They are cheap, have a good atmosphere, good beer and a decent choice of them, and usually nice buildings nicely done up.

The food is rather rubbish, but its OK and cheap.

I suspect a lot of what people do not like about them is that they are cheap. The proles can afford to go there so its infra dig to like them.

I do prefer free houses (independent pubs) over chains, or somewhere with better food if I am going out primarily for a meal, but Wetherspoons are better overall than the other big chains.