SSP (food & drink outlets at stations) - Con Trick

[yorksrob]

Was at an SSP retail outlet on a station on the Southern Region today and decided to buy a cup of tea there (the one specialising in pasties).

I was quite thirsty, so decided to buy a medium and duly stumped up the one pound thirty something necessary (this would have been one pound sixty something without bite card) only to be handed what was clearly a very small cup of tea.

I reiterated to the counter assistant that I'd asked (and paid) for a medium sized tea not a small. He merely replied that the pathetically diminutive, overpriced beverage in front of me was, infact, a medium tea. I said to the attendant that if that was a medium tea, I'd hate to see what a small one looked like. He merely laughed in an embarrassed fashion.

I looked at the price list and noted that there wasn't even a small tea mentioned, just a medium and a large.

The sad thing is that in this time of recession, some cretin probably got paid stupid amounts of money to come up with this pathetic con. Do they honestly think that the public are too stupid not to see through it? They must be too dim to realise the number of people who simply will never use that outlet again.

I wonder if there are any SSP representatives on this forum who can justify themselves.

 

[jb]

I can think of few if any things that seem more stupid than tea to skimp on as a retailer. The mark-up is massive whatever you do and the marginal cost of extra hot water / bigger cups is nil.

This is especially the case if you have your own tea-bag as tends to be he norm. If you're being served from an urn the skimping is somewhat more justifiable from the retailer's standpoint (but still ridiculous).

 

[telstarbox]

I would take your custom elsewhere where possible - it's the only language they'll understand.

 

[yorksrob]

I would take your custom elsewhere where possible - it's the only language they'll understand.

Indeed. Where there is a choice, I certainly will do.

 

[trentside]

The problem I have with tea at SSP outlets, is that they insist on adding the milk themselves. I like my tea a particular way, and the staff in Pumpkin just seem to splash the milk in and it always ends up being too milky - even if I leave the bag in. I'd much rather be able to add the milk myself - especially if I've paid over the odds for it.

I tend to also take my custom elsewhere, and favour the occasional independent outlet.

 

[tsr]

Reports have it that Caffe Nero, Millie's Cookies and one or two others (supposedly including Whistlestop) at London Victoria have started to use larger cups for "Regular" size drinks (what I would equate to "Medium"). Try them out, as I suppose there's always a chance you'll be pleasantly surprised, though I'm not sure if this would apply to other branches at different stations.

Unfortunately, I tend to find shops at SWT/EMT-served stations very naff for drinks sizes, but I have absolutely no idea why. This includes NR-managed stations such as London Waterloo, but also of note are Guildford, Clapham Junction (some recent improvements at some outlets) and Derby.

 

[Eng274]

I bought a flask for my morning commute pick-me-up, paid for itself after four days of not buying overpriced tea

 

[snail]

You can get a free tea or coffee at any Waitrose with a cafe or drinks machine with a My Waitrose card. Saves me a couple of quid a day on the way to work.

 

[Jatos]

Yes, you can tell there what kind of business Waitrose is...

 

[Spaceflower]

Coffee is bad. Drink water.

Time for another coffee.......

 

[tsr]

Yes, you can tell there what kind of business Waitrose is...

Ikea do the same (weekdays only, I think). It's only really handy if you happen to occasionally go via somewhere like Ampere Road tramstop on your commute - which, funnily enough, I do, from time to time.

 

[High Dyke]

The problem I have with tea at SSP outlets, is that they insist on adding the milk themselves. I like my tea a particular way, and the staff in Pumpkin just seem to splash the milk in and it always ends up being too milky - even if I leave the bag in. I'd much rather be able to add the milk myself - especially if I've paid over the odds for it.

It's not just the Mem that has an issue with too much milk then... She just leaves her tea bag in to stew for a while.

Unless it's changed i had an issue at Kings Cross a while ago - the Cafe Nero wouldn't accept a 'Bite Card', claiming that they had their own loyalty card.

 

[scotsman]

It's not just the Mem that has an issue with too much milk then... She just leaves her tea bag in to stew for a while.

Unless it's changed i had an issue at Kings Cross a while ago - the Cafe Nero wouldn't accept a 'Bite Card', claiming that they had their own loyalty card.

Cafe Nero aren't an SSP franchise, therefore they won't take the cards!

 

[district]

Interestingly, one of my local Pumpkins (what a surreal thing to say...) charges the same price for Small, Medium or Large teas.

Cafe Nero aren't an SSP franchise, therefore they won't take the cards!

Do SSP enter into Burger King franchises like service station companies such as Extra do with McDonalds?

 

[scotsman]

Interestingly, one of my local Pumpkins (what a surreal thing to say...) charges the same price for Small, Medium or Large teas.Do SSP enter into Burger King franchises like service station companies such as Extra do with McDonalds?

I imagine they do

 

[455driver]

but also of note are Guildford, Clapham Junction (some recent improvements at some outlets) and Derby.

Are you serious?
I recommend the outlets on platform 2, although all of them offer a decent sized cup of coffee for the price, in my opinion!

 

[Qwerty133]

As of last Thursday Caffe Ritatza (or whatever is it) at Leicester on platform 3/4 is offering tea or Americano for 99p, what is the point in this the only competition is a pumpkin also owned by SSP, however they don't offer bite card discounts 'as its under a pound'

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I am always in the habit of ordering the large sized tea, as with the lid affixed, you can finish this at your leisure when on your journey.

