CrossCountry's catering offering (2015-2017)

[Blindtraveler]

Interesting times ahead.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Not surprising.

Catering options at stations have really increased in choice and quality these past few years. Outside of enthusiasts very few people want to pay for a microwave meal.

We do seem to have moved on rather from curling sandwiches to a wealth of high-quality cold food options. You can get a very nice spread from somewhere like M&S Food for a much more reasonable price than microwaved gristleburgers from the buffet car.

 

[w1bbl3]

Not surprised if the service is being withdrawn as the 72 hr reservation requirement makes it somewhat impractical for many travellers. IMHO a walk-up reservation with delivery to the train and at more locations than just new street or a more extensive on-train service would have been more popular.

However as pointed out by others the extensive options available as major stations does somewhat blunt the market.

Personally I wouldn't be surprised to see cold food catering disappear in the longer term from trolley service trains as the range offerable is somewhat limited by trolley space and the need to sell the product on that service or throw it away having broken the chill chain.

 

[221129]

Not surprised if the service is being withdrawn as the 72 hr reservation requirement makes it somewhat impractical for many travellers. IMHO a walk-up reservation with delivery to the train and at more locations than just new street or a more extensive on-train service would have been more popular.

It is available at more than just New Street.

 

[BantamMenace]

Any scope for ordering 30 minutes prior to a station call at a town where Deliveroo operate?

Leave Birmingham heading for Southampton, order a nice pizza from a range of establishments, delivered to the train in Leamington Spa.

In this day and age this must be possible.

 

[headshot119]

Any scope for ordering 30 minutes prior to a station call at a town where Deliveroo operate?

Leave Birmingham heading for Southampton, order a nice pizza from a range of establishments, delivered to the train in Leamington Spa.

In this day and age this must be possible.

I've had Chinese delivered to a train in Scotland. (East Coast service to Aberdeen on a Saturday from memory). Also Dominos to an ATW in South Wales. It is possible.

 

[sheff1]

Having just visited the XC Trains website, it appears that the pre-order meal option is ceasing after the 31st May, they are advising passengers that (to quote) "the service is currently under review and passengers wishing to order after this date to check back soon for details of our exciting new offer". From a personal point of view it is a shame as having enjoyed these meals on several occasions I found them to be of decent quality, just wondering now what the replacement "exciting new offer" is going to be?

Just went to book a meal to find it had stopped. Very disappointing as I, too, had found the meals to be of decent quality and not the sort of thing you could buy at a station to consume on board. Agree though with those who said that the 72hr requirement was not great - without that I would certainly have ordered more often than I actually could, as usually I have less than 72 hours notice.

No obvious sign of the "exciting new offer" on the webiste. Has anyone seen/heard anything yet ?

 

[Butts]

Just went to book a meal to find it had stopped. Very disappointing as I, too, had found the meals to be of decent quality and not the sort of thing you could buy at a station to consume on board. Agree though with those who said that the 72hr requirement was not great - without that I would certainly have ordered more often than I actually could, as usually I have less than 72 hours notice.

No obvious sign of the "exciting new offer" on the webiste. Has anyone seen/heard anything yet ?

Perhaps they are going to go "free" like VEC/VWC ?

 

[221129]

Just went to book a meal to find it had stopped. Very disappointing as I, too, had found the meals to be of decent quality and not the sort of thing you could buy at a station to consume on board. Agree though with those who said that the 72hr requirement was not great - without that I would certainly have ordered more often than I actually could, as usually I have less than 72 hours notice.

No obvious sign of the "exciting new offer" on the webiste. Has anyone seen/heard anything yet ?

It stopped in May. And yes I have.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Can you elaborate?

 

[221129]

Can you elaborate?

Not as of yet.. but things are happening.

 

[Ash Bridge]

Not as of yet.. but things are happening.

This sounds rather interesting, I hope whatever it is will be in place before we travel to Cornwall with XC in the latter part of July.

 

[Ash Bridge]

Can anyone confirm if CrossCountry are any closer to revealing their new onboard catering offer yet, I've kept checking back to their website but as yet to no avail.

 

[221129]

Can anyone confirm if CrossCountry are any closer to revealing their new onboard catering offer yet, I've kept checking back to their website but as yet to no avail.

As far as I know it's still on trial, however we are looking at re marketing catering so any suggestions would be welcome either by PM or on this thread for me to pass on. Also some product changes on the trolleys due through in the next few weeks.

 

[ffm]

Using British products and ditching Starbucks (don't pay UK traxes so I refuse to purchase their products), of and ensure that the card payment is always available, too often it isn't and that has to restrict sales.

 

[MCSHF007]

Preferably aroma-free. No wish to sit in a mobile curry house.

 

[Mojo]

ensure that the card payment is always available, too often it isn't and that has to restrict sales.

Or often giving stuff away for free too, a customer sat across the aisle from me ordered a cup of tea which was duly made and placed on the table in front of them at which point the customer presented a card and the Retail Service Manager said "oh, the card machine isn't working, it's only a tea so you can just have it."

 

[Blindtraveler]

I must agree on the card thing, not available to much of the time, frustrating when a man wants a bacon butty of a Morning and as most women know denying a man bacon is a truly unforgivable crime with consiquences!

 

[sheff1]

As far as I know it's still on trial, however we are looking at re marketing catering so any suggestions would be welcome either by PM or on this thread for me to pass on.

