Amex retail catering

[Return of the Rev]

sorry ! to open another thread on this topic, but i didn't want it confused with the other one, as this is moving on from it slightly.

Stuart laming is the public catering manager at the amex. I wrote to elliott moore just before christmas with a few issues, and received a reply from stuart today. He has asked that we have a face-to-face to discuss catering, rather than 'give a list of email excuses' as he puts it.

I would say at this point that i am in no way holding myself up as being representative of any fans on this issue (aside from myself), but if anyone would like me to, i am happy to ask stuart some questions that other fans may have, especially if they're issues which i don't experience at the ground.

So if anyone has any sensible and/or constructive questions or comments about retail catering at the amex, fire away. I can't promise to get answers for all of them, but i will try to ask them.

We're having a natter on this coming monday evening.

well you are are not and you are!

 

[Bozza]

'mobile' vendors are a great help at relieving the stress on the main outlets however, based on my experience in the WSU, they seem to be inconsistently available and very difficult to find on a packed concourse.

The Harveys' umbrellas were a great help in finding the mini Harveys bars but they seem to have gone now. Maybe an umbrella is not practical on a concourse but some sort of prominent sign indicating where the mobile vendor is and what they have would be very useful, and it needs to be high up so can be spotted above the crowd.

 

[ROSM]

The Harveys' umbrellas were a great help in finding the mini Harveys bars but they seem to have gone now. Maybe an umbrella is not practical on a concourse but some sort of prominent sign indicating where the mobile vendor is and what they have would be very useful, and it needs to be high up so can be spotted above the crowd.

At least you still have the mobile harveys vendors - luxury

The east stand ones initially numbered 3, then went to 2, then there was one at the burnley game and at southampton there were none.

 

[The Large One]

well you are are not and you are!

I lied. This is the post of the day.

Grow up or f*** off, Rory.

 

[Billy the Fish]

My main gripe is why they only have one person per till, that is what makes things slow. Every other quick serving environment like McDonalds and most football grounds have two, one to take order and cash, one to fetch order. Is it purely that they can't get enough staff?

Tea and coffee slows things down massively and can take a 3 or 4 of minutes per order sometimes. The process is just too slow, 1)peel lid off cup 2) fill cup with water 3) repeat etc etc. Separate tea and coffee stand would help, where they just have a massve barrel of ready made tea or coffee like they do in cafes.

As for some of the comments about noodles, I think that should be left alone for now. They can barely cope with handing out boxes and pints, it would be meltdown if they had to serve a plate of noodles.

 

[Billy the Fish]

I lied. This is the post of the day.

Grow up or f*** off, Rory.

 

[Bozza]

At least you still have the mobile harveys vendors - luxury

The east stand ones initially numbered 3, then went to 2, then there was one at the burnley game and at southampton there were none.

It's no good if you can't find them. I hunted long and hard for one pre-Burnley and couldn't find one so settled for one of those hyper-expensive bottles of Fosters instead. As it turns out, I was possibly only about a metre from one, at one stage. It looked like we were down to 1 in the WSU - might have been more, of course, not I couldn't see any more.

 

[Hillian1]

I would like to know how THEY think they are preforming, this would give an indication of their willingness to improve.

As has been said before, I'm spending my money elsewhere now, I just cannot be arsed with the speed of the queues and the constant lack of pies/lager/burgers when you get to the front.

 

[Yoda]

The spicy shredded beef with noodles was OK, what's happened to them?

And the Thai Green Curry?

 

[Munkfish]

My main gripe is why they only have one person per till, that is what makes things slow. Every other quick serving environment like McDonalds and most football grounds have two, one to take order and cash, one to fetch order. Is it purely that they can't get enough staff?

Tea and coffee slows things down massively and can take a 3 or 4 of minutes per order sometimes. The process is just too slow, 1)peel lid off cup 2) fill cup with water 3) repeat etc etc. Separate tea and coffee stand would help, where they just have a massve barrel of ready made tea or coffee like they do in cafes.

As for some of the comments about noodles, I think that should be left alone for now. They can barely cope with handing out boxes and pints, it would be meltdown if they had to serve a plate of noodles.

This This This and This.

The fact they have one person per till quite clearly the biggest problem. one to take the order and the cash, one to collect.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Just some of my previous discussions with Stu included:-

1. Food runs out by 2.30pm? Answer - this should not happen and each kiosk employs a Superviser who should be keeping an eye on the food levels. If this happens then they can call upon other kiosks to take extras from them to cover the shortfall.

2. Queuing for half an hour to be told food run out? Answer - there should be queue busters employed who will go up and down the lines telling people that certain foods have run out.

