Avanti West Coast First Class

[dave87016]

Tommorow ( Wednesday ) sees me travelling first class on a breakfast service for the first time since pre covid , I will post my thoughts on the service when I can

However I do have a quick question the menu doesn’t mention it but do they still offer toast on breakfast services ?

 

[dave87016]

So the mornings journey sees me board the 0814 departure from Preston - Glasgow , food orders taken almost immediately on departure followed swiftly by a drinks run tea/coffee and juice , sadly no cereal or toast which is poor given the price has doubled

10 minutes later my full breakfast arrived see attached picture nice runny egg , mushrooms were better than any cafe I’ve been to the bacon was smoked but very nice infact the whole breakfast was very nice and tasty but not enough to fill me up and a shame there was no tomatos it needed a bit of acid to “bring it together “ just passed shap summit that’s the only drinks run so far

2nd drinks run just come round should be a further one after Carlisle so all in all a very good service

 

[dave87016]

The return journey 18:40pm Glasgow to Preston was a let down , the first class lounge was shut again !

Food and drink orders together were taken by 1 member of staff ( wrote them down ) just after departure , later on found out that this confused people as we were led to believe that drinks order was for alcoholic and soft drinks that was the only drinks run apart from those who boarded at Carlisle and Oxenholme

Anyway I ordered braised beef and this was served after carstairs it was very tasty and hot the downside is even though it was a quiet train only about 8 people travelling first class the portion was on the small side , see attached pic no chocolate & vanilla tart or cheeseboard at all , no crisps no chocolate uglie

they need to realise that first class is no longer complimentary ,they have doubled the price and if people didn’t want food /drink as part of the first class experience they would book standard premium as that offers the same but without food /drink and access to the first class lounge

 

[voyagerdude220]

Thank you for the interesting posts Dave87016.
I used to regularly travel on the 08:15 Preston to Glasgow myself around 10-15 years ago. At the time I could easily purchase an Advance First Single even the day before travel for around £25 with 16-25 discount.
Strangely I used to find the 08:15 very inconsistent- sometimes it would be packed, whereas other times it would be deserted- yet the price was consistently low.

I notice that the PDF menus on the Avanti website are entitled "menu available 28th January to 12th May." So perhaps there will be another menu change soon?

Also I notice that (as you've already highlighted yourself) Avanti are still happily charging much more than they used to for First Class for an inferior service, compared to what Virgin offered. Avanti aren't offering a Full English breakfast at weekends anymore, which I think they did for a short time after they introduced Standard Premium and stopped offering Weekend First upgrades.

 

[Butts]

So the mornings journey sees me board the 0814 departure from Preston - Glasgow , food orders taken almost immediately on departure followed swiftly by a drinks run tea/coffee and juice , sadly no cereal or toast which is poor given the price has doubled

10 minutes later my full breakfast arrived see attached picture nice runny egg , mushrooms were better than any cafe I’ve been to the bacon was smoked but very nice infact the whole breakfast was very nice and tasty but not enough to fill me up and a shame there was no tomatos it needed a bit of acid to “bring it together “ just passed shap summit that’s the only drinks run so far

2nd drinks run just come round should be a further one after Carlisle so all in all a very good service

Have Avanti made the "toast famine" permanent or was this a one off ?

 

[dave87016]

Have Avanti made the "toast famine" permanent or was this a one off ?

Not sure , I should be going on the same journeys again this Thursday or Friday will let you know , though the fact the menu on the website doesn’t mention toast like it used to do makes me believe it’s permanent

If I make the same journeys this week my experience will be posted on this post to avoid starting a new thread

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Have Avanti made the "toast famine" permanent or was this a one off ?

The wander down the train with the enormous wicker basket of toasts and croissants was always a lovely touch, so it's a shame if they've ditched it. They've scrapped the classy Eggs Benedict option too. Two nice little touches that always set Virgin aside from the more run-of-the-mill range on LNER. That said, as I regularly complain about, I'd far rather go back to the days of having LNER's (in my opinion vastly inferior to Avanti's) full English on every train, before the bacon-rollification But I've moaned about that enough already.

 

[jfollows]

97% of RMT members have backed industrial action on a 66% turnout (https://www.theguardian.com/politic...emy-hunt-inflation-recession-uk-politics-live): (my bold)

12.50 BST
Railway catering workers have voted to strike in a dispute over pay, PA Media reports. PA says:

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) employed by DHL, which provides catering services for Avanti trains, backed industrial action by 97% on a 66% turnout.
The union said the workers have not been offered a pay rise despite the cost-of-living crisis.

