[3] The series is set almost entirely in the canteen of HWD Components, a fictional factory in Manchester, featuring the caterers and regular customers as the main characters.

It depicts the lives and social and romantic interactions of the staff, and is centred around the main character of Brenda Furlong, played by Wood.

The main character is the kind and dependable Brenda "Bren" Furlong, whose relationship with sarcastic and exhausted canteen manager Tony Martin (Andrew Dunn) develops through the show.

[4] The characters feature the prim and prudish Dolly Bellfield (Thelma Barlow) and her waspish friend Jean (Anne Reid), and the younger and snarky Twinkle (Maxine Peake), who is always late, and the scatter-brained but mild-mannered Anita (Shobna Gulati).

[5] Stan Meadowcroft (Duncan Preston) is an opinionated and easily provoked, but well-meaning, maintenance man who is responsible for cleaning the factory and fixing equipment.

[5] Actress Julie Walters also appears in nine episodes[a] as Bren's down-and-out, delusional and manipulative mother, who lives in a caravan behind a petrol station.

Bodeux resigns after causing the canteen staff to strike, leading Bren to take charge on an interim basis amidst a crisis for the company.

[6][7] Throughout the second series, Bren and Tony's relationship develops further; the canteen takes on a work experience girl named Sigourney (Joanne Froggatt), Jean goes to stay with her sister after she is put in a foul mood by her unfaithful husband, a prisoner escapes from a local prison and Bren's fear of needles is mistaken for pregnancy.

[8][9] The ensemble cast occasionally featured notable guest actors, including Joanne Froggatt, Tina Malone, Dora Bryan, Lynda Baron, Elspet Gray, Janette Tough (of The Krankies fame), Henry Kelly, Simon Williams, Kenny Doughty, Lesley Nicol, Eric Sykes and Thora Hird.

The set was intended to be as realistic as possible, and even featured a functioning catering toaster from which the studio audience were served toast during filming.

Humour is mostly derived from the conversation and banter between characters, regarding their lives and popular culture, most commonly film and television: dialogue often features humorous misunderstandings, malapropisms and sexual innuendos.

A second show called Dinnerladies: Second Helpings toured in 2011 with a new script,[28] once again featuring Dunn, joined by original series cast member Sue Devaney.