Listener sentiment
Off Menu continues to earn warm, loyal devotion from long-time listeners who treasure Ed Gamble and James Acaster's chemistry, the dream-meal format as a natural springboard for funny and revealing conversation, and the show's role as comfort listening that reliably lifts moods. Standout episodes — Jeff Goldblum, Stephen Graham, Julian Clary, Rhod Gilbert, and Chris McCausland among them — draw effusive praise, while recurring segments like "Poppadoms or Bread" and the newer Tasting Menu format remain fan favorites. The most persistent friction point is advertising volume: several former regulars cite lengthy pre-content ad breaks as a reason they've stopped listening or tune in less, though an equally vocal contingent counters that ads are trivially skippable and a fair trade for a free show. Guest quality remains the show's key variable — disengaged celebrities on press tours (Robert De Niro is singled out repeatedly) and unfamiliar guests draw criticism, while comedy peers and charismatic non-comedic guests consistently thrive; some listeners also feel the roster has skewed too heavily toward comedians lately and miss the contrast of actors and musicians. A newer production complaint has surfaced around dated, distracting sound-effect transitions that some feel undercut the otherwise strong content, alongside ongoing technical frustration with video being added to the audio feed, which disrupts playback for listeners not on Wi-Fi. Despite these frictions, the prevailing sentiment remains warmly positive, with even critical reviewers often acknowledging they still enjoy the core product.
Apple4.6 · 924
Summary generated Sep 6, 2026
