Pricey food outlets at stations

[Clip]

I noticed passign through east croydon the other day that Burger King are offering a small can of budwiser with one of their meals for £1.99. Must be a new thing but thats far too pricey for a small bud. Only about 70p and a nice can from the shop on plat 4

 

[D1009]

Having read this thread I looked up SSP, and was surprised to find how many well known names are really SSP - look at 'international brands' on their website. This shows that Burger King, Cafe Ritazza, M&S Simply Food, Starbucks, Upper Crust, and W.H. Smith stores are all operated by SSP on a franchise basis at stations, airports and suchlike.

That possibly explains why the Burger King on Praed Street at the top of Paddington station approach is (or was) about 20% cheaper than the one on the station itself.

Personally I like Pumpkin's bacon butty for £1.25 if you buy a hot drink deal. The same thing at Upper Crust costs around £5 for an only slightly better product.

 

[IanD]

Personally I like Pumpkin's bacon butty for £1.25 if you buy a hot drink deal.

Even that's gone up by 25% in just over a year. Inflation was max 3% over the same period.

 

[jon0844]

I see a lot of hating on SSP here, but I think they've done me the world of good. With their recent(ish) tweaking of the Bite card, I've saved a fortune in the last year or so.

By that I mean I've not bought one single thing from an SSP run outlet since the change.

While desperation might one day get me, I now go without out of principle or shop elsewhere, even if it means a bit of a walk.

 

[talldave]

My bank app gives me a free coffee every day at Patisserie Valerie, which makes for a pleasant stop off at St Pancras and saves me a fortune!

 

[Nicks]

The Barclays Bank app also gets you a free slice of cake on Fridays although that offer is about to end, there is an end date for the free coffee offer mentioned in the terms and conditions as well.

 

[Mugby]

Tea and coffee must be the greatest moneyspinners of all when it comes to refreshments.

If Breadbox at Manchester Picc. can offer a decent cup of coffee for £1, why do the surrounding outlets charge at least £2.50? Simply because they know they can get it, I imagine!

 

[MrCub]

I once had 15 minutes to spare when changing trains at Barrow-in-Furness and decided to visit the station buffet for a cup of coffee. Now Barrow is one of the most deprived towns in the North with serious levels of economic disadvantage and even poverty (think Poundland rather than Waitrose).

Imagine my astonishment then when I was asked to part with no less than £3.80 for a small cup of the brown liquid. No doubt the price was nationally set by some well-paid apparatchik in the Home Counties. But it crossed my value threshold and I left the buffet without the coffee and without paying.

Yes! This! Last year I had a loco-hauled trip from Barrow and used the same buffet. I was also horrified at how expensive it was. Over £7 for a coffee and a really poor sandwich, served by an absolute misery-guts. This person had the longest face I've ever seen.

 

[yorksrob]

Yes! This! Last year I had a loco-hauled trip from Barrow and used the same buffet. I was also horrified at how expensive it was. Over £7 for a coffee and a really poor sandwich, served by an absolute misery-guts. This person had the longest face I've ever seen.

Yes, it does strike me that some station outlets have wildly inappropriate pricing structures for their areas.

 

[fowler9]

I landed at Barrow last Friday. Had you been sniffing diesel fumes when you paid that for coffee and a buttie! Can't blame anyone but yourself.

 

[yorksrob]

I landed at Barrow last Friday. Had you been sniffing diesel fumes when you paid that for coffee and a buttie! Can't blame anyone but yourself.

To be honest, if you've got a long journey round the coast and you need a cuppa, a quick visit to the buffet in B in F can be the only option.

 

[DarloRich]

Having read this thread I looked up SSP, and was surprised to find how many well known names are really SSP - look at 'international brands' on their website. This shows that Burger King, Cafe Ritazza, M&S Simply Food, Starbucks, Upper Crust, and W.H. Smith stores are all operated by SSP on a franchise basis at stations, airports and suchlike.

without wishing to be rude: have you only just noticed this startling fact?

Just leave the station and find a Greggs. Job done.

 

[Statto]

without wishing to be rude: have you only just noticed this startling fact?

Just leave the station and find a Greggs. Job done.

All very well if you can find a Greggs near the station, but most of the time you have to make do especially before a long early morning or late afternoon-early evening journey & interchanging trains when Greggs might not be nearby.

 

[DarloRich]

All very well if you can find a Greggs near the station, but most of the time you have to make do especially before a long early morning or late afternoon-early evening journey & interchanging trains when Greggs might not be nearby.

there are Greggs everywhere these days. If not take your own butties. Much cheaper

 

[Statto]

there are Greggs everywhere these days. If not take your own butties. Much cheaper

But Greggs tend not to be near main railway stations though, nearest one to Lime Street in Liverpool is about 10 minute walk away, not handy if you have heavy luggage or not long changing between trains, plus best time to go to Greggs is 11am to 1pm when they'll have most of the stock in.

 

[Antman]

Chain takeaways (McDonalds, etc. ) seem to charge around 50p per item more at stations than at their other shops. Do they have to pay higher rents at stations ?

Apparently so, or at least that's the usual excuse!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Apparently so, or at least that's the usual excuse!

Often they are required to pay a cut of takings too, I believe.

 

[fowler9]

To be honest, if you've got a long journey round the coast and you need a cuppa, a quick visit to the buffet in B in F can be the only option.

