Kids spot Frankie & Benny’s from the North Terminal concourse
Post-security in Gatwick North, Frankie & Benny’s is the default stop when children see the sign and refuse anything else. It’s a mid-range chain (call it $$) with a menu of burgers, pasta, pizza and US‑style breakfasts. Expect airport prices: mains often land in the £13–£18 range, with soft drinks around £3–£4. The rating hovers near a 3/5, which matches the general consensus: fine, familiar, nothing you’ll talk about after landing.
For families, the children’s menu is the only semi-sensible value play, with kids’ mains and a drink coming in notably cheaper than adult portions, even if it’s still more than your local high street branch. Parents on TripAdvisor point out that using the kids’ set menu keeps the bill under control compared with ordering full-size burgers all round. It’s one of the few sit-down spots in North where you can actually spread colouring books, toys and tablets across a real table.
Service reports are mixed: one reviewer mentioned staff being patient with their two children, while another flagged slow food times that stretched past 30 minutes at peak morning departures. Complaints about inattentive service cluster around early holiday waves and evening long‑haul banks. Regulars with kids say they only risk a full meal here with at least 90 minutes before boarding; tighter than that and they switch to grab‑and‑go from elsewhere in the terminal.
Food-wise, stick to straightforward items like a cheeseburger, pepperoni pizza or basic pasta; this is chain diner cooking, not a project meal before your flight. Several reviewers grumble that it feels expensive for what it is, but still better than trying to fill up children on crisps from WHSmith. Practical tip: if you want a sit-down meal here with kids, aim to be seated a full hour before gate display time and be ready to chase the bill if your flight gets called.