Great Western Railway: on-board catering, buffets, Travelling Chef, Pullman - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[Brucey]

The food:

A friend of mine (someone who hates trains) just spotted this photo as I was looking down my Facebook news feed.  Her comment of "I'd happily ride around on trains all day to eat that" made me happy.

[TaplowGreen]

The food:

A friend of mine (someone who hates trains) just spotted this photo as I was looking down my Facebook news feed.  Her comment of "I'd happily ride around on trains all day to eat that" made me happy.

.....I hope your friend has deep pockets in that case! 

[JayMac]

A freshly prepared hot meal, cooked by a proper chef, served at seat, for around ^9. On a train. I don't think one needs deep pockets for that.

[Brucey]

The food:

A friend of mine (someone who hates trains) just spotted this photo as I was looking down my Facebook news feed.  Her comment of "I'd happily ride around on trains all day to eat that" made me happy.

.....I hope your friend has deep pockets in that case! 

The food in thethout's photograph would cost around ^8.50.  Possibly ^3 or ^4 more than eating the same thing in a "greasy spoon", which seems reasonable considering it is served on a train.

[Southern Stag]

The quality of the food from the Travelling Chef is far better than anything I've had from a greasy spoon too. It's not your typical cheap and cheerful ingredients.

[TaplowGreen]

The quality of the food from the Travelling Chef is far better than anything I've had from a greasy spoon too. It's not your typical cheap and cheerful ingredients.

......at ^2.25 for two slices of toast, or ^4.50 for cheese or beans on toast, I'd expect the standard to be Michelin starred - be honest, that's Highway (railway?) robbery?

The profit margin on each loaf of bread must be incredible!

(......and yes, I know I don't have to pay for it if I don't want to, but these prices are astronomical)

As for the "greasy spoon" comment, for the sake of my cholestorol I try to avoid them, however as someone who regularly uses mid range hotels, an "all in" breakfast where you can help yourself to as much as you like (English and/or Continental) is generally a tenner or so.

[ChrisB]

Exactly.

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are staffing it (and professional chefs don't come cheap either), rather than it being help-yourself-buffet. Just as well, as thieving gannets would pile it high....

[Brucey]

I used to think that on-train catering was on the pricey side.  However after living in London, nothing surprises me when it comes to food and drink any more.  Once you've paid ^6.00 for a pint of Foster's in a Central London pub (and never been back to said pub again), ^2.95 for a can of Carling seems like pocket money.

[TaplowGreen]

I used to think that on-train catering was on the pricey side.  However after living in London, nothing surprises me when it comes to food and drink any more.  Once you've paid ^6.00 for a pint of Foster's in a Central London pub (and never been back to said pub again), ^2.95 for a can of Carling seems like pocket money.

I feel your pain....as a Bitter drinker I vividly recall almost choking on my ale after my first ^5 pint however that was trumped recently when staying in a smart West End hotel (thankfully someone else was paying), nipped down to the bar for a livener, realised pretty quickly there was no chance of a decent beer, all they had on offer was small bottles of Peroni............at ^8.75 a pop! 

[thetrout]

Was told it was ^2.95 for a bottle of water in my local ODEON Cinema last week! That made me...[insert derogatory phrase here]...ask for some tap water.

I think the food on the travelling chef for an "on train" price is entirely reasonable. It must cost FGW^▸ (First Great Western) a fair chunk to provide and I am a big fan of "Use it or lost it!" so if I can get a TC^▸ (Train Crew, or Travelling Chef, depending on context) Service then generally I will

Ok another Travelling Chef yesterday! This is by far the best Cheese and Mushrooms on toast I have ever had from the Travelling Chef!



Never had it served with a salad before and the cheese melted into the mushrooms was fantastic!

No coffee was served sadly. The trolley was down in Coach M and it stayed there for the duration of my journey. In the end feeling slightly parched I went to the Buffet to get one myself

Just as well, as thieving gannets would pile it high....

Oh I don't know... Sometimes when I'm in First Class on very quiet services (i.e. The only passenger in First) I'm told to help myself from the boxes on the luggage rack. I guess you could say though, that I don't take the p1ss with it and only take what I'm going to eat. Usually a single packet of Pretzels and Shortbread. Maybe the fruit or croissants instead if they're the last ones as they'll likely be thrown away anyway

Usually it's the same hosts that great me into First with "Oh god not you again!" Not sure whether this is a compliment or I travel too much

[bobm]

I was invited to help myself to the port at the end of a Pullman meal recently.  I poured out what I thought equated to the usual measure from the bottle only for the staff to come back and top the glass up telling me to "do it properly"!

[broadgage]

I was invited to help myself to the port at the end of a Pullman meal recently.  I poured out what I thought equated to the usual measure from the bottle only for the staff to come back and top the glass up telling me to "do it properly"!

You are most honoured sir, I have never been told to help myself to the port, though I have been given a little beyond the proper measure.
The port served from a full bottle is IMHO^▸ ('in my humble opinion') superior to that in miniature bottles, and is also cheaper.

[thetrout]

A potentially silly question... How does one go about working out which menu is running on the Pullman for any given week?

[bobm]

Tomorrow is the second week of menu 1 if that helps. Changes fortnightly.

[TaplowGreen]

..............you want food? Right now be happy if you can find a train that's running!!!