The caterers are letting down the stadium

[BALDISBEAUTIFUL]

Running out of Harvey's and NO HOP HEAD?
Bars shutting too early on match days and last night. School report would say COULD DO BETTER.
Also, one could argue a nice little con is to run out of Harveys at the 3 serveries so you to go to the mobile barrels where you can only pay cash, which means you are paying 36p a pint more. This means you make an extra £25 per barrell.
The stadium is immense but catering I wonder if it will get better

 

[Pinkie Brown]

The caterers need to train their staff to pour beer correctly, whether bitter or lager. Simples - Slant the glass/plastic container at an angle when pouring. An inch or more of froth with beer below the marker is NOT acceptable.

The only plus - When I've asked them to top the glass up, they haven't quibbled.

 

[The Large One]

Just read through this thread - Jesus, no wonder we have a 'gay' reputation.

Me - I'm fine with the catering. I have a beer poured when I want one (before and after the game); I'll have a pie when I want one (one per match). I go to the Amex to watch footy, not grizzle about the rate at which I can stuff my face.

 

[beorhthelm]

I go to the Amex to watch footy, not grizzle about the rate at which I can stuff my face.

eh? sorry, no, confused by that.

 

[The Merry Prankster]

The 1901 situation is pretty dire. Nowhere near where it should be or what was promised. I have held off complaining (although I know others haven't) as I would like to give them a chance to sort it out. If it was anything other than our beloved football club I would already have made a big, big fuss. It's way off an acceptable standard so far. Even the service is bad which seems incredible as they appear to have one member of staff (kid) per 1901 member.

 

[Worthai Seagull]

It's early days , they will sort it out and hopefully the long queues for the train . Lets hope by October/November this will all be just a memory.
Last night I was served in the WSL by a girl being instructed by her supervisor who in turn was being instructed by his supervisor .

The queues for the trains wont change as long as thousands of people are waiting for the same scheduled trains as they are now. Unless the rail companies put on more trains and more carriages ( which is probably never going to happen), then nothing will change. Trains every 15 minutes to Brighton or Lewes are not going to get rid of the queues any quicker than they are now ! Im not sure how the club can change this !

 

[Rich Suvner]

some say the pies are "ok", please tell me where better ones for similar price and convienence can be found?

put simply, there isn't such a place. they're excellent.

 

[HastingsSeagull]

Doesnt help that they employ idiots....

Me " Can i have a chicken and ham pie and fosters, a cheese burger and a bottle of water please?"

Server " Errr sorry can you say that again my mind has gone blank"

Me " Can i have a chicken and ham pie and fosters, a cheese burger and a bottle of water please?"

Server " Sorry my minds not working can you say that again?"

Me " Can i have a chicken and ham pie and fosters, a cheese burger and a bottle of water please?"

Server " No sorry you are not saying it correctly"

Me " How should i say it?"

Server "pie and a pint " and Burger and drink"

Me " can i have a pie and a pint and a burger and a drink"

Server programs till......

Server goes away to retrieve food...

Server " what drinks do you want and what pie"?

Me "botte of water and a pint of fosters chicken and ham pie""

Server gives me bottle of sprite and then fosters.

Me "Bottle of water - i have asked for this 4 times"

Server "no need to be so rude"



Stadium £93 million quid - service priceless!!!

Very, very similar to my experience! Shocking and the supervisor steamed over after a couple of minutes, and gave us the wrong pie Thankfully we checked the writing on the side of the box before leaving with our purchase.

 

[trueblue]

I think some of the people moaning about moaners (!) are missing the point.

We know everyone at the Albion's working day and night to make the stadium better each week and that's fantastic. They've delivered a bloody brilliant stadium. But the caterers are an outside company who promised a standard and choice they're not delivering. Remember, they don't even make the one food item that's popular. Those promises would surely be why they got the contract.
Therefore, I'd imagine the club would be annoyed about this too. Far from fans' complaints being a hindrance, they should actually help the club to get the caterers to up their game.

In the long term, it'll sort itself out because people won't bother eating & drinking that much, just as in the past. As a lot of people are keen to point out "so what, I don't go to football for food/drink". Fine. Nor do I.

