Save our sausages!

[P156KWJ]

The new catering range on East Midlands Trains has been launched, and the majority of it looks good.
Recently many passengers have asked EMT to 'save the great British breakfast' and have said loud and clear "SOS - Save our sausages"
Here's the original article with Tim Shoveller looking very happy as he tucks in to his brekkie:
http://www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk/EMTrains/AboutUs/News/

First Class passengers who regularly take breakfast with East Midlands Trains have been feeding back that they love the cooked breakfast and saying loud and clear - ‘SOS, Save Our Sausages’.

Since it started running trains last November, the company has been reviewing their First Class menu and preparing a brand new range of products which are launched today.

As part of the new range the company has pledged its commitment to continue offering First Class passengers the hugely popular full cooked British breakfast – therefore Saving Our Sausages!

Tim Shoveller, Managing Director for the company said “We had looked at a number of options for our breakfast offer. But feedback from passengers told us that although many want to see lighter breakfast options available, a significant number do still love our cooked British breakfast. So we have listened to those customers and decided to keep the full breakfast on our First Class menu.

“I believe this shows that we are a train company who are not only committed to providing a fantastic service, we also listen to what customers want and then deliver it. We are launching a fantastic new First Class menu today which will offer passengers on our London services a wide range of products throughout the day.”

East Midlands Trains great British breakfast is £10 and is available to First Class passengers on selected trains and subject to availability.

Other breakfast options are available including a healthy breakfast option, salmon, kippers, beans on toast, croque monsieur and of course vegetarian alternatives.

Personally I think the range of foods available to 1st class customers is getting better, but standard class customers don't seem to be getting much more choice from the buffet than they'd get from a trolley. And there's another thing... IT'S STILL TOO EXPENSIVE! Who would pay £1.95 for a fruit smoothie? hock:

Discuss

http://www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk/EMTrains/YourJourney/LondonServices/FirstClassAllDay.htm

 

[vc-10]

I don't see why standard class passengers couldn't order those things from the buffet car, and then carry them back to their seat. I lament the Restaurant car... and I'd love to try a proper meal on a train. Unfortunately, as I've got school, I mainly travel at weekends (it's the only time I'd get into First Class anyway, when the tickets are cheap!), when FGW don't even have at seat drinks in First Class.

 

[djw1981]

An Innocent smoothie is £1.89 in Sainsbury's & Tesco. So £1.95 isn't too bad.

 

[P156KWJ]

An Innocent smoothie is £1.89 in Sainsbury's & Tesco. So £1.95 isn't too bad.

but why? it will only cost about 50-60p to manufacture one...

 

[me123]

Profit.

 

[jopsuk]

but why? it will only cost about 50-60p to manufacture one...

But cost is not (with most things, not just smoothies) directly linked to price. Price is what the market will bear. If enough people will pay the price, that's what it will be. Sometimes it's possible to make more money by lowering prices a bit (so that you sell more units). Sometimes it's better to sell fewer units for a higher price.

This is how business works. The railways are not charities, and they're (sadly) not run as public services.

 

[class 313]

but why? it will only cost about 50-60p to manufacture one...

It takes about 10p to make a burger in McDonalds.

 

[P156KWJ]

It takes about 10p to make a burger in McDonalds.

that's because they aren't made of meat, bread or mayo

 

[class 313]

that's because they aren't made of meat, bread or mayo

The point is, it costs 10p to make yet charge several £ for it.

 

[Max]

The point is, it costs 10p to make yet charge several £ for it.

Because they can get away with it. Do we know it's 10p?

 

[djw1981]

Cost of materials
Cost of production (including wages, quality control, staff costs, overheads and marketing)
Manufacturer Profit
Transport costs
Wholesaler costs (warehousing, staff costs)
Wholesaler Profit
Transport costs
Retailer costs (warehousing, shop rent, wages, advertising)

Thus you have 3-4 steps who all have overheads and profits to make. You also pay for convenience. You could make your smoothie at home for 10p of fruit (plus electricity plus depreciation of blender, plus cost of new blender, plus cost of carton) but many people prefer to pay someone else to do that work, and to provide it cold when they want it.

If you really care, The Undercover Economist by Tim Harford is a reeally good read and helps understand the economics of modern retailing.

 

[richa2002]

I think the menu's a great improvement on the First Class side of things but the standard menu's just gone up in price. £3.65 for a bacon baguette really is quite expensive considering a pasta dish is £4.95 which in comparison, is quite reasonably priced.

 

[1D53]

Cost of materials
Cost of production (including wages, quality control, staff costs, overheads and marketing)
Manufacturer Profit
Transport costs
Wholesaler costs (warehousing, staff costs)
Wholesaler Profit
Transport costs
Retailer costs (warehousing, shop rent, wages, advertising)

Thus you have 3-4 steps who all have overheads and profits to make. You also pay for convenience. You could make your smoothie at home for 10p of fruit (plus electricity plus depreciation of blender, plus cost of new blender, plus cost of carton) but many people prefer to pay someone else to do that work, and to provide it cold when they want it.

If you really care, The Undercover Economist by Tim Harford is a reeally good read and helps understand the economics of modern retailing.

And the joys of supply and demand too!

 

[TDK]

but why? it will only cost about 50-60p to manufacture one...

Without profit there would be no business! Look at the cost of fuel? How much is a litre of petrol with no profit or tax? Could only be about 50p.

 

[gordonthemoron]

So much for the EMT trolley service on MML trains. Did Nottingham to St Pancras on friday, the first class hosts made no effort to sell hot meals from the menu and only brought the trolley round once.

 

[P156KWJ]

So much for the EMT trolley service on MML trains. Did Nottingham to St Pancras on friday, the first class hosts made no effort to sell hot meals from the menu and only brought the trolley round once.

have they started doing trolleys for standard class on 222s yet? Hopefully they'll change their minds...