Mick Lynch, the RMT general secretary, said:

This is a fantastic ballot result for our members, and it is now time for DHL and Avanti to make an offer on pay.
It is insulting that our members have not been offered anything despite the fact both DHL and Avanti are highly profitable.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

97% of RMT members have backed industrial action on a 66% turnout (https://www.theguardian.com/politic...emy-hunt-inflation-recession-uk-politics-live): (my bold)

What's really "insulting" (to customers anyway) is the fact that he publicly calls the result "fantastic." It's one thing to disrupt passenger services, but another to openly express glee about that disruption.

 

[voyagerdude220]

The Avanti First Class menus are changing on June 19th. In my opinion whilst the breakfast ones are good (but not brilliant) the during the day ones are very poor considering how expensive First Class is these days.

 

[Butts]

The Avanti First Class menus are changing on June 19th. In my opinion whilst the breakfast ones are good (but not brilliant) the during the day ones are very poor considering how expensive First Class is these days.

Is there Toast at breakfast time on the new menu ?

 

[railfan99]

the whole breakfast was very nice and tasty but not enough to fill me up and a shame there was no tomatos it needed a bit of acid to “bring it together “

We differ, but seems a generous breakfast. How much food can one consume at 0700 or 0800 in the morning?

On my side of the world, some skip this meal, and others like me just have yoghurt and milk (dairying culture here), or cereal and/or toast. Quite rare for many to have bacon or sausages these days, unless at a cafe or on holiday.

Nonetheless, good to see you enjoyed it. My first 'breakfast' on Avanti WC last year (a Saturday, the first day of my Eurailpass)) was (by my request) just a fruit salad and hot choco, which both hit the spot.

 

[p.d87]

Is there Toast at breakfast time on the new menu ?

As a lighter breakfast option yes, but there is not and hasn't been since 1st class was amended when std premium introduced, a toast basket provided. It's not included with the cooked breakfast unless requested by the customer

 

[AlterEgo]

The Avanti First Class menus are changing on June 19th. In my opinion whilst the breakfast ones are good (but not brilliant) the during the day ones are very poor considering how expensive First Class is these days.

I wouldn’t hold out too much hope of a rapid improvement (!)

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

We differ, but seems a generous breakfast. How much food can one consume at 0700 or 0800 in the morning?

On my side of the world, some skip this meal, and others like me just have yoghurt and milk (dairying culture here), or cereal and/or toast. Quite rare for many to have bacon or sausages these days, unless at a cafe or on holiday.

Nonetheless, good to see you enjoyed it. My first 'breakfast' on Avanti WC last year (a Saturday, the first day of my Eurailpass)) was (by my request) just a fruit salad and hot choco, which both hit the spot.

Yes, all I can manage these days (and I've made it my solid routine) is a slice of toasted banana bread from Sydney Central station bistro and a latte from the Starbucks behind. Lasts me until dinner around 8/9 too

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I wouldn’t hold out too much hope of a rapid improvement (!)

Indeed, not if other TOCs are anything to go by.

 

[jfollows]

Is there Toast at breakfast time on the new menu ?

View and download here

 

[Bishopstone]

What’s ’cultured butter’? Does it like the opera?

 

[Butts]

As a lighter breakfast option yes, but there is not and hasn't been since 1st class was amended when std premium introduced, a toast basket provided. It's not included with the cooked breakfast unless requested by the customer

So you can still get it on request to "bulk up" the "happy mealesque" breakfast offering ?

Has anyone done this and succeeded without threatening a "national incident"

 

[Butts]

View and download here

"Larger Plates" - I love it - perhaps compared to the "microscopic" alternatives to the Full English - but very subjective description

 

[voyagerdude220]

"Larger Plates" - I love it - perhaps compared to the "microscopic" alternatives to the Full English - but very subjective description

Apologies for the repetition, but I feel Avanti are ripping First Class pax off at weekends- charging them alot for First compared with Standard Premium but no longer offering the Full English.

 

[Jimini]

Avanti are ripping pax off

Fixed that for you

 

[p.d87]

So you can still get it on request to "bulk up" the "happy mealesque" breakfast offering ?

Has anyone done this and succeeded without threatening a "national incident"

If a customer requests toast with their breakfast, I'm only too happy to provide it. I'm not sure why anyone would refuse, unless there are bread shortages onboard which would mean having to refuse other menu items such as the bacon sandwich to other potential customers, if it was used to supplement the cooked breakfast as an added extra.

