A very disappointing lunch. Should pubs and restaurants be more honest.

Well if you buy meat and veg in, and prepare it and cook it- then it is home-made. If you buy it all ready in plastic bags to re-heat in hot bath- it is not. Quite simple, really.

And yes, it should be crystal clear on the menu.

It’s difficult to comment without more information. What did you order and what was bought in? And what sort of establishment was it? Being pre-prepared isn’t per se a black mark. Many of us cook dishes ahead and freeze or chill and they are just as good as freshly prepared.

To me it would depend on how much you’re paying. In relatively cheap-and-cheerful places, like Wetherspoons, with extensive menus, TBH I’d hardly expect everything to be freshly prepared.

It’s different matter in relatively expensive places with much more limited menus.

Totally agree. I know 2 youngsters who worked at Weatherspoon's, and everything was bought in and re-heated in plastic bag in hot bath!

Yes I think they should. If you go to a pub or restaurant you expect freshly prepared food or you might as well stay at home and stick a "ready meal" in the oven and save your money.