new caterers hit or miss

[TWOCHOICEStom]

I'm always nice to the staff in 1901. You can't have a go at them, they're just kids working a part-time job.

People need to realise that it's a CHEAP FAST FOOD place, what do you expect? If you wanted luxury, perhaps you should bugger off to some posh corporate lounge which you have to pay a premium f... Oh.

Honestly, I think if you took a random sample of 20 people from the 1901 club - they'd be able to do a better job than the kids running the place.

 

[judewri]

#34
greyseagull
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Must admit I was disappointed in the 1901 last night, although I am putting it down to new caterers and the fact it was a friendly (which shouldn't matter at all). I will reserve proper judgement until after first few league games. Usually there is a stall in our lounge selling crisps, chocolate, sweets, etc, as well as pies and other warm snacks which seem to alternate each home game. That stall has now gone; all we wanted was a couple of packs of crisps to nibble on. I spoke to bar staff and asked to see if they had any crisps behind the bar and I was told that only the Bupa Lounge sells crisps and snacks this season so I would have to go down there. I was told in our lounge that, unless you wanted the Spanish buffet, that it was simply a "choice of a pie or nothing". If that's going to be the case this season then that's appalling. And I know that people say 1901 is full of wealthy snobs and we should suck it up; well I am a one man band and have these seats as a "treat" for me and the old man, who sadly couldn't make last night. A choice of a pie or nothing? Do one.


We are in the bupa lounge and for us it was pie, buffet or nothing .... No other hot food or crisps etc .... Our food stall had also gone .... Shame .....

 

[Mileoakman]

The main problem is that the whole concept is deeply flawed. If you advertise a contract for catering its pretty obvious who's going to win, its the firm that promises the biggest income to the club. How do they do that and still make a profit for themselves, simple. They employ minimal numbers of staff, pay them the lowest wage they can get away with, keep stock levels to a minimum and carry out the least amount of training they can. We are now witnessing the result for the 3rd time.

As far as the 1901 is concerned I dont see why the club feels that the majority of members want 'fine dining'. I would suggest that the vast majority want to watch the footie in comfortable surroundings and be able to grab a bite to eat if they want to. If I want fine dining I will go to a restaurant, (although I doubt I would ever pay £91 for a meal).

I noticed last week that Portsmouth FC had decided that from this season they were going to run the catering in-house on the basis that they could respond quickly to fans needs and that every penny of profit would go back to the club. Why on earth didn't we do that because with our gates this could have been a really good money spinner. Instead we seem to be using outside caterers who's first priority is profit for themselves. The result is shabby and a growing anger amongst the fans that we are paying even more for a deteriorating level of quality and service.

 

[Bozza]

As far as the 1901 is concerned I dont see why the club feels that the majority of members want 'fine dining'. I would suggest that the vast majority want to watch the footie in comfortable surroundings and be able to grab a bite to eat if they want to. If I want fine dining I will go to a restaurant, (although I doubt I would ever pay £91 for a meal).

In fairness, from what other 1901ers have said on here, it sounds like that message has been taken on board with the new small-capacity high-end offering complemented by the lower-cost 'buffet' option. It just sounds as though delivery of this concept was flawed on Saturday.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

My wife would like that......

Would she pay £4 for it though?

 

[Superphil]

In fairness, from what other 1901ers have said on here, it sounds like that message has been taken on board with the new small-capacity high-end offering complemented by the lower-cost 'buffet' option. It just sounds as though delivery of this concept was flawed on Saturday.

Exactly right. The £90 option is no more expensive than most of the other clubs in the division; in fact, it's at the cheaper end.

The lower cost option is also cheaper than most other clubs in the division for a comparable (on paper) offer, and it may well prove popular, however, the way it was presented on Saturday almost seemed like they were making a special effort to put people off.

The people I was with just commented that £14 for a pasta dish was not in any way appealing, I think it's the whole way it was presented that didn't work. Generally I think people expect to pay a bit of a premium in the lounges, but for that premium you want to feel a bit special. Seeing the totally disinterested staff, the way they were serving, it was more like a motorway service station, than a premium sports venue. There was no sense of occasion, nothing to make people want to shell out so much money. Whilst I do not have solutions, I shouldn’t have to, Sodexo are supposed to be the specialists, I hope they have something up their sleeve, here is a quote from their website, regarding how they handle their sports venue clients:

“Whatever the occasion, we handpick our teams to ensure we provide you with the very best.

We sow talent into the roots of our business, employing teams of people with a natural passion for food and an aptitude for great service.

Those people are the face of our business and play an absolutely critical role when it comes to giving your customers the best experience.

That’s why we make sure we employ extraordinary people and give them the right foundations to bring your event or venue alive”

There is just so much in that quote that was 100% not in evidence on Saturday, I doubt they can possibly understand just how completely opposite to this statement the experience was.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Exactly right. The £90 option is no more expensive than most of the other clubs in the division; in fact, it's at the cheaper end.

The lower cost option is also cheaper than most other clubs in the division for a comparable (on paper) offer, and it may well prove popular, however, the way it was presented on Saturday almost seemed like they were making a special effort to put people off.

The people I was with just commented that £14 for a pasta dish was not in any way appealing, I think it's the whole way it was presented that didn't work. Generally I think people expect to pay a bit of a premium in the lounges, but for that premium you want to feel a bit special. Seeing the totally disinterested staff, the way they were serving, it was more like a motorway service station, than a premium sports venue. There was no sense of occasion, nothing to make people want to shell out so much money. Whilst I do not have solutions, I shouldn’t have to, Sodexo are supposed to be the specialists, I hope they have something up their sleeve, here is a quote from their website, regarding how they handle their sports venue clients:

“Whatever the occasion, we handpick our teams to ensure we provide you with the very best.

