Draft pints start around £6 at Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales sits landside at London Stansted, in the main departure hall before security, so it works if you’re meeting someone off a coach or checking in early. It runs typical pub hours aligned with the first and last flights of the day, usually opening before 5:00 and staying open into late evening when the final Ryanair departures leave. Expect standard airport pub pricing: mains in the £11–£17 range, plus extras for sides and sauces.
The food follows mainstream UK pub templates: full English breakfast plates in the morning, burgers and pies through the afternoon, plus sharers like wings and chips. You’ll see familiar high-street pub brands on the menu, including classic lagers, a few ales, and basic spirits, with most draught pints landing between £5.80 and £7. For non-drinkers, soft drinks and coffee cost similar to other Stansted outlets, roughly £3–£4 per drink.
Service style is order-at-the-bar, with table numbers used to run food out, so factor in a 10–20 minute wait at busier times like 06:00–09:00 and early evening Friday flights. Seating mixes high tables and standard four-tops, and at peak hours you’ll spot carry-on bags tucked under almost every chair. Power outlets are limited, so don’t bank on charging a laptop during lunch.
If your gate call tends to be 40 minutes before departure at Stansted, treat Prince of Wales as your pre-security stop, then plan at least 20 minutes for security plus another 10 for walking out to the satellite gates. That means you want to pay the bill at least 70 minutes before departure on a normal day. One practical move: check your gate on the Stansted screens near the pub before you sit down, so you don’t end up with a rushed sprint across the terminal with a fresh burger in a takeaway box.