Rocket On-Board Catering Prices.

[transportphoto]

Well what do you think?

I know you are paying for the convenience but is this to much?

I have just paid 0.70 for a Small Mars Bar - 1.95 for a Hot Chocolate.
I think it is extortionate. But on long, long journeys you are often left with no choice.

 

[ukrob]

Well what do you think?

I know you are paying for the convenience but is this to much?

I have just paid 0.70 for a Small Mars Bar - 1.95 for a Hot Chocolate.
I think it is extortionate. But on long, long journeys you are often left with no choice.

You always have the choice.

No shops at the station or near the station? Nothing at home to take? Etc etc.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

and its not as if either of those actually have nutritional value. So not only do I agree that you DID have a choice - there was never going to be any point in buying junk in the first place.

 

[dk1]

You always have the choice.

No shops at the station or near the station? Nothing at home to take? Etc etc.

£1.95 for hot chocolate seems reasonable these days. My usual medium coffee in a Costa in the high street is now £2.10.

 

[Helvellyn]

Compares to Service Station prices on the Motorway. If you don't take something with you then it will be more expensive where this a captive market, e.g. on a train or a service station.

 

[dk1]

Bite Card always helps at most Compass run Station outlets with 20% discount.

 

[Geezertronic]

You'll find this is not confined to train shops, this appears to be the norm. I remember paying £1.50 for a normal can of coke at the NEC 8 years ago! I dread to think what the price is now

You should try getting something to eat in London, you'd have to remortgage or starve

 

[Dai.]

The prices are steep on trains I avoid buying them, although a cup of tea in a take away cup seems to taste nicer to me than a normal cup or one in a flask, I don't know why, so if I need to warm up on the go I'll buy a cup for 99p.

 

[dk1]

I never have taken food or drink on a journey. To me its all part of the experience. Ive always looked forward to an Upper Crust baguette, Pumpkin cake or even a meal on board where now possible. Must say whenever on Virgin i always go for the BLT at the shop, got to be the tastiest ever. I was also impressed with the sarnies from the trolley on a recent TPX 185. Have always had a mass phobia against flasks of tea & tin foil wrapped butties.

 

[spoony]

Only price I care about on the trains is the price of the Stella for a random can now and again. Anything else can be brought from home. To be fair, if you are on a journey long enough to need to eat/drink there's a fair chance you have planned it in advance so there's not much excuse for taking a packed lunch.

 

[142094]

Grand Central give you a free cup of tea or coffee, even to standard class passengers. Nice to see at least one TOC being a bit different.

 

[Greenback]

I always take food with me. Even on the 25 minute run to Carmarthen I'll take an emergency Twix in case the train breaks down. After all, it is Arriva!

The Coracle buffet on Carmarthen station charges very reasonable prices for a Twix or Mars Bar. If the train is delayed on the way, I will buy a replacement emergency snack for the return. Of course, I don't bother if I'm taking the FGW HST.

 

[truckman060473]

I never have liked the train menu prices. But on one FGW journey i just fancied a coffee. I went to get it and it was really nice. if i'm at home i tend to gulp hot drinks and can't make them last 5 min, but this was a steaming hot coffee and for my £1.70 i have to admit i had a gorgeous hot drink that lasted me 15 min! A coffee i bought in Wetherspoons before for £1.29 was terrible. so it sometimes isn't better at the "bargain" eatery!

 

[Greenback]

I will confess I have had a very nice cup of tea on the train, and I think it was 'only' £1.50. It does taste much better than one from the thermos! And Wetherspoons, especially the one by the Tower of London!

 

[truckman060473]

The sort of prices i cannot stand are things like sarnies or Ginsters pasties for something like £3.39. way over double the supermarket price. this is not just on the trains but particularly at station shops. 95p for king size Walkers crisps is another annoyance, when they give two for a pound. who wants to eat two bags of king size!

 

[mumrar]

This reminds me of a joke-
Stopped at the motorway services today, I picked up a bottle of Lucozade, some McCoys crisps and a Twix. When it came to paying I only had a £20 so I said 'Sorry I've got nothing else' and the girl behind the till said 'that's okay, you can put the crisps back'

 

[merlodlliw]

I always take food with me. Even on the 25 minute run to Carmarthen I'll take an emergency Twix in case the train breaks down. After all, it is Arriva!

The Coracle buffet on Carmarthen station charges very reasonable prices for a Twix or Mars Bar. If the train is delayed on the way, I will buy a replacement emergency snack for the return. Of course, I don't bother if I'm taking the FGW HST.

Must say the Buffet on Wrexham, station run by Wrexham & Shropshire have very fair prices, all day breakfast under £4 on a plate etc. As Greenback suggests, take your
snack with you, to some the experience of buying on board does not matter
what the price, as they ask for a receipt for expenses. I often smile at the WAG employees on the Cardiff run buying a single coffee from the trolley, then
asking for a docket.

I don't mind paying, but hate to be ripped off. Suppose Im used to Tessie Cohan prices.

M

 

[Greenback]

You're right, but value for money is very subjective! Personally, I consider a well cooked, locally sourced main course at £15 better value than a microwaved bought in bulk Wetherspoons type meal at £7. That doesn;t mean that there's anything wrong with the latter, I've had some very nice Wetherspoons meals, as well as some horrible ones!

Where train catering really suffers though is the fact that you can't rely on it. You might be looking forward to a sandwich or snack and the trolley doesn;t appear due to 'operational difficulties', or it might not be available on your section of the journey, or it might have sold out! Far better to bring it on board from shops or home!