Sorry mate, my response sounded very harsh there and wasn't meant to. Could have done with a smiley.

 

[D1009]

Yes! This! Last year I had a loco-hauled trip from Barrow and used the same buffet. I was also horrified at how expensive it was. Over £7 for a coffee and a really poor sandwich, served by an absolute misery-guts. This person had the longest face I've ever seen.

Isn't there a Wetherspoons near Barrow station where you can have a coffee for £1.25?

 

[Crossover]

Boots don't seem to be too bad, on the meal deal at least, in the station.

The prices in Pumpkin are horrific - spent more than I'd have liked to for less than I'd have liked in Truro last week and spent quite a bit at the one in Cheltenham last year (though I was travelling on business that time and it was out of necessity...and on expenses...)

The Spar shop in Plymouth station was damned chingy as well - I called in last Tuesday as I was running late and didn't have time to call anywhere else and spent £1.19 on a "reduced price" (use by the day after) Frijj milkshake...the day after I had left a bit more time for the trek to the station and called in at Tesco Local (or whichever it was) that is about 5 minutes away en-route and paid 65p for the same thing

Just on the note of MSA's (motorway service areas) I was of the understanding that at Welcome Break they had little (or maybe no) uplift over the high street on KFC and BK prices - they weren't franchised though and were (not sure if they still are - has been a while since I had any involvement) run by directly employed staff. Woodall South and another location did have a McDonalds outlet, but that was franchised and nothing to do with WB

But Greggs tend not to be near main railway stations though, nearest one to Lime Street in Liverpool is about 10 minute walk away, not handy if you have heavy luggage or not long changing between trains, plus best time to go to Greggs is 11am to 1pm when they'll have most of the stock in.

Glasgow Central - there is one across the road from the entrance opposite the buffers. And a Co-op Food on the opposite corner too. Visited both a few times

 

[yorksrob]

Sorry mate, my response sounded very harsh there and wasn't meant to. Could have done with a smiley.

Not to worry - I wasn't complaining about your post - just imparting my experience of the route

To be fair, I would have thought that a Breadbox type outlet would be a better bet for a great many locations served by SSP, as opposed to just very big ones.

 

[Mark62]

Let's be honest, the prices at British Rail station buffets were appallingly high. But at least they opened for 24 hours at many stations. This was because there were so many overnight trains back then compared to almost no overnight trains anymore

 

[AndrewE]

So we need 2 sticky threads then (or updated lists posted somewhere):
1) good value food near stations
2) fair priced drinks ditto
A

 

[D6975]

But Greggs tend not to be near main railway stations though, nearest one to Lime Street in Liverpool is about 10 minute walk away, not handy if you have heavy luggage or not long changing between trains, plus best time to go to Greggs is 11am to 1pm when they'll have most of the stock in.

Wakefield Westgate has one in the entrance hall. Leeds has one a short walk away. Birmingham Moor St has one in the shopping centre just across the road. Newcastle has one right across the road from the exit. Manchester Picc has one on the approach road. Glasgow C already mentioned. East Croydon, there's one down on Wellesley Road. They do have a tendency to move a bit though sometimes it's almost next door. I regularly use them for the bacon roll and coffee for two quid on a morning.

The worst places I've come across for getting grub near a station are Plymouth, Ipswich and York - nothing really close to any of them.

ps I agree that the Barrow in Furness 'buffet' is pretty poor, I remember when they used to have an independent cafe on the station that served full breakfast and meals.

 

[PHILIPE]

Isn't there a Wetherspoons near Barrow station where you can have a coffee for £1.25?

"The Furness Railway" just a few minutes away.

 

[yorksrob]

ps I agree that the Barrow in Furness 'buffet' is pretty poor, I remember when they used to have an independent cafe on the station that served full breakfast and meals.

That would have been ideal.

I suppose that's 'progress' for you.

York does have a Spoons about 5-10 min walk away.

 

[johnnychips]

It is always down to price and convenience: are you prepared to pay the station prices or walk (possibly with a suitcase) to somewhere a bit cheaper?

Greggs in the Frenchgate Centre in Donny does an unbeatable bacon and sausage baguette for £2.60, but do I really want to drag my case up the escalator when Pumpkin does a thin bacon sandwich for £1.25?

(Answer - yes, but on the other hand Pumpkin is open when Greggs isn't).

Incidentally, the best station cafe I've found is at Chester: cheap food and drink and directly at the station entrance. Seems to be independently run as well. No idea what it's called, unfortunately.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

At railway stations - WHSmiths however is a rip off.

Yes I agree.

 

[thenorthern]

Worst place for pricy food and probably the poorest quality has to be Alton Towers.

£8.25 for a burger and £3.90 for pint of stella while you can sit outside and get stung to death in on some outside sticky table that no one bothers cleaning where someone has spilled numerous beverages and next to some screaming kids who can't sit still.

 

[FOH]

Worst place for pricy food and probably the poorest quality has to be Alton Towers.

£8.25 for a burger and £3.90 for pint of stella while you can sit outside and get stung to death in on some outside sticky table that no one bothers cleaning where someone has spilled numerous beverages and next to some screaming kids who can't sit still.

Not going to comment on the quality but neither of those sound expensive and in fact, the Stella sounds very cheap.