London North Eastern Railway (LNER) First Class service

[marks87]

Ugh, that looks like all the trains from Edinburgh. What the hell even is "Edinburgh Rock"? Validates my decision to fly down South this week I guess.

Edinburgh Rock is a sweet sold in sticks, like what you find in Blackpool or Brighton but with a much softer, chalky texture.

I’m personally not a fan, but it is quite a popular confection.

 

[takno]

Edinburgh Rock is a sweet sold in sticks, like what you find in Blackpool or Brighton but with a much softer, chalky texture.

I’m personally not a fan, but it is quite a popular confection.

Fascinating. I'm not a fan of sweets, but I've never heard of it in 20 years of living here. Sounds like it's probably a rather regrettable substitution for the brownies

 

[Huntergreed]

It does seem to be typical that LNER now market a lesser product as a “special offering” and make it sound much greater than it actually is.

This doesn’t seem to be the first time as they often do this with their Christmas seasonal menu as well.

At least with Avanti what you see is what you get.

 

[ainsworth74]

This doesn’t seem to be the first time as they often do this with their Christmas seasonal menu as well.

To be fair a significant reduction in the onboard service during the Christmas period is quite long standing dating back, well, possibly even into the old paid for restaurant days but certainly all the way back to East Coast. Though from memory it tended to start a few days before Christmas and end immediately after the New Year's day bank holiday. Now I feel like it starts mid-December through to the New Year?

 

[westv]

To be fair a significant reduction in the onboard service during the Christmas period is quite long standing dating back, well, possibly even into the old paid for restaurant days but certainly all the way back to East Coast. Though from memory it tended to start a few days before Christmas and end immediately after the New Year's day bank holiday. Now I feel like it starts mid-December through to the New Year?

I can just imagine this year it starting 1/12 and ending 31/1/24.

 

[yorkie]

As for the advertised menu not being available, this is not particularly uncommon; I've had hot items such as the beef stew not be available a few times lately. The staff are usually excellent and indeed last week I had superb service from a Newcastle based crew last week.

However this morning I've had someone who is really surly and rolling his eyes at reasonable requests asked politely. Clearly someone in the wrong job. (and yes I do have experience of doing jobs that involve interacting with customers and I wouldn't even be like that to someone who wasn't being polite)

Thank you for contacting LNER.

We are sorry to hear that you were unhappy with our complimentary food service...

If you would like to represent LNER, please email [email protected] from an LNER email address and we'll apply Verified Rep status to your account.

 

[railfan99]

Interestingly I travelled recently from King's Cross to Doncaster on the 1130 to Edinburgh and was served lunch, then changed to the 1315 to Leeds (which had left KX three minutes after mine).

Asked for a g&t to be told that they were on the breakfast menu.

Make of that what you will!

A certainty that Sir Leslie C. Patterson (RIP) would approve.

 

[LowLevel]

As for the advertised menu not being available, this is not particularly uncommon; I've had hot items such as the beef stew not be available a few times lately. The staff are usually excellent and indeed last week I had superb service from a Newcastle based crew last week.

However this morning I've had someone who is really surly and rolling his eyes at reasonable requests asked politely. Clearly someone in the wrong job. (and yes I do have experience of doing jobs that involve interacting with customers and I wouldn't even be like that to someone who wasn't being polite)


If you would like to represent LNER, please email [email protected] from an LNER email address and we'll apply Verified Rep status to your account.

Read the last line of the post mate, tis satire!

 

[yorkie]

Read the last line of the post mate, tis satire!

I saw @30907's reply above and replied on that basis; I read the first sentence of the post, and then it was a case of "TL;DR" :P

 

[KGX]

Well done on prising a sausage roll out of them, as there was no hot food of any description, in either direction, on my last return trip from Kings Cross to York.

Was that a York terminator/originator? They only offer the deli menu on those trains. The ticket price on those trains is substantially cheaper.

