On-Board Food Facilities

[boxy321]

You could always pay the 25 quid upgrade on Chiltern and get a cold croissant and orange juice during your 2 hour trip to London in the 'Business Zone'. Not even coffee.

 

[delt1c]

The quality of the heated sandwiches is pretty variable across operators. GWR charge a fortune and make a complete mess of it, whereas VTEC do a pretty good job, heating in a combi oven so things are crisper, and doing a more interesting range of sandwiches. Certainly I tend not to bother departing from Kings Cross where I can get a good takeaway Japanese food bowl, but even Edinburgh is mostly restricted to pies and sandwiches which the train sandwiches are an improvement on.

Once you get into proper meal territory, something that's been microwaved on the train isn't a great deal worse than the limp indifferent rubbish you get in most chain Italians. I'd be quite keen on that as an option.[/QUOTE

Do you wish to expand on your comment "Edinburgh is mostly restricted to pies and sandwiches which the train sandwiches are an improvement on".
Edinburgh has many outlets of takeaway supplying high quality and many varied fare in close proximity to Waverley at least equal to Kings Cross.
Please dont post such derogatory unsubstantiated claims

 

[takno]

Do you wish to expand on your comment "Edinburgh is mostly restricted to pies and sandwiches which the train sandwiches are an improvement on".
Edinburgh has many outlets of takeaway supplying high quality and many varied fare in close proximity to Waverley at least equal to Kings Cross.
Please dont post such derogatory unsubstantiated claims

I was talking about the station itself. I'm well aware that there's also a McDonalds just up the steps. Frankly if there's anything else within 5 minutes walk I haven't found it in 15 years of regularly using the station. You may have time to range further afield on your high horse.

 

[delt1c]

born and brought up inn the vicinity and used it for much more than 15 years, there is a vast range available both in the old and New towns.
PS I am not into equestrian activities

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I had a coffee from the trolley on GWR the other day which was a strange filter cup thing full of coffee grounds, which could be the same sort of thing. Have forgotten the brand. The coffee was hugely better than the execrable stuff which comes out of the espresso machines in the little end-of-coach express café thingy on the HSTs. I nearly drank it wrongly though …

I encountered one of those 'filter-lids' on TPE a while back, and once you know how they work (the trolley lass intervened just before I gave myself a mouthful of grit!) the coffee in them is pretty good. They also have them at the kiosks at Huddersfield Town's stadium, which caught out a fair few who had already been on the ales when they were first introduced!

I was a bit disappointed that the buffet cars had been discontinued on the Cheb to Prague services not long before I travelled that route. There was still a trolley though, and price-wise it wiped the floor with anything in the UK. Come to think of it, that may be why the buffets were considered not viable. Inevitably there's going to be a mark-up with food and drink on trains, but the UK approach appears to be "how high a price can we get away with?" whereas on DB and ČD it seemed to be no more than 10% or so more than the price you'd expect to pay on the high street in those countries.

One thing ČD had that ought to be tried here is menu leaflets on every seat showing the full range of products available from the trolley, including prices. Such a simple idea yet I've never encountered it over here.

 

[hexagon789]

I encountered one of those 'filter-lids' on TPE a while back, and once you know how they work (the trolley lass intervened just before I gave myself a mouthful of grit!) the coffee in them is pretty good. They also have them at the kiosks at Huddersfield Town's stadium, which caught out a fair few who had already been on the ales when they were first introduced!

I was a bit disappointed that the buffet cars had been discontinued on the Cheb to Prague services not long before I travelled that route. There was still a trolley though, and price-wise it wiped the floor with anything in the UK. Come to think of it, that may be why the buffets were considered not viable. Inevitably there's going to be a mark-up with food and drink on trains, but the UK approach appears to be "how high a price can we get away with?" whereas on DB and ČD it seemed to be no more than 10% or so more than the price you'd expect to pay on the high street in those countries.

One thing ČD had that ought to be tried here is menu leaflets on every seat showing the full range of products available from the trolley, including prices. Such a simple idea yet I've never encountered it over here.

ScotRail had menu cards for the trolleys on the 170s a few months back, they may still have them.

 

[mark-h]

I was talking about the station itself. I'm well aware that there's also a McDonalds just up the steps. Frankly if there's anything else within 5 minutes walk I haven't found it in 15 years of regularly using the station.

