Great Western Coffee Shop

This has happened twice now.  There seems to be times when rather than displaying the sandwiches, baguettes, cheeseburgers etc in the fridge behind the counter where they are visible they are hidden underneath the counter.

The first time this happened I assumed they had sold out - not all that unsual - but later noticed people walking through with said items so went back and asked and lo and behold a list of goodies was read out to me.

Tonight the same thing happened and when asked the steward was able to supply me with almost the complete range.  Later in the journey he was even announcing sandwiches at half price, I assume because he had stock left.  I thought it might be because the fridge/chiller was out of order - but I noticed other items were on the lower shelves.

It does seem a very strange way of doing things.  Has anyone else seen this?

I quite often see the display fridges not stocked. Often this is because they aren't working. 9 times out of 10 they've got what I want hidden away though!

Persihable items are often reduced to half price when a particular train is on its last run of the evening.

Stock comes on only at Plymouth and London, so depends where you are in your journey. If they give them sandwiches at Plymouth on the down and its a late terminating train,  then they will not be used the next day so are sold at a discount.

I don't doubt the sense of selling off the stock to avoid wastage - my point was if the chiller is working - which is seemed to be tonight - why not display the stock so people buy it?  Occasional travellers won't know to ask if it is hidden.  I didn't initially - and I travel pretty regularly.

I don't have a definite answer for you.

It could be that the temperature wasn't appropriate for the stock.

True - there are strict health and safety rules with food but perhaps a sign could be included in the kit for such eventualities.  It just seems crazy to carry the stock but not advertise it.

"cynic mode on" Perhaps they dont want to sell many or any of the perishables at full price, so as to have more left to sell at half price to friends or off duty staff.
It would not be well to state that none are left, since that would be a blatent lie, and clearly untrue when the items are then offered cheaply later.
Not placing the items on display would however discourage sales without telling any lies.
If challenged by management about the lack of goods on display, it would be a simple matter to make up some excuse such as "forgot" "no time" or "fridge not cold enough"

There are issues with the electrical circuits on some catering cars and fridge modules are notoriously unreliable.  As perishable foods have to be stored within a strictly temperature controlled environment,  (monitored and recorded by the Train Manager), such goods have to be stowed out of sight in working chill cabinets when display cases malfunction.  The above insinuation that this is a deliberate ploy is arrant and offensive nonsense. 

Operational staff tend to take meals with them to work.  There are microwave facilities in nearly all mess rooms and often a full kitchen facility as well.  For the less provident, or "friends and off duty staff, "late opening convenience stores mean that food is available more cheaply and with with more variety than even reduced price railway goodies.

Believe it or not, an overwhelming majority of customer hosts deplore waste and will do everything within their power to avoid destroying perfectly good food. (This is done under controlled conditions at terminating stations).  Price reductions do little for the budget, but do ensure that waste is to an extent, minimised.

Maxwell P is quite right....There are some electrical issues with the fridge display cabinets its all to do with the Train Supply voltage which can fluctuate whilst moving and the fact that the train supply is supplied by the rear power car and must be swopped over to it at say Gloucester whilst changing ends.
This operation causes the cabinets to switch off and back on again, and sometimes of course they trip out when this happens the fridge fails.

Well any MCB is likely to trip with Motor Currents on "Switch On"
Starting Current is typically 7 times the running current, but time delayed MCB's would cure this problem, but off course they cost more.