the year are asking 'hardcore fans' to give them another go.
By Alastair Ulke
Published 24th Jan 2019, 15:35 BST
Updated 7th Feb 2019, 19:03 BST
Buddies USA overhauled its popular menu featuring over 60 burgers at the beginning of January.Buddies USA overhauled its popular menu featuring over 60 burgers at the beginning of January.
Buddies USA overhauled its popular menu featuring over 60 burgers at the beginning of January.

Buddies USA turned off some of their regular customers this month when new owners Simpsons Catering Ltd introduced a new streamlined menu.

Where the old menu featured more than 50 burgers named after pop culture icons, the New Year saw the American-style chain bring in a choose-your-toppings approach.

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The slimmer menu was met with a mixed response by diners on social media - but Simpsons Catering now says it will roll out a 'version two' of the new menu by the end of next week.

Operations manager Matthew Turnbull said: "We have listened to every bit of feedback from customers and we admire their passion.

"We are announcing a slightly tweaked menu that I hope will welcome back some fans who miss the old style of menu.

"The way the business was run previously, the menu was not sustainable. There was a huge amount of food wastage and only a select number of things were popular at any one time. The menu could be bamboozling at times too.

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"We wanted to condense the menu. Many of the classic burgers can still be made with the toppings on offer and the quality of ingredients we're using is far superior.

"I know there will always be a contingent of hardcore fans and I hope we can welcome them back someday soon."

Buddies USA - which has eight restaurants across Northamptonshire and recently closed a branch in Towcester - relaunched in January with a new breakfast menu, lunch menu and vegan menu.

The new 'version two' menu will be introduced at all Buddies USA branches by February 3.

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It comes as a longtime fan of Buddies USA has launched a petition on Change.org to bring back the 'old menu'.

Rachel Earl, a schoolteacher from Little Billing, said: "I used to go a few times a month for a Shrek burger but I've gone off it since they brought in the new menu.

"I just think it's lost that special ingredient. I think people used to like looking at all the burgers on offer.

"There probably was quite a lot of waste but the new menu seems quite drastic. There are more choices at your local pub now."

At the time of writing (January 24) the petition has gathered just 11 signatures.

Related topics:NorthamptonAmerican