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Pricey food outlets at stations
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Statto
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Indeed Boots is reasonable on the mark up they charge, compared to the mark up of what WH Smith charge, WH Smith is a rip off, even 5-10 years ago i remember them having £2.50 offers on 2, 750ml bottles of water, when other stores would be £1.50-£2
thenorthern
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Generally I find a good price for a 330ml can of Coca-Cola is 70p and a good price for a bottle of Coca-Cola is £1.20 with a multibuy option of 2 for £2. At stations though I have seen Coca-Cola 500ml bottles priced as high as £2 each.
In the days of British Rail nearly all catering was of course done in house but people still complained about prices. Who owns Pumpkin and the "Hero" pubs at stations that we see today?
In the days of British Rail nearly all catering was of course done in house but people still complained about prices. Who owns Pumpkin and the "Hero" pubs at stations that we see today?
Don't you find it all a bit dry?
McDonalds at stations will generally be directly operated by McDonald's UK hence the price uplift being smaller.
The other brands are mostly operated by SSP as franchises from the masterbrand. Not sure who the operator of on station subway's is as SSP are not a franchisee for that brand.
Having SSP run most/all of the outlets means that there is less incentive for them to compete strongly on price or quality. They won't start a price war with themselves!
LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
Who owns the Gourmet kiosk outlets that have appeared at places like Stafford and Crewe?
They don't appear to be SSP.
They don't appear to be SSP.
The Metro had an advert with McDs breakfast vouchers about 2 weeks ago. Check the vouchers they may not be the ones you think they are.
At London Bridge and some other stations is a brand called something Box, could be Lunch Box. They do a muffin and tea or coffee very cheaply and both taste ok.
If travelling on a Monday and you have an O2 smartphone you can get lunch for a pound from a number of outlets, Boots, WHSmith, Rittazzi and Upper Crust. Latter is a restricted range, but its well worht
At London Bridge and some other stations is a brand called something Box, could be Lunch Box. They do a muffin and tea or coffee very cheaply and both taste ok.
If travelling on a Monday and you have an O2 smartphone you can get lunch for a pound from a number of outlets, Boots, WHSmith, Rittazzi and Upper Crust. Latter is a restricted range, but its well worht
One dodge that works at airport WH Smiths and therefore probably stations is that you get a free bottle of water with the Daily Telegraph which saves about 50p.
One thing to remember is that many outlets at major stations are on turnover rents so a percentage of the revenue goes back to the landlord on top of the normal rent.
One thing to remember is that many outlets at major stations are on turnover rents so a percentage of the revenue goes back to the landlord on top of the normal rent.
There are usually bundles of the McDonald's vouchers sitting on the shelf above the self scans at Smiths in Waverley. Might be worth checking in the same areas at other stores if anyone is looking for some.
Little Waitrose outside Manchester Piccadilly, free with a My Waitrose card. Can take a while though getting to the till for a cup then waiting again at the machines.
Have to say i am a avid user of it, and as so have started to buy more and more stuff from Waitrose. Which was the actual purpose of the free hot drinks promotion anyway!
Sam
Cafe Express may be part of SSP, but it charges more than Upper Crust for worse coffee and has a jobsworth attitude.
At Chester, there is an empty Café Express and a packed Costa.
The Shrewsbury Lemon Tree has become Starbucks, but I'm pretty sure they are not SSP.
SSP in the UK may have roots in BR, but they used to be owned by SAS (airline group) which is why Upper Crust is all over Scandinavian stations/airports.
Taken over by Compass in 1993.
My grumble with the station outlets is the often very grubby environment, with torn seats and damaged doors - down to Network Rail I expect. I'm thinking of Crewe and Lime St.
Prices also vary subtly across the network. There is no fixed price for a cup of coffee (or quantity) in outlets of the same brand.
Dot's at Wrexham Gen remains a very decent independent station buffet with hot breakfast, and the staff smile at you.
Cafe Express is not run by SSP, but many Starbucks at stations are. Torn seats in cafes at stations are nothing to do with Network Rail.
Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
It's worth cross-checking adjacent shops on the same concourse...
