Why is railway catering such a rip off?

[gimmea50anyday]

There is a stark difference between the quality of meat found in a cornwall pasty shop to that found in a Gregg's pasty, not that there is anything wrong with a Gregg's pasty or the meat in it, however even then I cannot see the justification in price difference between the two. On the other hand the cost of a Gregg's pasty in Newcastle Central Station makes the walk across the road to the one opposite on Neville Street worth it, assuming you successfully run the gauntlet of the professional beggars loitering outside.....

 

[Grumpy Git]

The Pasty Shop is one to avoid. Assuming they've labelled things correctly, they want not much less than £7 for a single cornish pasty.

You know how much I could get for that money in Gregg's... (!)

I actually tried to buy an extremely expensive pasty at the one in Euston the last time I was there. I figured the money saved by using the Tube from Heathrow would offset buying the most expensive savoury in history, but the single person serving conspired to take so long with the single customer in front of me, I had to give-up else I would have missed the last early afternoon off-peak departure.

 

[faltskog36abba]

There was a Lovely shop once in Man Victoria called [The good life]-Pasties and Hot pots a pound and tea 60p. When I'm in Victoria pre-Covid, Smiths did a nice latte for one pound thirty-Bargain.

 

[Bletchleyite]

There was a Lovely shop once in Man Victoria called [The good life]-Pasties and Hot pots a pound and tea 60p. When I'm in Victoria pre-Covid, Smiths did a nice latte for one pound thirty-Bargain.

It's great to hark back to a scalding polystyrene cup of tea for 50p in 1990-whatever, but there's been just a little bit of inflation since then - you'd be easily up to £1.50 at least by now. And while it's not true of tea, coffee has got a whole lot better since those days.

 

[Robertj21a]

There was a Lovely shop once in Man Victoria called [The good life]-Pasties and Hot pots a pound and tea 60p. When I'm in Victoria pre-Covid, Smiths did a nice latte for one pound thirty-Bargain.

Presumably that pasty price was around the 1970s....

 

[Bletchleyite]

Presumably that pasty price was around the 1970s....

I seem to recall that in the mid 90s when I was in sixth form and popped out to Sayers for a pasty for lunch (Merseyside version of Greggs, basically, otherwise near enough the same) that was about 60p or so. I suppose add a bit of railway inflation and you're back to the late 80s or so.

 

[Bikeman78]

Have you seen this clip of Dave Gorman talking about buying tea from a station?

Oh yes the potential cup of tea. Dave Gorman is brilliant. I watched every episode of 'Modern Life is Goodish' for the second time at the beginning of the year.

 

[GoneSouth]

Post covid, with the continuing cut in commuter levels, railway catering is heading for self inflicted oblivion with its current pricing structure, I alone with a lot of leasure travelers bring food and drink from the supermarket.

I tend to agree, I don’t buy anything at the stations I use now because what I buy is available close by for a better price, the quality is dreadful at those pumpkin and upper crust places and I’d just rather pack something from home.

As for onboard, choice is abysmal on XC, quality likewise and availability is very unpredictable. By that I mean the trolley is now often only available in half of the train and you hear constant announcements apologising to the customers in the front portion of the train, catering is today only available in the rear portion (probably followed by an incomprehensible explanation that coaches G H L and Z might get a trolley from Derby if they’re lucky).

If we can’t expect or guarantee it is going to be there why should we not bring our own and just assume it won’t be available. At this point, price isn’t really a factor as we’ve all given up on it anyway.

Having said all that, I was promised chilled beers from the trolley on a very hot day recently, so I took the bait. Ordered my drink, watched the catering chap remove the lid and tapped my card. Only then did I pick up the bottle from the table and find it was definitely not chilled. It felt more like it had been sat on a heater all day. I don’t mind paying a little extra for the convenience, but things like this are what make it a rip off… a complete lack of quality product.