We sow talent into the roots of our business, employing teams of people with a natural passion for food and an aptitude for great service.

Those people are the face of our business and play an absolutely critical role when it comes to giving your customers the best experience.

That’s why we make sure we employ extraordinary people and give them the right foundations to bring your event or venue alive”

There is just so much in that quote that was 100% not in evidence on Saturday, I doubt they can possibly understand just how completely opposite to this statement the experience was.

How did the £14 pasta compare with the infamous £25 burger and chips? I wasn't there on Saturday but want to know if I have missed out on a historic moment or whether the Liverpool menu is still the lowest point in football catering.

PS the menu I got sent mentioned a Spanish buffet.

 

[Rambo]

As others have said, the answer is simple: forget about rubbish hotdogs and food you'd never eat in real life. Just get something decent before you arrive.

In other news, Martin, landlord at The Swan, says he's bringing the marquee catering in-house from now on. So their existing (and excellent) barbecue/burgers matchday offerings will now be extended to include dishes from the pub's main menu.

Given the Swan's ever-excellent choice of beers and proper pub atmosphere, it's hard to imagine why anyone would want to stand in queues and pay eye-watering prices for increasingly unacceptable catering at the Amex.

This of course, to the half savvy person, is the right answer. HOWEVER, I want to give my money to the club for them to able to invest in better players and better service.

If the club dont get this right they are in danger of losing serious amounts of money.

 

[Superphil]

How did the £14 pasta compare with the infamous £25 burger and chips? I wasn't there on Saturday but want to know if I have missed out on a historic moment or whether the Liverpool menu is still the lowest point in football catering.

PS the menu I got sent mentioned a Spanish buffet.

In answer to your question, yes, it was the single lowest point in football catering.

Truth be told, it looked so un-appetising, that the only people I could see eating it were the Aussie cricketers, who were getting it for free. In the gold lounge on our level at the north end we were told that no-one had it at all, so much that the staff put some of the patatas bravas out on the bar in a dish for people to help themselves to, didn’t get a report of how they tasted. I have a couple of friends in the other end (south), they said that 2 people ate it, they had planned to, but decided it was too expensive for something that was being kept warm under a heat lamp. The decision was taken to go for a ruby in town after the game instead.

I really do think it was the way it was presented that made it so unappealing; I wonder what it’s like in the Sodexo restaurants/bars at Ascot?

 

[albion534]

At least bloom and barber had their pockets filled with cash from the new caterer

 

[SeagullSongs]

In WSL for the first time for a non-England match, got a pie when I got there, practically no queue. It was hot, tasty and the same price as last season.

Although, is it just my imagination or has the 'pie and soft drink' deal gone up from £5.50 to £6?

 

[greyseagull]

In answer to your question, yes, it was the single lowest point in football catering.

Truth be told, it looked so un-appetising, that the only people I could see eating it were the Aussie cricketers, who were getting it for free. In the gold lounge on our level at the north end we were told that no-one had it at all, so much that the staff put some of the patatas bravas out on the bar in a dish for people to help themselves to, didn’t get a report of how they tasted. I have a couple of friends in the other end (south), they said that 2 people ate it, they had planned to, but decided it was too expensive for something that was being kept warm under a heat lamp. The decision was taken to go for a ruby in town after the game instead.

I really do think it was the way it was presented that made it so unappealing; I wonder what it’s like in the Sodexo restaurants/bars at Ascot?

I assume you are in what is now known as the 'Juice FM Lounge'? Me too.

 

[Superphil]

I assume you are in what is now known as the 'Juice FM Lounge'? Me too.

No, the Overline Lounge. No sure which one is the Juice lounge, We sit next to a couple who are in the gold lounge at the north end, and have some mates in the gold lounge at the other end.

 

[The Merry Prankster]

I'm now going to be spending @£120 + less per game at the Amex. I'm not even going to be buying a pie (as you can't guarantee they'll have any so I'll eat somewhere else before). I can't see how this is benefitting the club. Even if they sold me a half decent meal at cost they would still make on the drinks and the raffle, this way they lose it all.

 

[bha100]

Was Tommy working on Saturday night?

 

[Superphil]

Was Tommy working on Saturday night?

if only they were that competent

 

[The Large One]

I don't even bother with the programme anymore since it went up, along with the beer and food.

I fully understand what Barber out is doing but it's all short term 'ism'.

I've seen it mentioned on these very boards that football is eating itself, well, I'm afraid that is exactly what capitalism does, all about the short haul and not the long one.

People accuse Paul Barber of many things, but putting up the prices of the programmes, as well as putting up the price of the pies & pints, isn't one that can be levelled at him.

Yet.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

People accuse Paul Barber of many things, but putting up the prices of the programmes, as well as putting up the price of the pies & pints, isn't one that can be levelled at him.

Yet.

But as CEO surely this rests with him? I know he has to present certain items to the board for approval but ultimately it his thinking and plans which the board merely back? He has said this himself in those interviews with Walt.

 

[Hillian1]

But as CEO surely this rests with him? I know he has to present certain items to the board for approval but ultimately it his thinking and plans which the board merely back? He has said this himself in those interviews with Walt.

Those prices went up before he started his tenure I believe.

 

[sherrinned]

Have to say I'm not surprised. Sodexho cater at Gatwick Airport in the staff restaurants. All are overpriced and the food is left on the servers with a skin on!
Their answer to lower footfall was to put up prices so a £2 breakfast ended up at £7 and still less people using their service