Catering Comparisons

[whole diary]

[trainer]

Having had a week's travelling 1st Class in many parts of the country with a purpose rather than just the desire to ride trains I have been able to randomly sample a number of different aspects of the way in which the different train companies appear the the infrequent traveller.  Food is always important on long distance travel and there were three aspects of catering that particularly struck me: the offer (through publicity), the catering staff, and the food/drink itself.

My conclusion on a limited sample:

FGW^▸ (First Great Western): honest promise in publicity, friendly trolley staff and satisfactory, if limited, offer of basic hot/cold drinks and snacks.  Sundays you get it yourself from an equally friendly staff member.

Greater Anglia: only drinks offered, which had to collected from the buffet from a smiling staff member.  (Buy your own food with a Bite Card from the platform retailers at Liverpool Street or Norwich.)

East Coast: Fantastically written publicity offering something special. Very attentive staff who offered drinks (including alcohol, but as an abstainer I can offer no opinion as to quality of the wines) after every station stop, but the hot food was slow being offered.  When it came it was the biggest disappointment of all.  I ordered fish and chips (common I know, but that's me).  Seven soggy chips (I could manage to eat only three) and a small piece of battered fish which was dry and appeared reconstituted rather than the remains of an actual creature.

Crosscountry Trains: publicity promised bacon rolls and hot drinks, but nothing appeared in the short time I was aboard in Scotland between 09:47 and 10:31 - too early in the day perhaps? No announcement was made about any catering at all.

Virgin: mouth watering card on the table (well the words on it anyway - just in case pedants want to quibble), very pleasant staff, plenty of the usual tea, coffee and biscuits as well as a sandwich, crisps, cake and choice of fresh fruit (travelling 15:00 - 18:00).  Adequate for that time of day, but the publicity did say that hot food was available after 17:00.

Grand Central (Sunday experience only) Tea, coffee and biscuits from efficient staff.  Coffee very strong - a matter of taste of course.

My conclusion is that the hosting in First Class is as important as what is served and I enjoyed the pleasant way most of the staff interacted with pax. (One on East Coast needs more practice in faking a sincere smile!).  Anyone thinking that the 'free' catering available on a First Class ticket for the food at most times of the day is worth paying extra for will be sadly disappointed. IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion) it is a sop to those who have forked out a lot of money.  There are lots of other good reasons to upgrade, but this is not one for me.

[swrural]

Interesting.  Trainer, have you emailed your complaint to EC?  Looks like it could benefit others (perhaps also yourself).

I am going to write to Trip Advisor and recommend they do a train one (unless you know of a similar facility, anyone).

[trainer]

I haven't written to EC, but was honest with the steward when asked if the meal was satisfactory.  I was offered the alternative immediately, but I had by then chewed my way through the fish and I wasn't keen on the other anyway.  I suppose they did what they could to rectify my problem and no-one else seemed to have a complaint.  Perhaps to be fair to the company I should give them a chance to respond.  My main point is that the offerings rarely matched the hype.  At least FGW^▸ (First Great Western) don't promise more than they deliver.

I think your idea about Trip Advisor is sound, swr.

[Andy W]

Very interesting.

TBH^▸ (to be honest) I go to M&S or whoever prior to a journey & get food / drinks (shame thay don't provide a microwave).

Re- Virgin the small print does state that the time stated is the time of origin of the train.

Have you tried the Pullman - sounds excellent - but alas only a few trains & you need to be minted!

[swrural]

I've written to TA so we will see how well they perform (reviewing the reviewer).

I enclosed Trainer's review (anonymously of course, as though it were mine) as a good example. 

[thetrout]

I'm just writing my review on Arriva Trains Wales Premier Service... Sadly, my experience was probably worse than trainer's East Coast one... I trust your food was hot right? Not frozen in the middle...

Greater Anglia: only drinks offered, which had to collected from the buffet from a smiling staff member.  (Buy your own food with a Bite Card from the platform retailers at Liverpool Street or Norwich.)

Just thought I'd clarify this if I may. Indeed you now get complimentary Hot Drinks on the London - Norwich Trains, on the Stansted Express and AIUI^▸ (as I understand it) London - Cambridge Trains. The Stansted Express and Cambridge Trains you get the refreshments served At Seat from an on board trolley. But sometimes this can take a very long time to get to you.

Anyway, there used to be no complimentary refreshments in First Class. When I flew out of Stansted a few years back I paid just over ^30 for a FOR with a railcard (which initially I was told I couldn't use until I suggested I use a TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) instead), journey was 45 minutes and insult to injury, ^1.50 for a Cup of Tea

Also at Liverpool Street, you can get a complimentary hot drink in the First Class Lounge. When I was there 2 weeks ago the First Class Lounge was closed for refurbishment... But there was a sign advertising that a complimentary hot drink could be obtained on production of a First Class Ticket at the Information Point. I was a little cheeky admittedly and tested this theory after 20:00 (When the lounge would've closed) and I was given a voucher without any quibble. It was redeemable at AMT which is near Platform 7

[trainer]

Useful info, tt.  I was indeed on a Norwich service.