 

[Bikeman78]

Does anyone remember Benjys? There was one at Fenchurch St that did a huge cup of tea for 60p. I always bought one at the start of a trip on the LTS.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Does anyone remember Benjys? There was one at Fenchurch St that did a huge cup of tea for 60p. I always bought one at the start of a trip on the LTS.

Yeah, they went out of business, so their business model clearly didn't work

They were a franchised operation, so there's one of the former franchisees knocking around near here in a Benjys liveried van with the text changed slightly.

 

[185143]

I tend to agree, I don’t buy anything at the stations I use now because what I buy is available close by for a better price, the quality is dreadful at those pumpkin and upper crust places and I’d just rather pack something from home.

As for onboard, choice is abysmal on XC, quality likewise and availability is very unpredictable. By that I mean the trolley is now often only available in half of the train and you hear constant announcements apologising to the customers in the front portion of the train, catering is today only available in the rear portion (probably followed by an incomprehensible explanation that coaches G H L and Z might get a trolley from Derby if they’re lucky).

If we can’t expect or guarantee it is going to be there why should we not bring our own and just assume it won’t be available. At this point, price isn’t really a factor as we’ve all given up on it anyway.

Having said all that, I was promised chilled beers from the trolley on a very hot day recently, so I took the bait. Ordered my drink, watched the catering chap remove the lid and tapped my card. Only then did I pick up the bottle from the table and find it was definitely not chilled. It felt more like it had been sat on a heater all day. I don’t mind paying a little extra for the convenience, but things like this are what make it a rip off… a complete lack of quality product.

I asked if the beers were cold on GWR recently. He assured me they were and tapped it against the back of my hand. SOLD!

 

[dk1]

Does anyone remember Benjys? There was one at Fenchurch St that did a huge cup of tea for 60p. I always bought one at the start of a trip on the LTS.

They where never going to last in central & the city of London charging such ridiculously cheap prices. Nice while it lasted though.

 

[GoneSouth]

I asked if the beers were cold on GWR recently. He assured me they were and tapped it against the back of my hand. SOLD!

Nice to see some quality service remains

 

[AndyHA]

I passed through Liverpool Street this afternoon , instead of paying the various Kiosks imaginative prices , I went over the road to Tesco , and purchased a Roast Beef and Horseradish sandwich , a scotch egg and a 500ml bottle of pop for exactly £3

 

[GoneSouth]

They where never going to last in central & the city of London charging such ridiculously cheap prices. Nice while it lasted though.

Could have done, a teabag only costs a penny after all. I’d buy one at that price, but I wouldn’t buy one at 3 quid!

 

[SteveM70]

There’s no reason why customers can’t be offered “basic” and “fancy” coffee at suitably different prices by the same retailer

The (lovely) little cafe at Hebden Bridge does a filter coffee for a quid, but if you prefer you can get latte, cappuccino etc for more than double that. Their business model seems to work.

(Maybe it’s a Hebden thing - Country Stores in the middle of town does the same, except there’s it’s instant coffee for - I think - 50p)

 

[Bletchleyite]

Could have done, a teabag only costs a penny after all. I’d buy one at that price, but I wouldn’t buy one at 3 quid!

The thing is that enough people do that £3 is more profitable. See also Anytime fares from Manchester to London.

There’s no reason why customers can’t be offered “basic” and “fancy” coffee at suitably different prices by the same retailer

The (lovely) little cafe at Hebden Bridge does a filter coffee for a quid, but if you prefer you can get latte, cappuccino etc for more than double that. Their business model seems to work.

(Maybe it’s a Hebden thing - Country Stores in the middle of town does the same, except there’s it’s instant coffee for - I think - 50p)

To be fair Starbucks also sell filter (with a free refill if you sit in) at considerably cheaper than the espresso based drinks. Though these days I seem to get an Americano for the price of filter more often than not, as they have run out.

