The Sheff Wed catering thread

[Titanic]

How was it for you?...

After we met briefly in the car park... we went straight up into the WSU... queues were only 4-5 deep at the top of the North/West stairs... bought 3 pies (2 chicken & ham and 1 steak), a pint of Harveys, a pint of lager and a 7-up. The pies were hot and delicious and the beer was a delight on such a warm evening.

I don't ever buy food/drink at half-time or after the game... so for me, it was pretty much spot on.

 

[el punal]

I got into the WSU concourse at about 7o'clock and it was heaving, and, seemed to be busier at the bars than normal for 45 minutes before kick off.
I, too, was disappointed about the lack of food available.

This is obviously a supply and demand problem with demand far exceeding supply.

One suggestion maybe, would be to have customized mobile kiosks on the outer concourse similar to the mobile shop outside the WSU entrance.
This would still generate revenue for the club and ease the pressure on the kiosks inside the ground.

On another note, that heat in WSU concourse before the game - all down to excitement and anticipation at going to the top of the league in style!

 

[One Love]

Esu catering fine,home by 10pm. the esu the place to be

Not my experience, you must have been lucky. It was dreadful.

 

[Stat Brother]

Queues in East Lower last night were much shorter than usual. I got served before the game and at half time (and i didn't dash out early). There seemed to be a good supply of food. Sounds like the WSU is where they need to focus attention.

I second that.

 

[Smithy]

At 6:30pm in the WSU they had no balti pies so I had a steak and ale one instead. Asked for a fosters. Received a cider.

 

[Silk]

Had my first pie of the season last night. Gone downhill since last season, we thought.

 

[McSeagull]

A simple large hand written note behind the food counter saying "Sold Out of..............." would stop people queuing for something not available.<br />
<br />
Or better still actually stock up on what is required.

It's annoying but understandable that they should run out of food. It's beyond my understanding why they don't put up a sign. Me and son famished and then he was grumpy about lack of food. If it's going to be that unpredictable we won't bother with the catering. Shame really.

 

[Stoichkov]

WSU, 18:15, went to take advantage of the 'early bird offer' - no burgers!

Went back at 18:30 and there was a fair wait while they cooked them and there was plenty of others waiting. The staff were very apologetic - they must get fed up with it and I bet they take most of the moans and groans.

The thing is, I really like the pies and burgers at the Amex and like meeting fairly early on the concourse but when you can't actually spend your money because Azure don't have the products waiting something is very wrong. Thats just daft. They should be biting supporters hands off rather than turning them away empty handed.

 

[chaileyjem]

Arrived at WSU at 7.10pm. So concur with previous posters that food in entire concourse had sold out. Queued for beer only. Served at 7.35pm from a mobile unit with 1 bloke serving, didn't have change so slowed down serving even more. Just time to drink before KO. This is very unusual. My experience of WSU many many times before has been reasonable queues, plentiful supply of pies, burgers etc. What went wrong tonight ? Its not as if a full WSU for an evening game is something the club haven't experienced before so they must have had a reasonable idea of likely demand/supply required. Disappointed.
Would have tried to purchase something half time but queues now mean unless you're prepared to miss bits of the game then no chance.

 

[shoreham seagull 1973]

Noticed about half a dozen fans outside the ground eating pies before the game. How did they get these?
WSL catering was the usual CRAP, no Balti pies at 7.15 - so got a hot dog from the stall at the back. Last season i complained to a Manager from Azure about the lack of pies available and gave him my mobile number. Got a text just before half time and they had a complimentary pie waiting for me. Nice touch but Azure really need to sort something out. I am up for organising a meeting on behalf of the fans with Azure if needed.

 

[Stat Brother]

So why does the ESL work really well?

Everyone is eating and drinking, without queuing.

I had a drink and a pee at halftime back in my seat for the restart.
People around me then were ordering burgers pies and hot dogs.

The fella next to me did 2 of the 3 pie challenge, much to jnr's amazement.

 

[HAILSHAM SEAGULL]

ESU was ok for pies at 6-45, although the South end bar had none, but was directed to the middle bar and no queues.
My big gripe is that Barber promissed us Kronenborg for Sheff.Wed.
Went to the bar, two Kronenborgs please, sorry only Fosters. grrrr
We then spotted the Kronenborg outlet, on the Harveys mini bar in the middle of the concourse.
So 2nd beer, two Kronenborgs please, cant pay on my smart card, cash only.
So then we get the pies, cant get the pie and beer offer, because they only do pissy Fosters.
Got £50 balence on me card, can only use it for pies, and have to pay cash for beers so dont get 10% cashback.
Then having a beer afterwards on The ESU, we go to leave by the South end stairs to get to coach area, sorry the doors are locked downstairs, we have to go the lenght of te concourse, down the North stairs, then hike back to the coach area, doh.
Brilliant Barber.