 

[Furrball]

This header has never really scanned properly

Current menu

"Travelling bright and early on the 08:00 train from Glasgow or the 08:52 from Edinburgh? Please see the Voyager menu for details of allergens & ingredients menu page for dishes marked with *. "

On the new menu it has gone back to making no reference to Voyager menu

"Travelling bright and early on the 08:00 train from Glasgow or the 08:52 from Edinburgh? Please check our allergens & ingredients menu page for products with *. These dishes may differ from those listed below"

 

[Ridercross]

Red "Lester" Cheese? , just as well Avanti don't serve Leicester, they would be outraged there with that spelling!

 

[Butts]

I may well have booked my last long distance trip on Avanti West Coast in 1st Class - Edinburgh to Sandwell & Dudley Advanced 1st Class with a Railcard £72 odd. I booked when the tickets were released the same day. So the lowest fare is over £100 without a Railcard.

Used to do Sandwell & Dudley to Euston quite a lot as well (mainly on the way to or back from Heathrow) Two people with a 2 Together Railcard cheapest seems to be about £75 or £37 each.

On both the above trips the Standard Premier Fare is around what the 1st Class one used to be (40-50% cheaper) - I can't sit there remembering what you used to get for the price.

Effectively 1st Class Fares have increased quite considerably without any corresponding improvement in the complimentary catering offering . If anything it has deteriorated with quibbling around minutiae as to whether toast should constitute part of a breakfast

 

[rg177]

Last week I travelled First for the first time on Avanti and was reasonably impressed.

I used the 09:10 off Carlisle to Crewe and was served before I'd had a chance to set my laptop up on the table. I went for the Full English which was a 'reasonable' portion. Not a daft Happy Meal portion but not huge. Two slices of toast were offered without asking, too.

The lounge at Crewe was decent too, with a good offering of snacks and drinks. Made the LNER lounges look miserly.

Only stickler was the price, which was £69 with a Railcard (albeit just a couple of days out). It's far too expensive unless you want to get some work done in the lounges before you make a decently-long journey (eg London to Carlisle or Glasgow).

Staff at least were all friendly and accommodating. I later made a shorter trip from Crewe to Liverpool and was quickly asked what I wanted to drink, which was unexpected for a short hop near the terminus.

 

[Butts]

Last week I travelled First for the first time on Avanti and was reasonably impressed.

I used the 09:10 off Carlisle to Crewe and was served before I'd had a chance to set my laptop up on the table. I went for the Full English which was a 'reasonable' portion. Not a daft Happy Meal portion but not huge. Two slices of toast were offered without asking, too.

The lounge at Crewe was decent too, with a good offering of snacks and drinks. Made the LNER lounges look miserly.

Only stickler was the price, which was £69 with a Railcard (albeit just a couple of days out). It's far too expensive unless you want to get some work done in the lounges before you make a decently-long journey (eg London to Carlisle or Glasgow).

Staff at least were all friendly and accommodating. I later made a shorter trip from Crewe to Liverpool and was quickly asked what I wanted to drink, which was unexpected for a short hop near the terminus.

Therein lies the problem....was SP available and if so how much ?

Do Avanti publish the lowest 1st Class Fares obtainable anywhere ?

There used to be a leaflet on the subject in days gone by.

 

[rg177]

Therein lies the problem....was SP available and if so how much ?

Do Avanti publish the lowest 1st Class Fares obtainable anywhere ?

There used to be a leaflet on the subject in days gone by.

It was £19.80 about a week before - but disappeared a bit later.

I did have my reasons for travelling First as a one-off - for day-to-day travel I'd just use SP because the difference on some trips is insane.

 

[Lost property]

Therein lies the problem....was SP available and if so how much ?

Do Avanti publish the lowest 1st Class Fares obtainable anywhere ?

There used to be a leaflet on the subject in days gone by.

Without wishing to hijack this thread, and I did ask the question some time ago, on my recent trip to Scotland, I did upgrade to SP both ways and consider the cost (£25) to be good value for money. I don't want, or need, the extra frills associated with First, but, for me, a guaranteed window seat, single seat, and, most importantly, the pitch / leg room on a 3.5hr journey was worth paying for.

As others said at the time of my query, the carriage was virtually empty with very few reserved seats shown on the overhead panels.

I would personally go for buying a standard class ticket and then upgrading for the combination of cost benefit and travel comfort.