 

[Blindtraveler]

this thread is great1 i didnt want to start one as it would seam petty but have to report that Pumkin at INV no longer taking bite cards as not SSP Any more aparently.

 

[yorksrob]

this thread is great1 i didnt want to start one as it would seam petty but have to report that Pumkin at INV no longer taking bite cards as not SSP Any more aparently.

Now that would be annoying.

Pumpkin is usually one of the better outlets as at least when you pay for a medium drink, you get a medium drink.

 

[High Dyke]

this thread is great1 i didnt want to start one as it would seam petty but have to report that Pumkin at INV no longer taking bite cards as not SSP Any more aparently.

I've just checked the 'Bite' website using the locations checker: https://www.bitecard.co.uk/Locations

It shows the card accepted at Pumpkin in Inverness. It may be worth contacting 'Bite' to query if this is the case or not. E-mail: [email protected]

 

[Clip]

Whilst in appreciate the sentiment of this thread is there a legal definition of

Small/medium/large drink sizes?

 

[maniacmartin]

Interestingly, one of my local Pumpkins (what a surreal thing to say...) charges the same price for Small, Medium or Large teas.Do SSP enter into Burger King franchises like service station companies such as Extra do with McDonalds?

I can't speak for every station Burger King, but last time I was at Sheffield, the BK there accepted Bite cards and the receipts printed with SSP's address on the footer

 

[Clip]

I can't speak for every station Burger King, but last time I was at Sheffield, the BK there accepted Bite cards and the receipts printed with SSP's address on the footer

There are a few around that are normal BK franchises and not ssp. Iirc marylebone is another, never any of the normal deals there. Not sure if they accept bite either

 

[Bungle73]

I bought a flask for my morning commute pick-me-up, paid for itself after four days of not buying overpriced tea

Me too. I picked up a small stainless steel Thermos flask from Amazon for about £6 and now instead of spending £2-3 per coffee I'm only spending about 20p. I fill it up with filter coffee from my Tassimo. It makes quite a large cup full as well. I fill it up and take it everywhere with me. It's nice being able to have a coffee where and when I like, and for a minimal price.

 

[142094]

Whilst in appreciate the sentiment of this thread is there a legal definition of

Small/medium/large drink sizes?

Probably not, just as long as small<medium<large.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I can't speak for every station Burger King, but last time I was at Sheffield, the BK there accepted Bite cards and the receipts printed with SSP's address on the footer

As far as I'm aware, the only one (on any railway station premises obviously) which does not is the one that Clip stated above, Marylebone. All the rest, including Sheffield (that's normally a haunt of mine whenever my day trips end there!) accept BITE cards at 20% discount. One rather odd anomaly to the entire scheme just so happens to be a Burger King - there's one in Chesterfield that is part of the scheme apparently, however it's located on the town's high street, some half a mile from the station!

Edit - Ah, also noticed Victoria Coach Station accept them too, but that still renders Chesterfield sort of unique

A list of BKs where they are accepted is here - https://www.bitecard.co.uk/Locations

 

[hairyhandedfool]

this thread is great1 i didnt want to start one as it would seam petty but have to report that Pumkin at INV no longer taking bite cards as not SSP Any more aparently.

Only been to that one once and they wouldn't give me the Bite card discount because I was getting a Bacon roll with it (on one of their offers). Never had that problem at any other Pumpkin I have used.

Also worth noting that, when ordering a tea at a Pumpkin outlet, I have pretty much always been given a large cup or sometimes the option of a medium or large cup (with the exception of Inverness), with one or two tea bags or sometimes the option of one or two tea bags.

There are a few around that are normal BK franchises and not ssp. Iirc marylebone is another, never any of the normal deals there. Not sure if they accept bite either

I think the Marylebone Burger King actually has signs up stating they do not offer Bite card discounts which is rather helpful.

Me too. I picked up a small stainless steel Thermos flask from Amazon for about £6 and now instead of spending £2-3 per coffee I'm only spending about 20p. I fill it up with filter coffee from my Tassimo. It makes quite a large cup full as well. I fill it up and take it everywhere with me. It's nice being able to have a coffee where and when I like, and for a minimal price.

For my long trips I have three biggish flasks, two full of hot water and one of milk, in my backpack (along with a stirring stick, some tissues or cloths and a supply of tea bags), normally lasts most of the day, but is invariably supplemented by Pumpkin or Subway purchases.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Also worth noting that, when ordering a tea at a Pumpkin outlet, I have pretty much always been given a large cup or sometimes the option of a medium or large cup (with the exception of Inverness), with one or two tea bags or sometimes the option of one or two tea bags.

Just looked in my wallet section that has numerous "offer" cards (National Trust, Debenhams, etc) and have found a Pumpkin "Buy any 4 hot drinks and get the 5th free" card with three endorsements that I must have used on the Cheshire Day Ranger meet and then forgotten about, so thanks to this thread it will soon be used to obtain a free hot drink.

 

[bb21]

Interestingly, one of my local Pumpkins (what a surreal thing to say...) charges the same price for Small, Medium or Large teas.Do SSP enter into Burger King franchises like service station companies such as Extra do with McDonalds?

Now that would be annoying.

Pumpkin is usually one of the better outlets as at least when you pay for a medium drink, you get a medium drink.

Pumpkin only has one price for tea, and in the friendlier more northern parts of the land, you normally get asked if you would like a large one in my experience, for no extra charge.