Avanti first class meals

[Vespa]

I'm about to travel on Avanti for the first time, Wigan to Glasgow first class early next year, what's the first class meals like ? As good as Virgin or worse even none.

TIA

 

[yorkie]

Bring backup supplies as staff shortages have resulted in several reports of there being a reduced service or even no service.

They appear to have been offering a refund of the difference in fares where no service has been available.

Below is a selection of comments from the past 10 hours.

https://twitter.com/Closey69/status/1208473136989126656

Service on your train 4pm Glasgow to London Euston an absolute disgrace. No staff in first class (I’m not there), patrons having to come to buffet cart to be met with rude, arrogant staff who are sat on their backside in a seat on Facebook, talking with arrogance and disdain to customers who ‘dare’ to venture to buffet cart as if it’s an inconvenience to them to have to serve us. One comment overheard was your staff member saying “there’s always one” simply because a first class guest requested a complimentary drink

https://twitter.com/Helen_M_Walker/status/1208414396206239744

booked first class for my 81 year old mum to travel down to London so she'd be looked after. Staff shortage = no at seat service. She cant walk to buffet car. Not a good start v disappointed......

https://twitter.com/eddieTbadger/status/1208397788930813952

your train manager has just announced that there’s no first class service on the 14:20 EUS-MAN 2019-12-21 service and to contact you for refund/compensation for the ticket I bought - can you help?

https://twitter.com/RoadHawkDashcam/status/1208389386087387137

They have made plenty of changes, removed the seat selection from the website, delayed or cancelled more trains, reduced the first class service to next to nothing. Not a patch on
@VirginTrains

https://twitter.com/Woggles93/status/1208341927848005632

By far the worst first class service I’ve ever had. The food is atrocious. The poor girl serving everyone is rushed off her feet and everyone is complaining about her. You need to put more staff on weekends and definitely upgrade the menu. The yogurt and flapjack were both ewww

https://twitter.com/pjlofty/status/1208340786078781440

Assume the the lack of response means the answer is no then!Pretty poor service on pretty poor service and this is at the start. Not even an explanation for a train from London to Scotland with no shop on board.Better service......definitely not

https://twitter.com/Woggles93/status/1208338506134761472

We finally got a drink on the way to Glasgow but no food yet!! Appalling service!

https://twitter.com/jaynealbion/status/1208333907193683968

no first class service on train to Glasgow how do we get our refreshments

https://twitter.com/Iain_McCallum/status/1208328232011026432

Really missing the friendly service @VirginTrains afforded us. Only once has there been table service in First Class this morning and there’s no hot drinks available apart from the shop! The journey home at Christmas was always a joy. No more i fear.

 

[Vespa]

Thanks for the heads up, Avanti having teething troubles then......

This happened to me once when travelling virgin west coast to London, the train was declassified and had to get my own drinks, Virgin refunded the difference in fares at least.

Thanks for the tip about back up supplies, at least I know what to expect and will claim refund if that happens.

I've noticed there's no seat selection options on the Avanti website, if my train to Glasgow is crap, I may reconsider my trip to London in March and go somewhere else instead by car.

 

[yorkie]

I've noticed there's no seat selection options on the Avanti website, if my train to Glasgow is crap, I may reconsider my trip to London in March and go somewhere else instead by car.

Before you abandon the train, there is a solution!

See https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/why-has-avanti-west-coast-got-rid-of-the-seat-selector.196410/

(this providers of this service are members of this forum so if you have any problems with it, you can let us know and we will feed it straight back to them)

 

[fishquinn]

I travelled in Virgin 1st class fairly often and had my first journey on Avanti today (albeit just New Street to Coventry). Very varied compared to Virgin in two respects, one bad and one good. For the first time ever in my experience, New Street 1st class lounge was shut due to 'technical issues' with no lights on inside. Not sure if that's just an issue today or if it's been an ongoing thing but I suppose it could've happened under Virgin too. On the train however, while still platformed in New Street (the train had come from Edinburgh) a member of catering crew came through and took food and drink orders, and I had a turkey and bacon sarnie with crisps and chocolate before the train had even departed. Having travelled between New Street and Coventry before that's the first time I've received anything other than a drink, so was actually a very good first experience in that respect. The journey was on an 11 car pendolino.

 

[J4mez]

Does anyone know what menu it would be on the 20:07 departure from London to Liverpool, would it be classed as evening meal or late evening? I am travelling next week but don’t know what to expect and the website is no help.
https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/ticket-and-discounts/first-class/first-class-menus

 

[paddy1]

Does first class on Avanti WC on weekdays still include complimentary alcohol, as it did with Virgin, as the Avanti website menus only mentions food and drink being free, making reference to coffee and hot drinks but no mention of alcohol, whereas with Virgin it specifically set out what alcoholic drinks were available?