 

[Blindtraveler]

I wonder if I could ask a question of those better experienced and certainly those more easily able to see the various levels of service denoted on the timetable which my screen reader doesn't handle particularly well, what is the last either Newcastle or Scottish service out of kings cross on a weekday morning that offers the full breakfast? If indeed such a service exists at all? Thanks in advance

 

[Tester]

I wonder if I could ask a question of those better experienced and certainly those more easily able to see the various levels of service denoted on the timetable which my screen reader doesn't handle particularly well, what is the last either Newcastle or Scottish service out of kings cross on a weekday morning that offers the full breakfast? If indeed such a service exists at all? Thanks in advance

According to the latest information I can find (May 2023) that would be the 0930 to Edinburgh.

For completeness the full northbound Dine breakfast offering is 0615, 0700, 0800, 0830, 0900, 0930 all to Edinburgh, plus 0733 to Harrogate.

The 1030 and 1100 to Edinburgh also offer the Dine menu, but I presume that is by then 'Rest of day'.

I'm sure you're aware that last minute downgrades to Dish are not unheard of.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Thanks very much, yes indeed downgrades are a risk, but I'm currently playing with the option of a mid morning flight versus first class rail, I refused to do standard on LNER unless it's under an hour due to the seats and as they both work out about the same price return I thought I would check as if I'm going to get up and leave Kent in peak time travel I want a decent meal on the train if I can get one

 

[Bungle73]

Had the Chalkstream trout on a trip from KGX to Edinburgh on Monday. Was really nice, and a nicely sized portion of fish too. I also had the Apple Tart (they kept calling it a pie though ), which was also very nice, and a decent size too. Made a change to be presented with dessert on a plate, rather than as a piece of cake in a packet as it's been done before. Would have liked a bit more clotted cream though.





I just noticed that the tart only comes warm and with cream on the Dine Menu.

 

[ainsworth74]

I just noticed that the tart only comes warm and with cream on the Dine Menu.

I've only ever had it cold (no cream) and it still works very well as a sweet. Very tasty.

 

[Bungle73]

I've only ever had it cold (no cream) and it still works very well as a sweet. Very tasty.

I have a sweet tooth and it had the spot.

I had the same on the journey back (although the stew instead of the fish), and they gave me a teaspoon to eat the tart with, which was a bit odd. I'm sure I got a dessert spoon on the journey out.

 

[takno]

I have a sweet tooth and it had the spot.

I had the same on the journey back (although the stew instead of the fish), and they gave me a teaspoon to eat the tart with, which was a bit odd. I'm sure I got a dessert spoon on the journey out.

I would have thought a teaspoon was a more practical thing to eat it with tbh - certainly it's what I'd have given myself at home. Might just be down to the staff on the train.

 

[Tester]

Well I can beat you all on the apple tart front!

[Photo shows a lavishly creative version of the LNER Dine menu dessert]

Clearly the chef had some fun!

The other half of the brownie is hiding round the back

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Genuinely, I wince at being the miserable downer again, but the lack of consistency is quite poor, really.

 

[westv]

Made a change to be presented with dessert on a plate, rather than aWould have liked a bit more clotted cream though.

It was the same when I had it. The meanest slither of clotted cream.

 

[yorksrob]

Had the Chalkstream trout on a trip from KGX to Edinburgh on Monday. Was really nice, and a nicely sized portion of fish too. I also had the Apple Tart (they kept calling it a pie though ), which was also very nice, and a decent size too. Made a change to be presented with dessert on a plate, rather than as a piece of cake in a packet as it's been done before. Would have liked a bit more clotted cream though.

View attachment 142365

View attachment 142366

I just noticed that the tart only comes warm and with cream on the Dine Menu.

I have to say, that does look nice !

