Any updates regarding the return of on-board catering and reopening of lounges at stations?

[Hadders]

Why not the full range? Is it uneconomical to stock the full range or is it somehow felt that by only stocking limited items people will be put off from travelling - which seems to be the main aim of the government and rail companies at the moment? I can't imagine many people will be put off by a limited trolley service. Or is it because if you stock loads of items people have an excuse to not wear their muzzle mask for a long time?

Probably because fewer people travelling means lower sales. This has implications for date code control on short dated product, e.g. sandwiches, cakes etc.

 

[6862]

Because people won't be using it as much as they once were, due to less demand. So less stock to inevitably waste.

Probably because fewer people travelling means lower sales. This has implications for date code control on short dated product, e.g. sandwiches, cakes etc.

I just wondered if there was a reason specific to the rail industry - I've noticed this reduced range in other places such as Greggs - my local Greggs only seems to sell about 5-10 hot items at the moment.

 

[Journeyman]

I just wondered if there was a reason specific to the rail industry - I've noticed this reduced range in other places such as Greggs - my local Greggs only seems to sell about 5-10 hot items at the moment.

A lot of it is down to having to maintain physical distancing in kitchens.

 

[yorkie]

LNER trolley is back with a limited range

Do you have a source for this?

The website says catering isn't available and there was this tweet from yesterday:

https://twitter.com/LNER/status/1282735413975748608

Unfortunately we don't yet have a date for catering to resume, so for the moment we advise people to bring their own food and drink

 

[Butts]

Restaurants are applying distancing, with tables spaced out etc. Trains aren't in the same way, at least not long term.

Other than a quick sip of water should this be necessary (though I don't get the modern obsession with this - we never used to carry water in the 80s and 90s like people obsessively do now), if we are going for masks rather than distancing on trains, it will also be necessary to prohibit eating and drinking otherwise it will be ineffective. Therefore providing catering is a non-starter.

What about Aeroplanes then ?

I had free crisps and water on a BA Flight weeks ago between London and Glasgow ?

 

[yorkie]

What about Aeroplanes then ?

I had free crisps and water on a BA Flight weeks ago between London and Glasgow ?

And some train companies are bringing back catering or have already done so.

 

[duncanp]

it will also be necessary to prohibit eating and drinking otherwise it will be ineffective.

Are you serious?

So on a long distance train from London to Edinburgh, or like the one I boarded at Derby today that was going all the way to Penzance, people shouldn't have anything to eat or drink, just to satisfy the neuroses of a few coronaphobes.

Of course there is a risk if someone removes a mask to eat or drink, but that risk must be small or neglible, especially if there is reasonable social distancing aboard the train. This is comparable to the situation in restaurants and pubs since they re-opened.

If you have to remove a mask to eat or drink on a train, it is a good idea to take a few precautions such as having a paper hankie to hand to catch any coughs or sneezes, somewhere to put the hankie afterwards and some hand sanitiser if possible. (Remember "catch it", "kill it", bin it")

Banning eating or drinking on long distance trains will drive people away from the railways, and be almost impossible to enforce anyway.

 

[trebor79]

Banning eating or drinking on long distance trains will drive people away from the railways, and be almost impossible to enforce anyway.

And force them into crowded motorway service stations rather than a relatively quiet train. Great idea.

 

[route101]

Do you have a source for this?

The website says catering isn't available and there was this tweet from yesterday:

https://twitter.com/LNER/status/1282735413975748608

It was a picture on Twitter, i cant recall the OG poster. Was a picture of trolley and big placard showing limited range. Maybe its in the works.

 

[island]

The human body can use large quantities of water - the advice is up to two litres a day

The study that this incomplete quotation is taken from did indeed say that you should take in two litres of water per day. The next following sentence was “Most of this will come from your food.”

a couple more than that are good and a few more litres are mostly harmless, especially with exercise. That would mean drinking (non-alcoholic drinks) consistently throughout the day.

I do not believe this represents current medical or scientific advice.

 

[FQTV]

It was a picture on Twitter, i cant recall the OG poster. Was a picture of trolley and big placard showing limited range. Maybe its in the works.

It was on the platform. They’ve been running a static trolley at Newcastle Central for the last few days. There’s nothing on board.





Pictures of the static platform trolley originally posted by Twitter user @CAnsleyCXD

 

[Butts]

It was on the platform. They’ve been running a static trolley at Newcastle Central for the last few days. There’s nothing on board.

View attachment 80726

View attachment 80727

Pictures of the static platform trolley originally posted by Twitter user @CAnsleyCXD

Do they hand out anything Free to 1st Class Passengers from these contraptions ?

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Do they hand out anything Free to 1st Class Passengers from these contraptions ?

I was wondering that, I just looked at their website and it advises people to bring their own snack and that Booze is not allowed on board, so it seems you can not take a can or two of beer or small bottles of wine.

 

[WindsorJoe]

They will not be handing out any items free for first class. There calling it “off board catering “ LNER will be having a few on board hosts operating trolleys on and around LNER managed stations. Selling a limited selection off the trolley menu. So York, Newcastle etc , but not at stations such as Kings Cross and others they do not manage.