 

[J4mez]

Does first class on Avanti WC on weekdays still include complimentary alcohol, as it did with Virgin, as the Avanti website menus only mentions food and drink being free, making reference to coffee and hot drinks but no mention of alcohol, whereas with Virgin it specifically set out what alcoholic drinks were available?

From what I am aware the first class lounges only provide hot drinks and non alcoholic beverages however I am unsure about onboard the trains.

 

[telstarbox]

They still do complimentary beers, wines and spirits on weekdays.

 

[paddy1]

From what I am aware the first class lounges only provide hot drinks and non alcoholic beverages however I am unsure about onboard the trains.

Thanks. Query about 1st class drink offer on board trains answered below.

 

[paddy1]

They still do complimentary beers, wines and spirits on weekdays.

Thank you for clarifying.

 

[VT 390]

Does anyone know what menu it would be on the 20:07 departure from London to Liverpool, would it be classed as evening meal or late evening? I am travelling next week but don’t know what to expect and the website is no help.
https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/ticket-and-discounts/first-class/first-class-menus

According to their timetable the last evening meal Liverpool service form Euston is the 18:33 so I would have thought the 20:07 will be the late evening menu.

 

[J4mez]

According to their timetable the last evening meal Liverpool service form Euston is the 18:33 so I would have thought the 20:07 will be the late evening menu.

Thank you!

 

[J4mez]

They still do complimentary beers, wines and spirits on weekdays.

I am currently sat in the First class lounge in Euston and I can assure you that the wine and beers is no longer complimentary, I am unsure about onboard the train though but I will post later once I know for my self.

 

[Mag_seven]

I am currently sat in the First class lounge in Euston and I can assure you that the wine and beers is no longer complimentary

They never were complimentary in the lounge were they?

 

[Polarbear]

Alcoholic drinks have never been complementary at the Euston first class lounge.

 

[J4mez]

They never were complimentary in the lounge were they?

If I am honest with you, I am unsure... Normally I am rushing for the train and don’t get a chance to sit in the lounge.

 

[gaillark]

No first class lounge provides complimentary alcoholic drinks on a daily basis although GWR do provide wine on a Wednesday evening.
First class lounges are rather basic and cater mainly for advance purchase ticket holders.
As for Avantiwestcoast providing complimentary alcohol on board this still was the case before Christmas although it was not mentioned in their menu booklet.

The food on west coast is not that great on west coast other than breakfast. Evening meals are only served principally between 1700 and 1859 from point of origin of each service group.
The west coast evening meal should be regarded as a light two course meal rather than a substantial meal.

 

[route101]

Someone posted a picture of the Avanti first class menu and it showed a cheeseburger and wedges as an option. Is this new , not on website?

 

[Andy Pacer]

Someone posted a picture of the Avanti first class menu and it showed a cheeseburger and wedges as an option. Is this new , not on website?

Hope so... sounds nice!

 

[Foxcover]

Friday evening specials I think for the burgers in Avanti first class - I tried it just before Christmas - nice but more of a mini burger; Prosecco also offered.

 

[Andy Pacer]

Friday evening specials I think for the burgers in Avanti first class - I tried it just before Christmas - nice but more of a mini burger; Prosecco also offered.

Will have to add that to my notes for my next All Line in March!

 

[ScotTrains]

They never were complimentary in the lounge were they?

I've been offered complimentary wine a number of times in the Glasgow Central lounge. The host would open a bottle then go round everyone in the lounge.

 

[Scotrail314209]

See the Prosecco offer, does this run all night on all trains after a certain hour?

I’m booked on the 20:43 from Euston to Birmingham on Friday 17th January, would the offer be in force on this evening?

 

[telstarbox]

Sorry I meant onboard in my post.

 

[fishquinn]

Hi all,

What are the odds of getting the full evening meal service on the 1733 Euston-Liverpool between Euston and Rugby?

Cheers,

FQ

 

[matt]

Hi all,

What are the odds of getting the full evening meal service on the 1733 Euston-Liverpool between Euston and Rugby?

Cheers,

FQ

You should get the main but unlikely to get dessert is my experience.

 

[fishquinn]

You should get the main but unlikely to get dessert is my experience.

Cheers, thought that might be the case

 

[Mag_seven]

I would sit in the coach next to the Kitchen (coach K) to maximise the chances of getting the main with an outside chance of the dessert.

 

[fishquinn]

I would sit in the coach next to the Kitchen (coach K) to maximise the chances of getting the main with an outside chance of the dessert.

Good plan there, thanks