London Bridge, just off the high numbered platforms... kiosk just inside the entrance to where WHS is charges £3.10 for a large sausage roll. The Cornish Pasty shop literally 15 feet round the corner from it charges £2.75 for the identical product...
London Bridge, just off the high numbered platforms... kiosk just inside the entrance to where WHS is charges £3.10 for a large sausage roll. The Cornish Pasty shop literally 15 feet round the corner from it charges £2.75 for the identical product...
Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
There are worse places than railway stations; at a museum earlier today I saw, to my horror, their café was selling a 1 inch by 2½ inch caramel slice ( you know, the crunchy biscuity thing with butterscotch and then topped by chocolate ) for sale at £2.50. The less said about the rest of their prices the better.
Kite159
Veteran Member
Special mention for the WH Smiths at Cardiff Central who charge £4.49 for a meal deal (normally £3.79 or £3.99).
I think the only other place I've seen Smiths selling meal deals at that price is Middlesbrough.
I think the only other place I've seen Smiths selling meal deals at that price is Middlesbrough.
IanD
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HarleyDavidson
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I mean dessert.Both are overpriced, in Greggs a sausage roll would be about £1.20
Not that you seem to get many Greggs in Central London.
GatwickDepress
Established Member
When I'm out, I usually wait until late evening and get a bunch of reduced items from Tesco. The last day I was out gricing I picked up a box of 150g raspberries, prawn mayonnaise sandwich, and a bunch of hot deli foods: for about £1 total.
SSP do however run the 'BreadBox' brand at a few locations which offers quite good value, even compared to non-station prices.
ValleyLines142
Established Member
Not even that, 80p for a sausage roll! Unless stations charge more.
Class 33
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When travelling I usually prepare in advance and get a few cans for £1 or 99p in places like Poundland, 99p Stores, etc. And also things like chocolate bars, packets of sweets, crisps, etc. Much better value than the overpriced stuff in the shops at train and bus/coach stations. Also usually get sandwiches in high street supermarkets beforehand, rather than their stores in stations with their inflated prices. Allthough the sandwiches in Boots at stations are reasonably priced, and at times their sandwiches which are expiring the same day are reduced to £1.
Regarding vending machines. At Bristol Bus Station recently I noticed a vending machine which had small 250ml cans of Red Devil energy drinks for £2 each! What an absolute total rip-off!! Daylight robbery!! Couldn't believe it, as I had seen these in stores like Poundland, 99p Stores, Home Bargains, for FOUR cans for 99p/£1!!!
Regarding vending machines. At Bristol Bus Station recently I noticed a vending machine which had small 250ml cans of Red Devil energy drinks for £2 each! What an absolute total rip-off!! Daylight robbery!! Couldn't believe it, as I had seen these in stores like Poundland, 99p Stores, Home Bargains, for FOUR cans for 99p/£1!!!
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Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
We have a Greggs in Epsom but I never use it because it's nearly always sold out of whatever I want by mid morning, never mind lunchtime... It's just a waste of time queuing up there...
I'm pretty sure last time I looked it was £1.10 at the one in Epsom, which is in the High street not near the railway station.
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A very good point. At the latter price, it's the same price as petrol. At the Bus Station price it's £8 per litre!
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1D53
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500ml Lucozade in Boro WHSmiths £2.10. Horrific.
The very same place that wanted to charge me £1.89 for a bag of Jelly Babies. Fair enough of course, apart from the fact the bag was a £1 price marked packet.
Oxfordblues
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I once had 15 minutes to spare when changing trains at Barrow-in-Furness and decided to visit the station buffet for a cup of coffee. Now Barrow is one of the most deprived towns in the North with serious levels of economic disadvantage and even poverty (think Poundland rather than Waitrose).
Imagine my astonishment then when I was asked to part with no less than £3.80 for a small cup of the brown liquid. No doubt the price was nationally set by some well-paid apparatchik in the Home Counties. But it crossed my value threshold and I left the buffet without the coffee and without paying.
Imagine my astonishment then when I was asked to part with no less than £3.80 for a small cup of the brown liquid. No doubt the price was nationally set by some well-paid apparatchik in the Home Counties. But it crossed my value threshold and I left the buffet without the coffee and without paying.
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