 

[GoneSouth]

I passed through Liverpool Street this afternoon , instead of paying the various Kiosks imaginative prices , I went over the road to Tesco , and purchased a Roast Beef and Horseraddish sandwich , a scotch egg and a 500ml bottle of pop for exactly £3

Nice job

What does upset me here is that we’ve all just accepted that supermarkets are offering reasonable quality products for these prices. Often they aren’t

 

[Wolfie]

Are there any supermarkets or similar with a decent lunch offering near Victoria station in London? I'll be there around lunchtime one day next week

There is a small/medium Sainsbury's in the upstairs mall at Victoria. There is a bigger Sainsbury's on Wilton Road less than five mins from the station. Just around the corner from that there are small Tesco and Waitrose branches.

 

[GoneSouth]

The thing is that enough people do that £3 is more profitable. See also Anytime fares from Manchester to London.

I’d like to see side by side 60p shop vs 3 quid shop which is more profitable. I know which one I’d buy from. Builders tea is builders tea, whether it is served in a China cup with saucer or a pint mug.

I take your point though, and the 60p shop is doing far more work for the same profit, but might ultimately make more money. Who knows, there are just too many factors to consider.

 

[LowLevel]

The thing is that enough people do that £3 is more profitable. See also Anytime fares from Manchester to London.



To be fair Starbucks also sell filter (with a free refill if you sit in) at considerably cheaper than the espresso based drinks. Though these days I seem to get an Americano for the price of filter more often than not, as they have run out.

If they're not shifting it they don't bother making it because they have to throw it away, and just take the hit on making the americanos instead. The Starbucks next to my home station (note - outside, I avoid station outlets ) do make filter up and if there's any left over after the morning rush they give it to the local homeless folks for free before they move on/get moved on, which is nice I suppose (they'd never admit to it but the local Transport Police also regularly buy the "genuine" (as opposed to the professionals who turn up later) homeless people some drinks/breakfast when kicking them out in the mornings).

I was also once on a strike picket line a few years ago and the manager came over and said we could use their toilets and have free filter coffee which again was very sociable of them. Hence despite being "big business" I have a degree of loyalty to the people who work there.

 

[Wolfie]

The thing is that enough people do that £3 is more profitable. See also Anytime fares from Manchester to London.



To be fair Starbucks also sell filter (with a free refill if you sit in) at considerably cheaper than the espresso based drinks. Though these days I seem to get an Americano for the price of filter more often than not, as they have run out.

Pret a Manger do filter coffee for 99p.

 

[dk1]

Pret a Manger do filter coffee for 99p.

And very nice it is too. Lavazza at Spoons is the best value of all at 99p & unlimited refills.

 

[GoneSouth]

And very nice it is too. Lavazza at Spoons is the best value of all at 99p & unlimited refills.

How many stations have a spoons? I used the one at Leeds a while ago but are there any others?

 

[Wolfie]

How many stations have a spoons? I used the one at Leeds a while ago but are there any others?

Just in London: Victoria, Liverpool Street, St Pancras and Cannon Street.

Think that there's one at Liverpool too.

 

[Robertj21a]

How many stations have a spoons? I used the one at Leeds a while ago but are there any others?

Bristol, Temple Meads?

 

[NorthOxonian]

Just in London: Victoria, Liverpool Street, St Pancras and Cannon Street.

Think that there's one at Liverpool too.

Edinburgh Waverley (it's not in the station but is immediately outside and shows departure times).

 

[185143]

Just in London: Victoria, Liverpool Street, St Pancras and Cannon Street.

Think that there's one at Liverpool too.

Liverpool Lime Street does, as does Leeds. Bristol Temple Meads and Edinburgh have them right outside with departure boards.

Eastleigh, Surbiton and Scarborough have 'Spoons right across the road too. Sure there's more

 

[dk1]

How many stations have a spoons? I used the one at Leeds a while ago but are there any others?

They are often very close by. It’s my second railway messroom, or maybe even my first.

 

[Grumpy Git]

How many stations have a spoons? I used the one at Leeds a while ago but are there any others?

The 'Spoons at Heathrow T5 is definitely NOT selling beer or food at high st prices.