Thank f*** the standard of football makes up for the incompetance of Azure and Barber

 

[Muhammad - I’m hard - Bruce Lee]

i seldom eat at the football so cant really comment on food running out.
i noticed a distinct lack of mobile harveys outlets at half time though in the north

 

[southstandandy]

I appreciate there should be more food available. But the whole experience of a match now means that it helps to arrive earlier than we may have done at Withdean. I arranged a month ago to leave work an hour early last night so I could get to the ground at 6pm - no problem with food, beer, or queues. If possible we all have to make an effort to get to the matches a bit earlier now especially with 26,000+ at the game. I know not everyone can get there early but I think arriving after 7pm is always going to cause problems with queueing and possible shortgaes of food. Saturdays are a classic example - we all know kick off is 3pm (usually) but the amount of people in WSL who arrive in their seats around me at 3.05, 3.10 who I hear moan that they can't get any food amazes me. For the Barnsley game the guy in font of me was one of those in question and he said he arrived at the ground at 2.50pm and couldn't understand why there was a queue for food Where possible give yourself more time - when me and the missus go to Wembley for internationals we always arrange to get to the stadium 90 mins before k.o. and wouldn't risk arriving as late as many seem to.

 

[Dave the OAP]

I wonder how long it will be before we see catering vans appearing in moulscombe and coldean to provide food as it is so difficult to get any at the ground.


Btw tried a pie last night...chicken I think it was....it was soggy and cold in the middle and went straight in the bin. Roll on millwall...at least their food is decent.

Still we don't go for food etc...just bloody great entertainment

 

[Triggaaar]

I'm sorry to say that it seems I still can't rely on the WSU being able to feed me if I intend to have a meal of sorts there, so I won't be giving them the opportunity to disappoint again, and shall buy stuff elsewhere.

How can they be so stupid

No doubt next time they'll have extra food, but people like you won't bother, so there'll be a surplus, fans will think 'oh it's sorted now' and the following week the fans will come with empty stomachs to find Azure have cut back again due to the previous week's surplus.

 

[LamieRobertson]

How was it for you?

Arrived in the sauna-like conditions of the WSU concourse around 7ish to be greeted with massive queues at the kiosk by the F entrance. Waited for around 15 minutes and, as we got to the front of the queue, it became apparent that there was next to no food. As the guy in front of me got his change and the server looked up at me, I implored her to grab the hot dog that was behind her as it was the last thing in the rack. She did which meant my 9 year old could have some form of dinner at least, although she really wanted a burger, with or without cheese.

There was nothing else left at all, including the only thing I could eat - a veggie pie, so after a 4 1/2 hour / 200 mile drive, my dinner was a packet of Walkers. Thanks Azure! The server was very, very apologetic about the lack of all food, saying there would be some more in 15 minutes or so.

Half-time - mad queues - no chance of being served.

After the game there were pies - HOORAY! and I got 2 then - 1 for me and 1 to bring back to Mrs Bozza. Despite all the '15% off pies' announcements I was, of course, charged the full £3.90 per pie. With a 200 mile drive ahead of me, I couldn't be bothered to have the discussion so just paid up and left.

[MENTION=394]nail-Z[/MENTION] over in the ESL reported the complete opposite: queues of only a couple of people, being served very quickly and a full range of products available.

I'm sorry to say that it seems I still can't rely on the WSU being able to feed me if I intend to have a meal of sorts there, so I won't be giving them the opportunity to disappoint again, and shall buy stuff elsewhere. I noted the burger van at Falmer Station even had a veggie burger. Exotic.

Lol re burger van...when i went after match for my usual nosh ..burgers and hot dogs had sold out ..he is kindly taking a preorder fro the birmingham game

 

[LamieRobertson]

ESU was ok for pies at 6-45, although the South end bar had none, but was directed to the middle bar and no queues.
My big gripe is that Barber promissed us Kronenborg for Sheff.Wed.
Went to the bar, two Kronenborgs please, sorry only Fosters. grrrr
We then spotted the Kronenborg outlet, on the Harveys mini bar in the middle of the concourse.
So 2nd beer, two Kronenborgs please, cant pay on my smart card, cash only.
So then we get the pies, cant get the pie and beer offer, because they only do pissy Fosters.
Got £50 balence on me card, can only use it for pies, and have to pay cash for beers so dont get 10% cashback.
Then having a beer afterwards on The ESU, we go to leave by the South end stairs to get to coach area, sorry the doors are locked downstairs, we have to go the lenght of te concourse, down the North stairs, then hike back to the coach area, doh.
Brilliant Barber.

Thank f*** the standard of football makes up for the incompetance of Azure and Barber

thats annoying over something that should be simple...although ''hike'' back is a tad OTT

 

[marshy68]

it was better at the withdean i could always get a coffee and a bacon roll even at half time. The atmosphere was excellent at the withdean although i could never hear the north stand sing. Last night god you call that progress. I really am not sure in what direction this club is heading.

 

[Rogero]

ESU was a mess after the game, they closed all but 3 tills, causing an almighty que at the remaining 3 tills. Then the idiot of a manager starts to pull the staff off the tills to have a discussion with them about what time they clocked in. Shouts of 'can't you do that after?' were met with a response of 'people have to go home', this was 10 mins after final whistle. The rest of them were just milling around and wiping down tops while the ques took 20mins to get anything. If more tills remained open the ques would have cleared quicker. Alot of poeple got fed up with the ques and decided to leave. Which entirely defeated the object of stay after the game for a drink. It was pathetic and the ESU kiosk was run by an idiot imo. Half time was also a nightmare as debit card readers when down and they again stopped serving. I asked why they didn't still serve on the smartcard, the manager had apparently told her to close the till, even though they still had the capability of taking smart card payments. Very very poor!

ESU. Arrived at 6.45PM . Sorry no pies. Can you come back in 15 minutes. Not good enough. Does anyone read all this.