3. Outside catering kiosks? Answer - the club does not have a licence to sell food or drinks via external kiosks or burger vans.

4. Internal mobile kiosks? Answer - yes more mobile kiosks, i.e. Harvey's, etc should be supplied soon.

5. Slow staff? Answer - they appreciate that the constant turn over of staffing levels means a different level of service each visit but this should settle down in time.

6. No "balti pies"? Answer - all food advertised at the kiosk should be available at all times. If this is not happening then the Superviser needs to be informed. Obviously they will occassionally run out of certain foods but going back to answer 1 then they should be able to get more stock quite quickly from another kiosk.


This is by no means all the questions that were discussed as I was with Stu for about 20 minutes, but it gives you an idea of some of the questions and previous answers given by him. Also in no way does this reply imply the clubs official position as all answers are from memory and may now be different is asked again!

loads of "should's" in there

 

[Jam The Man]

I lied. This is the post of the day.

Grow up or f*** off, Rory.

New contender for Post of the Day

 

[bristolseagull]

Chips, we want f***ing chips goddamit!

 

[Lethargic]

At least you still have the mobile harveys vendors - luxury

The east stand ones initially numbered 3, then went to 2, then there was one at the burnley game and at southampton there were none.

1. Completely agree no Harveys beer vendors at all in the East Concourse now -> why this was working and now taken away, backward step?

2. Why do the staff have no idea where anything is located what ever I ask for they seem to need a map finding it, clearer marking behind the counter so its blood obvious which pie/burger/hot dog is which and which beer is which.

 

[bristolseagull]

Oh, and what about catering outside the ground? why cant this be implemented like it is at every other ground in the country, it would inevitably ease the pressure of the concourses.

The burger chap outside the station is doing a roaring trade….

Is there an associated planning restriction?

 

[bristolseagull]

1. Completely agree no Harveys beer vendors at all in the East Concourse now -> why this was working and now taken away, backward step?

2. Why do the staff have no idea where anything is located what ever I ask for they seem to need a map finding it, clearer marking behind the counter so its blood obvious which pie/burger/hot dog is which and which beer is which.

the east is the family stand, as parents you shouldnt be drinking at all on a match day.

i'd ban alcohol in the East...

 

[Easy 10]

The guy in the queue is going to order 9 pints regardless - at some point in the process he needs some spare hands to help him get them away from the counter.

I really don't think you can do anything about that, and it's not the concern of the caterer themselves.

Bollocks to that. Some dimbo ordering 9 pints for all his mates should not be allowed, it ties up the till for far too long and completely stuffs up everyone else unlucky enough to be behind him in that particular queue. Half time in particular is an extremely limited timeframe to queue and consume a beer, so the last thing you need is someone getting the drinks in for half a block.

I'd limit it to no more than 3 pints per person in any one transaction, and make ir nice and clear with signs over the tills. Just means one or two more mates will have to get off their arses and join another queue - at least then all the queues would, in theory, chug along a bit quicker.

 

[The Large One]

Oh, and what about catering outside the ground? why cant this be implemented like it is at every other ground in the country, it would inevitably ease the pressure of the concourses.

The burger chap outside the station is doing a roaring trade….

Is there an associated planning restriction?

Yup. As you would know as an avid listener of the fine Albion Roar Richard Hebberd stated that one, they promised the residents that they wouldn't do that - get roundable I'm sure - and, two - and one that I am more likely to buy - the areas outside are congregation areas for emergencies (for the stadium and the railway station).

 

[Return of the Rev]

I lied. This is the post of the day.

Grow up or f*** off, Rory.

Well put it like that there's no one better to represent us fans than a polite and determined young man like yourself
The large one gets my vote!

 

[Billy the Fish]

Bollocks to that. Some dimbo ordering 9 pints for all his mates should not be allowed, it ties up the till for far too long and completely stuffs up everyone else unlucky enough to be behind him in that particular queue. Half time in particular is an extremely limited timeframe to queue and consume a beer, so the last thing you need is someone getting the drinks in for half a block.

I'd limit it to no more than 3 pints per person in any one transaction, and make ir nice and clear with signs over the tills. Just means one or two more mates will have to get off their arses and join another queue - at least then all the queues would, in theory, chug along a bit quicker.

In theory though, if they used the two person per till system that everyone else in the world uses it wouldn't make any difference. The fetcher should easily be able to pick up 9 pre-poured pints and carry them 6 yards to the front counter in the time it takes the till operator to take the payment.

It's only the way they do it at the moment which make that scenario some kind of doomsday armageddon-nightmare of a catering holocaust