 

[class 313]

have they started doing trolleys for standard class on 222s yet? Hopefully they'll change their minds...

Are they actually planning to? That would be nice.

 

[P156KWJ]

Are they actually planning to? That would be nice.

they were originally going to do it for all trains, which would mean either shortening HSTs by a mk3 RFO or replacing it with a SO / FO (not easy with mk3s!) and ripping out the buffet on meridians. IMHO I think it's a rubbish idea. But they are now keepting the RFOs on HST sets to continue serving cooked food

 

[Max]

NXEC do both, or at least they advertise that they do. If you ask me the trolley is a bloomin pain. Can often take you up to 20 mins to get back to your seat if you're stuck behind it for ages.

 

[me123]

Having said that, passengers tend to prefer the trolley. An at-seat service compared to the walk back to the buffet which can be a rather long distance for some and, especially on the faster and curvier track, quite a difficult walk with the train jolting around so much.

I once did an HST to Aberdeen and fancied a cup of tea, but the trolley wasn't really on its way by the looks of things. The trolley was slow moving through my carriage whne it did pass thorugh earlier, as most people stopped it for a tea or coffee and a wee biscuit or something, but the buffet was dead. I was the only customer since it opened in Edinburgh (we were at Arbroath!) and I didn't see anyone else going up to the buffet for the remainder of the journey either! I felt sorry for the lady who had to stand there waiting for passengers who just didn't want to make the short journey.

As for being stuck... never happened to me but on FSR 170s, they tend to move it back to one of the doors to let you through then go back up again.

 

[gordonthemoron]

well this passenger prefers the ability to get stuff when I want rather than when the trolley manages to arrive. 2 hour train journey last week, went to the buffet 3 times, if there had been a trolley i doubt i'd have seen it more than once

 

[P156KWJ]

well this passenger prefers the ability to get stuff when I want rather than when the trolley manages to arrive. 2 hour train journey last week, went to the buffet 3 times, if there had been a trolley i doubt i'd have seen it more than once

when it was MML I used to go to the buffet 3-4 times on london services, because of the free tea / coffee, but as they charge you for it now, I only go once or twice.

 

[Death]

Hail again!

when it was MML I used to go to the buffet 3-4 times on london services, because of the free tea / coffee, but as they charge you for it now, I only go once or twice.

Aye...I was hoping that when SWT took over the MML franchise, then the free drinks practice on MML would be duplicated onto SWT services - Not the other way around! ad::razz:

Anyhow...I've figured out a simple way to keep getting free tea, coffee, and hot chocolate on SWT, MML/EMT, Virgin, and Ryanair; Just bring thy own teabags or instant along and make it thyself...As even Ryanair wouldn't try charging customers for a cup of boiling hot tap water!

Farewell...
>> Death <<

 

[jopsuk]

Anyhow...I've figured out a simple way to keep getting free tea, coffee, and hot chocolate on SWT, MML/EMT, Virgin, and Ryanair; Just bring thy own teabags or instant along and make it thyself...As even Ryanair wouldn't try charging customers for a cup of boiling hot tap water!

Ryanair would. I reckon you'll just not get served.

 

[class 313]

I'm sure if you asked for a cup of boiling water you would get a dodgey look from the person serving you.

 

[P156KWJ]

I'm sure if you asked for a cup of boiling water you would get a dodgey look from the person serving you.

it'd be difficult though, because the HSE actually prohibit tap water from being given to the public at certain outlets IIRC, they do at Ruddington where i work, due to it being 'unsafe', which is absolute piffle, but they have to follow the rules :roll:

 

[Techniquest]

The point is, it costs 10p to make yet charge several £ for it.

That's nothing. A pizza in Pizza Hut costs a bomb, but the bases when they arrive into the kitchens (before being proved et al) cost just 12p.

 

[Death]

Hail again!

Ryanair would [Refuse to serve you a cup of boiling water]. I reckon you'll just not get served.

I fly on Ryanair services fairly frequently, and I've never had any real trouble getting hot water off of them. However, as all of their drinks are pre-packaged (Like Maxpax or Klix vending cups) ye have to remember to take thy own tankard along!

I'm sure if you asked for a cup of boiling water you would get a dodgey look from the person serving you.

I've never run into any problems when requesting hot water from most buffet staff...Indeed, the staff on Virgin XC services seem to be very helpful with this...So mayhap I am not the only passenger doing it!

it'd be difficult though, because the HSE actually prohibit tap water from being given to the public at certain outlets IIRC, they do at Ruddington where i work, due to it being 'unsafe', which is absolute piffle, but they have to follow the rules :roll:

Aye...The HSE are always ones for creating and enforcing very stupid regulations. Although I value decent health and safety practice as much as the next man...I feel there comes a point where enough is truly enough. :roll:
Although the rule that only trained personnel are allowed to drive trains would seem logical to anyone with half an ounce of common sense, thanks to the HSE overdoing it, all packets of penuts (And similar products that have perfectly obvious contents) must - By law - Include Warning: Contains penuts... hock::roll:

I wonder if the HSE have regulations in place at their offices that say something like To avoid the risk of sensible decisions being made, the use of brains and common sense is strictly prohibited on the premesis?

Farewell...
>> Death <<

 

[P156KWJ]

yeah the nuts thing really annoys me, as does the dairy ones on blatant products such as milk that say 'Caution-contains milk!'... well I'd god damn hope so!:???:

 

[Zamracene749]

HA ha. Bloody HSE empire builders. Try working on a refinery/ chemical plant. Just opening a clean water hose over 60C requires a full body protection pvc acid suit, air fed hood or breathing apparatus etc etc.

How we are trusted to boil a kettle of water and drink hot tea is a mystery........