with NR they pay a rent and a percentage of their profits but its still a lot of money when, as others have pointed out, other vendors still charge normal prices and they are hit with the ssame charges.
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BITE card
- Thread starter boyaloud
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with NR they pay a rent and a percentage of their profits but its still a lot of money when, as others have pointed out, other vendors still charge normal prices and they are hit with the ssame charges.
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Which Pumpkin do you go to?! Unless it's changed in the last couple of weeks (a possibility, I've not been in an SSP outlet lately), you get 4 stamps and then you get a free medium coffee/tea. Really hope that's not changing, only got a Pumpkin on the station and the Morrisons cafe's coffee is absolutely rancid! Looks like I'll be getting off my bus in town and walking straight into Costa soon enough. £1.84 for a medium Americano in Pumpkin for me with my Bite card, so I'd only be paying 36p more in Costa but getting the best coffee in the universe. There's also a rather nice barista in there, hmm......
The Pumpkin at Leamington gave me a new card which requires 9 stamps for a free drink. Any outlet visited since then still give out the old ones.
Tetchytyke
Veteran Member
Other than McDonald's, I can't think of vendors who do charge the same price at stations as they do on the high street. WH Smith and M&S both have a pretty hefty markup on their railway station shops.
All Line Rover
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Sainsbury's. They charge the 'local' prices, not the supermarket prices, but the markups are very reasonable and all of the offers available in the supermarkets (e.g. the £3 meal deal) are available at the same price.
McDonald's does have a range, but it's very small. I think on a meal, we're talking about a variance of about 20p or something. I didn't even know this until recently. I also think some items are fixed - like you'd expect for their 99p saver menu items.
But WH Smith is on a whole different level. Hefty is too nice a word for their markups. They're not cheap on a high street, but go to a train station or airport and.. arghh!
They certainly know how to sell stupidly large bottles of water and do deals to get you to buy 2 or 3 items when you barely wanted one (i.e. you wanted a small water, not ten gallons) and the deals on sweets and chocolates are also crazy. But, hey, would you like a bar of Galaxy for a quid and a bag load of coupons and vouchers for nothing?
WH Smith won't get my custom unless I'm incredibly desperate.
Remember than WH Smiths (possibly others) in stations aren't traditional shops as they're franchised. This pretty much means Smiths can't tell them what prices to sell at so they price to the rent, which is obviously pretty high.
Qwerty133
Established Member
The galaxy's are £1.29 around here. Also best not to rely on them to be open (a sign on the door saying back in 15 minutes isn't very useful when you have a train to catch), same goes for SSP outlets, especially the Ritazza at Leicester.
There's at least one at Manchester Airport.
My voucher was specific to me. With a unique code linked to my BiTE card. I doubt they are transferable.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Liverpool and Birmingham airports will sell you a Budweiser with your meal as an additional charge in place of the soft drink at Burger King, fairly sure I've seen it elsewhere too.
Didn't know the snobs in Leamington had changed their Pumpkin loyalty card. Seems all outlets anywhere will change or stop their coffee collector cards without warning, Wetherspoon did and so I rarely buy one there now. Shame as the Lavazza coffee was reasonable!
Didn't know the snobs in Leamington had changed their Pumpkin loyalty card. Seems all outlets anywhere will change or stop their coffee collector cards without warning, Wetherspoon did and so I rarely buy one there now. Shame as the Lavazza coffee was reasonable!
Qwerty133
Established Member
Mines still giving 20% at Uppercrust in Derby, used it 20 mins ago anyway
Minilad
Established Member
I used mine this morning at the Pasty Shop at New Street and still got 20%
scotsman
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Anything that costs 'Spoons money is not popular with their management! (On the upside, you get a free coffee - although probably only filter - if you fill in a feedback form)
CallySleeper
Established Member
No email, inbox or spam. Will test mine a couple of times this week and report back (if I remember!)
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Clearly so, judging by various experiences in Spoooooooooooons (sorry, I really couldn't resist, I even do that at work too
), and yeah it's only filter coffee and I really can't be bothered with going through all the hassle to claim the free coffee. Much like I can't be bothered to do the same for free fries and drink when buying an adult burger at Burger King, plus usually by the time I get online I've usually forgotten anyway!Not been on t'rails lately to find out whether the 20% is still going or not, but I am still considering getting off the bus a couple of stops earlier en-route to my cranking trips, going to Costa and walking down to the station anyway. I'll see what I decide on Monday, see how lazy I'm feeling
My partner received their BITE card this morning and the letter says...
"[...]great discounts today and even more rewards - coming soon!"
"Simply present your card at one of the participating rail station outlets to get a mouth-watering 20% off."
"This will become your passport to even MORE value over the coming months. We'll be in touch about this later..."
Either they're not reducing the discount to 10% on everything, and are in fact creating more rewards/discounts, or someone needs to change the letters!
"[...]great discounts today and even more rewards - coming soon!"
"Simply present your card at one of the participating rail station outlets to get a mouth-watering 20% off."
"This will become your passport to even MORE value over the coming months. We'll be in touch about this later..."
Either they're not reducing the discount to 10% on everything, and are in fact creating more rewards/discounts, or someone needs to change the letters!
I got exactly the same letter this morning as well - stating 20% discount.
A change of heart perhaps, after deciding how bad the idea is... :roll:
Shrub Hill
Member
the pub on waterloo opposite platforms 3/4 takes bite card! its the only time i have used mine recently!
D1009
Established Member
Used Pumpkins at Temple Meads and Plymouth today, and the discount was 10%.
Minilad
Established Member
Pasty shop at Waterloo today
20%
20%
87019Chris
Member
Used mine at Millies Cookies yesterday and got myself 20% off
ASharpe
Member
Despite passing through Waterloo station regularly I never knew there was a pub. I think my mental map of the station just has 'here be dragons' for everything lower than platform 12.
Does the 20% make the price of beer reasonable?
hairyhandedfool
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Very definitely 10% at Bradford Interchange Pumpkin for me this morning, I wonder if any of the people getting 20% had an email? And if those who had the email are regular users or not?
Whereas, on 11/06 in Bonapartes at Bristol TM, I got 20%.
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