 

[ainsworth74]

Excellent service on the 1800 of the Cross this evening. Water shortly before departure, cold drinks just afterwards with food orders taken immediately aftewards. Had the trout and it was excellent (don't think I've ever had a bad piece of fish on EC/VTEC/LNER) and the apple tart, which as previously noted is good cold, was lovely as well to finish. A second cold drinks run just before deserts were served and the hot drinks followed shortly afterwards. Hard to criticise tonights performance really!

I think the only comment I'd make is the wider issues identified previously. Firstly when it all works it is still an excellent first class offering, but the consistency can be ropey. Secondly, compared to East Coast or VTEC whilst the improvements on the weekend are more than welcome, the reduction to one menu rather than at least two and the general reduction in portion sizes remains disapointing (though the portions aren't dreadful in my opinion, I'm pleasantly full after having the meal tonight!). Finally, every train should have the full breakfast like they did pre-pandemic!

 

[Blindtraveler]

I remain convinced that if every train particularly London bound but generally speaking every train offered the full breakfast up until say 10 am that they would sell a lot more first-class tickets and therefore relieve the pressure a bit on standard for all the commuters who are often so badly let down by other operators who couldn't run a bath never mind a railway, a problem which currently lnr don't seem to have, not all that long ago that if something went wrong on the ecml that they just gave up but they seem to have passed that baton effectively over to Avanti for the time being

 

[wysall]

Excellent service on the 1800 of the Cross this evening. Water shortly before departure, cold drinks just afterwards with food orders taken immediately aftewards. Had the trout and it was excellent (don't think I've ever had a bad piece of fish on EC/VTEC/LNER) and the apple tart, which as previously noted is good cold, was lovely as well to finish. A second cold drinks run just before deserts were served and the hot drinks followed shortly afterwards. Hard to criticise tonights performance really!

I think the only comment I'd make is the wider issues identified previously. Firstly when it all works it is still an excellent first class offering, but the consistency can be ropey. Secondly, compared to East Coast or VTEC whilst the improvements on the weekend are more than welcome, the reduction to one menu rather than at least two and the general reduction in portion sizes remains disapointing (though the portions aren't dreadful in my opinion, I'm pleasantly full after having the meal tonight!). Finally, every train should have the full breakfast like they did pre-pandemic!

I was also on the 18:00 departure in First Class, to Newcastle, being on an All Line Rover at the moment. Didn’t have anything to eat but can’t disagree as to the service otherwise.

 

[galwhv69]

Was up on a work visit to York ROC today and decided to get an upgrade to first class on the journey back to London. For £15 (+ £3 fee) I can't really complain, but I have found it surprising that the hot food offering is so small and only available on a few trains. Even on the Dine services there only seems to be 2 hot meal options, with everything else being the standard bread rolls and salads. I'm on a dish service so the only proper hot meal seems to be the stew, but hearing conversations from passengers about it and the empty plates on other tables, this seems to have run out by York, leaving all passengers from thereon having to choose from cold foods. Staff are really lovely though, and the first class lounge at York is nice

 

[basfordlad]

Had a lovely lovely full lner breakfast on the 9.30 out of Kings cross
Food spot on but boy the service was miserable. They all looked like a slapped arse

 

[voyagerdude220]

It looks like LNER have refreshed their First Class menus recently. New dishes include Gammon, a Chicken Casserole and a Jam Sponge dessert.

Edit: Off topic, but it's a shame Avanti don't offer anything more substantial anymore during the day/heading into the evening.

 

[30907]

It looks like LNER have refreshed their First Class menus recently. New dishes include Gammon, a Chicken Casserole and a Jam Sponge dessert.

Not as of yesterday - still trout and apple tart - so presumably coming shortly.

 

[Bungle73]

They've shoehorned in yet another even more cut down menu, the "Brunch" menu. Although, it seems there are now two hot options on the Dish menu. Wasn't it one before?

 

[voyagerdude220]

Not as of yesterday - still trout and apple tart - so presumably coming shortly.

Thanks. The website gave me the impression it had changed.