Lamb off the menu at Toby Carvery amid supply chain issues

The restaurant chain has received complaints from diners

(Getty Images)

Toby Carvery has said it is experiencing “difficulties” with its lamb chain supply after customers have bemoaned the lack of the meat at its restaurants on Sundays.

The roast dinner buffet chain said it is unable to offer the meat every Sunday as it usually does

It comes after a diner reportedly took to Twitter to complain about the issue and claimed there is “no problem with the supply”.

Ben Marriott, who describes himself as a butcher from Nottingham on his Twitter, wrote to Toby Carvery to share his frustration.

In a now-deleted tweet, he said: “Why am I being told you can’t get lamb? The whole point of me coming to eat out this Sunday is because you do lamb, and now all of a sudden you don’t.”

The restaurant’s social media team informed Marriott that lamb is “now only available on specific dates for the time being”, adding that the shortage was “due to a supplier issue”.

However, Marriott disputed the restaurant’s explanation and said: “That’s not true at all. There’s no problem with the supply. Your carver just told us that it’s the price.”

He recommended that the restaurant add a surplus charge for customers who still want to eat lamb even if the price is higher.

“Then it’s a choice,” he said, adding that he would not return to his local Toby Carvery on Sundays because “it’s no different from any other day”.

Toby Carvery’s Twitter account apologised for any “misinformation” Marriott received and said: “The lamb is only being offered on selected Sundays for the time being due to ongoing stock issues.

“We hope to have it back to every Sunday as soon as possible.”

A spokesperson for Toby Carvery told The Independent: “Our guests are offered four roasted meats, seven days a week to enjoy on the carvery deck.

“We experienced difficulties within our own lamb supply chain which has meant it hasn’t been on our decks as frequently recently.

“We are working towards having it back at the Home of the Roast later in the year and hope our guests will enjoy our succulent beef, gammon, pork and turkey in the meantime!”