Shops on the Voyagers / super voyagers where exactly the same size on both. I don't think the Pendolino shop is much bigger either.
The shop on the Pendolino is significantly bigger than the shop is (was) on the Voyagers. It's about twice the size. The shop on the VTWC Voyagers hasn't changed.
I prefer the shop idea, I can see everything, I can choose the specific item I want, and the fridges mean the beer and pop is actually cold. And that's the problem with trolleys: give it long enough, and you end up serving the beer and the coffee at the exact same temperature.
It isn't a surprise that TOCs are moving away from trolleys. They were brought in as a way of doing the catering on the cheap. But cheap catering at high prices doesn't attract people. I used to regularly have a trip to the Shop (and the buffet before Voyagers) when riding XC. These days I don't so much, the trolley selection (by its very nature) is a load of crap.
It's the British Airways attitude to catering. Make it crap so nobody wants it, then get rid of it. Such a shame. I know airlines are different and I don't want to make a direct comparison, but I simply don't understand how TOCs can't make a profit on it. I think it's more that they can't be bothered. Not Invented Here syndrome.
Neil Williams said:
The best way to do trolley coffee is filter, TBH - it's easy to do well in bulk and shove in a flask. Though SBB have another idea in the form of a Nespresso type machine.
Ryanair's Lavazza coffee is even better, it comes as filter grounds in the cup with a special lid to drink it through. The convenience of instant coffee, with the taste of the real deal. It's worth what they charge for it. A cup of Nescafe really isn't, even though the Lavazza is probably only pence more expensive to buy from the supplier.