Why did the restaurant chain, Little Chef, disappear from our roadsides?

Sean Farrington discovers what happened to the brand which brought us Jubilee Pancakes, Olympic Breakfasts and free lollies for the kids.

At its peak, Little Chef had over 400 restaurants on most of our major highways and a turnover well in excess of £100m.

So, how did such a successful business ultimately end up toast?

Sean speaks to Fiona Alper who was married to the Little Chef co-founder, Sam Alper; the entrepreneur, Lawrence Wosskow, who once owned Little Chef and Becky Parr-Phillips who started as a waitress but rose through the ranks to become Little Chef's head of operations.

Alongside them all to analyse Little Chef's fortunes is the self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur, Sam White.

This episode was first broadcast in April 2024

Produced by Jon Douglas. Toast is a BBC Audio North production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

You can email the programme at [email protected]

Feel free to suggest topics which could be covered in future episodes.

Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in May. In the new series, Greg Foot will investigate more of the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.

This one's all about mushrooms - not so much your chestnut, button or portobellos from the supermarket, but more the likes of lion's mane, reishi and chaga. These much-feted fungi are claimed to offer all sorts of benefits, from relaxation to disease-fighting properties. We've had loads of questions about products containing them, particularly around mushroom coffee. Is there any evidence that it's better for you than your regular brew? Listener Leon is fond of it - and wants to know if there's any science to back up his inclination. To get him some answers, we hear from a registered nutritionist and a mycologist (fungi expert) who's just written a book all about medicinal mushrooms. So are they the best thing since Sliced Bread?

If you’ve seen an ad, trend or wonder product promising to make you happier, healthier or greener and want to know how it stacks up, then email us: [email protected] or send a voice note to our WhatsApp number: 07543 306807

PRESENTER: GREG FOOT

Is it better to wash your dishes by hand or use a dishwasher?

This question from listener Eve has got to be among the most hotly contested debates out there. She wants to know which method uses more water and which is more energy efficient. To find out, we speak to a man who's spent decades studying the differences - Professor Rainer Stamminger from the University of Bonn in Germany.

Eve also wants to know about the eco settings on dishwashers: how can they save money if they take so much longer? And should you pre-rinse before putting things in?! In short, does the evidence around dishwashers stack up (sorry!) Greg will be finding out.

PRESENTER: Greg Foot

Greg's getting electric for this one, as he tries out a tens machine. Tens (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) is a type of pain relief which uses a mild electrical current. They're marketed at all types of pain - but do they work? The NHS isn't convinced yet. Listener Patrick is one of many who have asked about these devices, so we got in touch with a a professor who's studied them for 40 years. Also - another type of electrotherapy is a circulation booster. These circular devices claim to be able to help sore legs by activating the muscles. On behalf of listener Rick, Greg finds out what the evidence is for their effectiveness.

PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

Which is the cream of the crop for your health and the planet?

The supermarket shelves are fairly bulging with plant-based options for people who either prefer not to drink cow's milk or can't for health reasons like an allergy. Some have been around for a while - like soy, almond and the current best-seller in the UK, oat - but there are newer additions to consider like hazelnut, hemp and a drink made from dried peas.

Listener Sian wants to know if these milk alternatives are better for her health and the environment than cow's milk. Do they give you the same nutritional benefits? And what's the carbon footprint of each, and how do they compare to the production of cow's milk?

If you’ve seen an ad, trend or wonder product promising to make you happier, healthier or greener and want to know if there’s any evidence behind it, then email us: [email protected] or you can send a voice note to our WhatsApp number: 07543 306807

Presenter: Greg Foot

Millions of us use fitness tracker watches to count how many steps we take each day - they also claim to tell us how we're sleeping and how stressed we are, as well as a host of other metrics. But how accurate are they - and are they the best thing since Sliced Bread? We've had loads of requests from you to look into fitness trackers. So with multiple watches on each arm, Greg's being put through his paces at Loughborough University under the watchful eye of Dr James Sanders, senior research associate in digital health for lifestyle.

PRESENTER: GREG FOOT

What cookware is best for your kitchen?

There is a bewildering array of pots and pans on offer: stainless steel saucepans, cast iron skillets, even 10-in-1 cookware systems that use layers of various materials. But do they deliver on their promises to help you reach culinary bliss? Listener Emily wants to know if the ones she's seen live up to the hype or are just marketing BS. What do all the materials do? What about cleaning them? And just what is the much-vaunted 'hot spot' that lights up at a certain temperature?!

There are also lingering concerns about non-stick coatings. Are they safe? And what about the alternatives if you're not sure?

Please do keep your suggestions coming of wonder products for me to investigate. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or wonder product promising to make you happier, healthier or greener and want to know if there’s any evidence behind it, then email us: [email protected] or you can send a voice note to our WhatsApp number: 07543 306807

Presenter: Greg Foot

Gum disease is extremely common in dogs - with some breeds particularly badly affected. So it's no surprise there are all sorts of products on the market offering to clean your pet's teeth - which might be particularly appealing if you don't fancy grabbing a toothbrush and doing the job yourself. As well as chews of many shapes and sizes, there are additives to water - and even seaweed extract to sprinkle on their food. It's a serious business. We've had loads of emails asking us to look into this one - including from listener Sarah, who wants help on behalf of Heidi, her Miniature Schnauzer. To get them some answers, Greg hears from a pet nutritionist and a vet who's an expert in dental care. Are dog dental chews the best thing since sliced bread?

PRESENTER: GREG FOOT

Are more expensive face creams worth it?

I'm back with a new series of Sliced Bread to investigate more of your suggested wonder products and I'm starting with one of the most-requested so far. Do more expensive moisturisers, serums and oils live up to the hype? Can they result in smoother, brighter, firmer, healthier skin or is it all just marketing BS?

Listener Aristide wants to know whether one of the most expensive products on the market - 'Creme de la Mer' (£80 for 15ml) - has any more evidence to back it up than the cheap moisturiser he uses from the High Street. And listener Fiona is keen to hear about the effectiveness of retinol, one of the most popular ingredients used in creams and serums today.

In this episode I'll get the answers with the help of our expert, consultant dermatologist Dr Emma Wedgeworth.

Once again this series I'm looking for more of your suggestions for wonder products to investigate. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad rproduct promsing to make you happier, healthier or greener and want to know if there’s any evidence behind it, then email us: [email protected] or you can send a voice note to our WhatsApp number: 07543 306807

Presenter: Greg Foot

Greg Foot returns to investigate a whole new batch of so-called wonder products suggested by you, the listeners.

Sliced Bread is back for a new series from Thursday 8 February, 2023 on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds, with new episodes available weekly on Thursdays on BBC Sounds and wherever you get your podcasts.