 

[takno]

They will not be handing out any items free for first class. There calling it “off board catering “ LNER will be having a few on board hosts operating trolleys on and around LNER managed stations. Selling a limited selection off the trolley menu. So York, Newcastle etc , but not at stations such as Kings Cross and others they do not manage.

King's cross does at least have Waitrose and pret open, while York only has the Smith's, so might benefit from the trolley

Weirdly the best catered station I've seen recently is Bowes Park

 

[westv]

No hopping on hoard until there's Hop on Board on board.

 

[Bantamzen]

Meanwhile, as Jet2 restart their flights I noticed this as I was looking for some future flights:

https://www.jet2.com/en/flights/safe-travel/in-the-air

Will food and drinks be served and will menus be available?

​

Good news – all the usual tasty treats in our in-flight menu will still be available. You’ll be able to choose onboard or you can keep things more contact free by pre-paying for your in-flight food before you take off. You can add meals to your booking here. Our pre-order champagne is still available too.

So if airlines can do it in much more confined areas, surely LNER & other TOCs can figure it out?​

 

[yorkie]

Yes, and if XC can do it, so can LNER.

I think LNER will bring catering back soon though.

 

[Essexman]

I travelled with GWR from Newton Abbot to Paddington last Thursday and they had an unadvertised 'trial' catering service from Exeter.

It was a trolley with limited items in the end First Class coach - which meant that this whole coach was out of us for passengers to sit. Same in the rear portion. The lady serving said this is a temporary arrangement as they will obviously need the seats. We agreed that it would have been far easier had they kept buffets. It was only used by a few people but of course there weren't many on the train.

 

[Butts]

Yes, and if XC can do it, so can LNER.

I think LNER will bring catering back soon though.

Has the other "biggie" Avanti West Coast reintroduced theirs ?

With regard to XC Catering does it include the normal free 1st Class provisions ?

 

[p.d87]

Has the other "biggie" Avanti West Coast reintroduced theirs ?

With regard to XC Catering does it include the normal free 1st Class provisions ?

Avanti do not have an at seat service in 1st class for now. Complimentary snacks plus hot drinks/water can be obtained from the shop for 1st class ticket holders. Shops are also currently being restocked to a higher level due to increased demand however no sandwiches or hot food included for the time being.

 

[221129]

With regard to XC Catering does it include the normal free 1st Class provisions ?

Hot drinks, Water, biscuits and fruit cake. You need to collect from Coach F.

 

[Huntergreed]

I don't see how it's possible to permit first class at seat meals with the masks mandated.

Until this goes, I don't think it will be possible, and sadly Hancock said this morning that won't be until a vaccine.

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

The pendolino shops never closed. They've been open throughout with a reduced range of products

How come may I ask (?) because Boris made a speech before the whole of the UK lockdown, stating that "We will stop all non-essential contact".

However, it seems here like Avanti didn't want to lose or upset its customers which you can't complain.

 

[Jayden99]

How come may I ask (?) because Boris made a speech before the whole of the UK lockdown, stating that "We will stop all non-essential contact".

However, it seems here like Avanti didn't want to lose or upset its customers which you can't complain.

Easy to fit the screens to the shops on a Pendo, and since you take everything off shelves and the staff member doesn't have to handle them (except coffee IIRC) there isn't much chance of physical contact to pass anything on. Why it's different on the Voyagers I'm not sure.

 

[p.d87]

How come may I ask (?) because Boris made a speech before the whole of the UK lockdown, stating that "We will stop all non-essential contact".

However, it seems here like Avanti didn't want to lose or upset its customers which you can't complain.

They remained open to provide basics like tea/coffee/water and snacks for keyworkers travelling who may not have been able to get anything before getting on. The shops were never announced onboard as being open. Markings on the shop floor laid to enable the 2m distance and staff given instructions on how to operate safely. If they did close at the start it was briefly and then quickly reopened.

 

[p.d87]

Easy to fit the screens to the shops on a Pendo, and since you take everything off shelves and the staff member doesn't have to handle them (except coffee IIRC) there isn't much chance of physical contact to pass anything on. Why it's different on the Voyagers I'm not sure.

Voyager layout does not allow 2m due to the size and minimal distance between staff and customers as the shops are much smaller. You're literally face to face with the staff at the Voyager shops

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

They remained open to provide basics like tea/coffee/water and snacks for keyworkers travelling who may not have been able to get anything before getting on. The shops were never announced onboard as being open. Markings on the shop floor laid to enable the 2m distance and staff given instructions on how to operate safely. If they did close at the start it was briefly and then quickly reopened.

Very organised then - I like it !

 

[FQTV]

I don't see how it's possible to permit first class at seat meals with the masks mandated.

Until this goes, I don't think it will be possible, and sadly Hancock said this morning that won't be until a vaccine.

If parts of First Class were to be designated ‘Restaurant’, perhaps with a knife and fork annotation in the timetable, I can see a way around things.

 

[Butts]

I don't see how it's possible to permit first class at seat meals with the masks mandated.

Until this goes, I don't think it will be possible, and sadly Hancock said this morning that won't be until a vaccine.

Hate to be boring but surely what's good for a plane is good for a train - with far more space in 1st Class than in an aircraft cabin.