But the club had hoped to change that because it's essential to the success of the transport system that people stagger their journey times. There has to be an incentive for significant numbers to arrive early/stay late. Not to mention that it would make the club LOADS of money.

 

[Questions]

I never had food or drink at Withdean but I fully intend to have at least one pint before home games and it is going to be mightily hard to give those pies a swerve after tasting the chicken one last saturday.

SO...to make matchdays that little bit special the catering needs to be spot on. The club will be monitoring the service provided and I`ll bet that they will be looking on here from time to time to see what the fans think. So input is good.

I had 2 pints of Harveys in the WSU and wasn`t keen and ended up on Fosters ffs.
SORT THIS DARK STAR THING OUT

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

SORT THIS DARK STAR THING OUT

I think they may have missed the boat.

 

[One4the.road]

Crap catering

Sort it out Brighton .

 

[chucky1973]

For me the quality of the pie and beer has been spot on, very tasty chicken pie and hot. 10/10

Downside:

Halftime queue to get said pie is very bad, but I dont think there is too much they can do about it, if they can improve on that part of the process, I have no complaints 5/10

 

[Randsta]

Get to the game early and buy before the game! hopefully this will get better, and can there be CHIPS! CHIPPY CHIPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[trueblue]

My rep's taken a hammering ... I'm just "dumb" and a "whingeing twat". How very un-British to point out that the club's being taken for a ride. Ah well. If the transport system ultimately doesn't work because "it's a football ground, not a restaurant", then maybe I won't look so thick after all

Hopefully, I'm very wrong and the increase to 30000 will breeze through.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Doesnt help that they employ idiots....

Me " Can i have a chicken and ham pie and fosters, a cheese burger and a bottle of water please?"

Server " Errr sorry can you say that again my mind has gone blank"

Me " Can i have a chicken and ham pie and fosters, a cheese burger and a bottle of water please?"

Server " Sorry my minds not working can you say that again?"

Me " Can i have a chicken and ham pie and fosters, a cheese burger and a bottle of water please?"

Server " No sorry you are not saying it correctly"

Me " How should i say it?"

Server "pie and a pint " and Burger and drink"

Me " can i have a pie and a pint and a burger and a drink"

Server programs till......

Server goes away to retrieve food...

Server " what drinks do you want and what pie"?

Me "botte of water and a pint of fosters chicken and ham pie""

Server gives me bottle of sprite and then fosters.

Me "Bottle of water - i have asked for this 4 times"

Server "no need to be so rude"



Stadium £93 million quid - service priceless!!!

To be honest this is all down to quality of training. Teaching somebody how to do the job based on how the "perfect" customer interacts only leads to disaster. Things will no doubt improve and before we know it we'll be moaning about something else.

 

[rool]

It was reported that a large part of Tuesday's food allowance had been sold on Saturday so there was always going to be an issue with supplies for Tuesday.
Anyone who has ever had any involvement in a new establishment would understand that it takes several events to guage what the average sales are likely to be so a bit of leeway and patience is required on the supply front. It's also likely that there will be a novelty factor for the first few events with more people than usual buying food and drink. I know I won't be having three pints and two pies at every game.
It does appear the 1901'ers are being a little short changed but for the rest of us it's still fast food outlets not Egon Ronay, the end result is always going to be a little variable.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I know I won't be having three pints and two pies at every game.

Lightweight

 

[honey boy zimba]

catering

As ive said on previous posts us the punters will always suffer with contract caterers at the amex .Azure have to give the Albion 25% of thier profit on all food and drink so the Chef is under financial preasure to do the job as cheap as poss. This means bring in inferior products which they have cut deals with wholesalers, the curry at 1901 was just cooked chicen and sauce from a jar not really gourmet food think azure have bigged themselves up to much and cant deliver because of the financial state of the contract .The same thing has happend at the Brighton Center high prices crap product .

 

[Jim in the West]

My personal experience - East Brasserie (pre Spurs game): great service, good food, good wine. East stand (pre and during Donny game): easy to get pint of Harveys, no queue. Conclusion to date: catering is spot on.