The original meal offer didn't seem to be marketed widely. I only found out about it via this forum and never saw any posters at stations or on XC trains. In contrast, posters and PIS messages encouraging purchase of tickets via the XC app are ubiquitous.

The quality of the hot meals was good in my view and the prices were reasonable. As I said earlier, the main drawback for me was the need to order 72 hours in advance. I would certainly use an on-demand 'bistro' offer and surely I would not be the only one.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I think they've stopped doing it! It doesnt say about it on their website now - it always used to!

 

[IanXC]

The quality of the hot meals was good in my view and the prices were reasonable. As I said earlier, the main drawback for me was the need to order 72 hours in advance. I would certainly use an on-demand 'bistro' offer and surely I would not be the only one.

Absolutely agree. If enough volume can be achieved, which with suitable advertising no doubt it could be, then I would have thought 72 hours could be reduced right down to 2/3 hours or less.

A central kitchen at New Street (definitely initially at least) could then produce meals, which you could order via the CrossCountry App, to the seat you're already sat in (perhaps an addition to TMR so that someone can't bump you out!), and deliver them to each train - First Class Hosts or RSMs could then deliver them to your seat.

If prices can be maintained at their current level, and suitable advertising implemented, I would think that take up could actually be quite meaningful.

 

[Kettledrum]

A central kitchen at New Street (definitely initially at least) could then produce meals, which you could order via the CrossCountry App, to the seat you're already sat in (perhaps an addition to TMR so that someone can't bump you out!), and deliver them to each train - First Class Hosts or RSMs could then deliver them to your seat.

If prices can be maintained at their current level, and suitable advertising implemented, I would think that take up could actually be quite meaningful.

I like your thinking, but the bit I've highlighted is the major flaw in your plan. The overcrowding on XC at New Street is such a problem, that even if you were lucky enough to have a seat, everyone around you would be standing, thereby making it down to chance that the catering delivery could get through to your seat - and back out onto the platform again before the train set off.

Sometimes, it seems like almost the entire coach empties onto the narrow platforms at New Street, with another coach load of passengers immediately clambering back on - sometimes without waiting for everyone to get off.

It really is a bit of a scrum, and the delivery person would be trying to get on, when everyone else was getting off, and then trying to get off again when everyone else was getting on.

I wouldn't fancy being the delivery person trying to fight against that tide.

Even if the delivery person became part of the train crew for the next leg of the journey, there is still the issue that so many people can be standing on XC in and out of New Street, you sometimes can't move.

 

[IanXC]

I like your thinking, but the bit I've highlighted is the major flaw in your plan. The overcrowding on XC at New Street is such a problem, that even if you were lucky enough to have a seat, everyone around you would be standing, thereby making it down to chance that the catering delivery could get through to your seat - and back out onto the platform again before the train set off.

Sometimes, it seems like almost the entire coach empties onto the narrow platforms at New Street, with another coach load of passengers immediately clambering back on - sometimes without waiting for everyone to get off.

It really is a bit of a scrum, and the delivery person would be trying to get on, when everyone else was getting off, and then trying to get off again when everyone else was getting on.

I wouldn't fancy being the delivery person trying to fight against that tide.

Even if the delivery person became part of the train crew for the next leg of the journey, there is still the issue that so many people can be standing on XC in and out of New Street, you sometimes can't move.

I get the overall problem of getting up and down the train. However I was thinking that there would be one bulk delivery to the catering crew on the train, who would deliver to seats. Not risking over carrying the delivery staff!

 

[Sankey Wire]

I travelled from Warrington to Reading and back this afternoon. Some sort of hot food - it doesn't have to be anything extravagant - would be gratefully received!

Or a cold-pasta dish?

 

[misterredmist]

If you think of standing passengers on many services, restricting the ability to offer any kind of at seat service and place any food onto the train in the first place, then it looks like a very good idea and a potential commercial 'winner' has succumbed to the effects of such short formed sets......

as reading this forum, there would seem to be a decent market for hot food on their services if provided effectively

 

[boxy321]

Still not happening. I've got on XC at Coventry, walked through 1st, seen people doing a Corbyn in 1st and got straight back off. Heaving all the time. I waited to get the LM stopper as it was before Virgin started their weekend service.

Catering on XC would be like silver service prosecco at a heavy metal concert.

 

[Butts]

I was on XC 1927 from Manchester Piccadilly to Wolverhampton in 1st Class Tonight. Coach A was empty with 2 other people in it on departure.

Suprisingly on departure a Steward served me up a Coffee, Packet of Biscuits, Crisps and a slice of cake from the "1st Class Kitchen" at the front of the coach. Someone else was making announcements about the trolley being right at the other end of the train and advertising his wares.

I thought it was "trolley only" at weekends ?

However once the steward had done that we never saw him again and the trolley didn't appear !! (at least up to when I got off at Wolverhampton - it was going to Reading)

Strange

 

[Jonfun]

The odd trains at weekends have two catering crew on, whether that be rostered or just down to staff passing between their depot and booked services. It could also have been a very keen guard or other member of staff helping out.

 

[yorksrob]

Preferably aroma-free. No wish to sit in a mobile curry house.

Give me the aroma of curry any day over those disgusting cream cheese and chive Pringles.

 

[leightonbd]

Give me the aroma of curry any day over those disgusting cream cheese and chive Pringles.

LOL. Funny how you only notice that smell when you are not eating them yourself. Doritos are another culprit.