How long has the Wrexahm buffet been open? I haven;t been up there for a few years, and there wasn't one last time I was there. Did it open when WSMR started?

 

[mumrar]

Merlodlliw in WSMR arse-licking scandal. Shame Arriva don't do them, I'm sure we'd hear how much more expensive they are, inferior in every way, and are just trying to shut the cafe at Wrexham.
Hope this isn't offensive to you, I just thought it amusing that WSMR also do the best breakfast too (and at that price I'm tempted to go there myself, beats eating my hat any day)

 

[merlodlliw]

How long has the Wrexahm buffet been open? I haven;t been up there for a few years, and there wasn't one last time I was there. Did it open when WSMR started?[/QUOTE]


Been open almost a year now.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Merlodlliw in WSMR arse-licking scandal. Shame Arriva don't do them, I'm sure we'd hear how much more expensive they are, inferior in every way, and are just trying to shut the cafe at Wrexham.
Hope this isn't offensive to you, I just thought it amusing that WSMR also do the best breakfast too (and at that price I'm tempted to go there myself, beats eating my hat any day)

No offence taken old chap, actually the best breakfast in Wales, is at Coed Llandega, about 5 miles from Wrexham, about £4/50 according to a recent
review, strangely arriva do have a cafe in Wrexham, but its at the bus station.

 

[starrymarkb]

I've found the beer to be reasonably priced - but 70p for a mars bar is better then what Boots charge for chocolate buttons - 88p!

 

[Tom B]

The reason I stopped using on-board catering was actually nothing to do with the prices (though they are extortionate) but more to do with (as others pointed out) the fact that you could not rely on it. NXEC were particularly bad for it - even when there was an opportunity to put extra stock on, or extra staff at an intermediate station it wouldn't be done.

 

[Dolive22]

If you want value you have to buy off the train. I was in a supermarket, advertised by a man with very white teeth, and many filled baguettes were £2. If were going from somewhere where that was convenient that could work, and would be much cheaper.

As to beer prices, it's not my poison so I'm not sure what it costs in pubs and clubs, but comparing it to posh beers being sold online, they must have about a 100% mark up on them on the TOC I checked last night, I think EMT.

 

[merlodlliw]

If you want value you have to buy off the train. I was in a supermarket, advertised by a man with very white teeth, and many filled baguettes were £2. If were going from somewhere where that was convenient that could work, and would be much cheaper.

As to beer prices, it's not my poison so I'm not sure what it costs in pubs and clubs, but comparing it to posh beers being sold online, they must have about a 100% mark up on them on the TOC I checked last night, I think EMT.

I suppose the mark up on beers may well exceed 100%, that is if bought in by the ton, suppose tocs order in vast quantities.

Food will always be more expensive on the train and always has been,agree
with the supermarket prices, sandwiches from a £1(co op), filled rolls from
£1.50 (tessie Cohan) etc etc.

The only time I never minded paying over the odds for a drink was on the old
5.00p.m.? boat train to Manchester from Holyhead, then on a Sunday 1960s
all pubs were closed until Rhyl where I got off 35 minutes before the pubs in opened at 7.00p.m. The train buffet opened the minute of departure, this train was in effect used by many for a Sunday Evening out to Rhyl as Anglesey/Caernarvonshire/Denbighshire were dry counties.
Then return on the Emerald Isle Express. The good old days.

 

[starrymarkb]

£2.50 for a 1pt can on Virgin - which compared well with some of the local bars (and was a lot cheaper then Mass in Brixton during TG - £3.50 for Red Stripe and cans only!)

 

[dk1]

£2.50 for a 1pt can on Virgin - which compared well with some of the local bars (and was a lot cheaper then Mass in Brixton during TG - £3.50 for Red Stripe and cans only!)

Virgin also used to charge just £3.90 for a 25cl bottle of Vino-Colapso compared to £4.50 on NXEA for a mere 18.5cl. But on the other hand NXEA did for a time do full bottles of house red/white for £7.45 or a deal inc Pringles for £7.50

 

[Dolive22]

I was reckoning 100% mark-up based on prices for 1 dozen bottles inclusive of delivery.

 

[DJ737]

Hi there

I find the beer prices are not too bad on UK trains, I don't buy any food on trains, but rather buy Pork Pies & Scotch Eggs beforehand. (Can't get these in Australia as a rule.) So I tend to feast on these when in the UK.

V\Line regional trains banned the sale of booze on trains a couple of years ago, citing bad behaviour by a minority of passengers, who were probably (and still are) already intoxicated before they boarded the train. :roll:

The policy stops them buying more booze, but denies those on a day out to a relaxing drink on the journey.

Cheers
DJ737
Melbourne, Australia

 

[transportphoto]

Sorry I have been V. Quiet on this Thread (as the OP)

Grand Central give you a free cup of tea or coffee, even to standard class passengers. Nice to see at least one TOC being a bit different.

Yes but that is only when you are travelling to / from London Kings X - I tried with the Staff whilst I was heading to Sunderland from York and they said

Sorry - you have to Travel to or from London to be able to get this offer...
... If you want a tea/coffee you will have to pay.

I think this is silly as the majority of their revenue comes from the YRK - SUN leg as this holds more of the 'Familys' off to somewhere else like Heartlepool etc.

 

[142094]

Also tried that yesterday, but then bought one anyway. It had a slightly strange taste - think they have changed supplier to the Mad Hatter or something along those lines.

Also will be getting an email to ask them to explain why the phone at Eaglescliffe is still not working, along with Northern.