Waverley Mall (which contains the McDonald's) has a range of food outlets, most of which are on the lowest floor closest to the station. Unfortunately they all seem to close by 18:00 so are not good for late night use.

 

[Jonfun]

Do you wish to expand on your comment "Edinburgh is mostly restricted to pies and sandwiches which the train sandwiches are an improvement on".
Edinburgh has many outlets of takeaway supplying high quality and many varied fare in close proximity to Waverley at least equal to Kings Cross.
Please dont post such derogatory unsubstantiated claims

The problem is, if I'm travelling somewhere by train, I don't want "high quality" food. I love going out for nice meals but quality food is as much about the atmosphere and service as ut is how nice the dish is. When I'm off on a journey somewhere my main concerns aredoes it have anything on/in/hidden amongst it that I can't eat (Pret a Manger, I'm looking at you), can I carry it to my train (Boots really really need to get a more reliable bag supplier), and can I afford it (James Martin, whoever you are, you must be laughing all the way to the bank as people pay that much for a pastry product).

Greggs or a McDonalds/KFC do fine. Sainsbury's at certain locations now do Curries and Pizzas hot to take away - perfect to grab on your way through the station and eat on the train.

Save the "quality food" for the restaurants who do it well.

 

[6Gman]

Greggs or a McDonalds/KFC do fine. Sainsbury's at certain locations now do Curries and Pizzas hot to take away - perfect to grab on your way through the station and eat on the train.

Save the "quality food" for the restaurants who do it well.

Not if you're sitting next to me!

 

[Greetlander]

I’m currently sitting on a NSW Xplorer service rolling through the Sydney suburbs. Junior and I will try out the menu as soon as the buffet opens, and I will report back on the standard of Antipodean on-board catering

 

[route101]

The problem is, if I'm travelling somewhere by train, I don't want "high quality" food. I love going out for nice meals but quality food is as much about the atmosphere and service as ut is how nice the dish is. When I'm off on a journey somewhere my main concerns aredoes it have anything on/in/hidden amongst it that I can't eat (Pret a Manger, I'm looking at you), can I carry it to my train (Boots really really need to get a more reliable bag supplier), and can I afford it (James Martin, whoever you are, you must be laughing all the way to the bank as people pay that much for a pastry product).

Greggs or a McDonalds/KFC do fine. Sainsbury's at certain locations now do Curries and Pizzas hot to take away - perfect to grab on your way through the station and eat on the train.

Save the "quality food" for the restaurants who do it well.

Pret list the contents of there sarnies on the labels in shop . Yeah the sainsburys opposite Glasgow Central does hot food though watch out for the pizza slices in the plastic bags , ive had a strange mildew taste from them.

 

[Greetlander]

FYI the toasted muesli in yoghurt was lovely, the fruit salad was fresh and the sausage roll just the right side of moist. The coffee is a bag, but one of the better bagged varieties. Unfortunately the published breakfast menu is a work of fiction, so daddy eggs and bacon and junior croissant are slightly disappointed but overall could be worse. No one eating a curry either

 

[mde]

ScotRail had menu cards for the trolleys on the 170s a few months back, they may still have them.

Think it depends on the service itself - I've seen some catering staff on the E&G collecting the cards (actually a wee booklet) before Haymarket in the middle of the day, so presumably they are offloaded with the trolley at Waverley.

There's an online version of sorts…

 

[swaldman]

ScotRail had menu cards for the trolleys on the 170s a few months back, they may still have them.

They're doing little many-page booklets now. If you board a train 10 mins before departure and get your laptop out on table, somebody will be along five minutes later to clutter the place with 4 copies of a menu, which are immediately shoved onto a seat or into the bin. It's quite an effective way of wasting paper.

 

[swaldman]

I suspect that part of the reason for the disparity of opinions on here is the very wide range of intercity journey lengths in the UK.

If I'm doing 3-4 hours from London to Newcastle or Edinburgh, I'm fairly happy with grabbing something at the station[1]. And it's probably fair to say that for the majority of UK travellers, that is a "long journey".
If I'm doing 7-8 hours between London and Aberdeen/Inverness, I'd rather not subsist entirely on M&S sandwiches.

[1] (Although I do miss the fresh-cooked breakfasts and burgers on GWR HSTs, from when I lived in that direction back in 2012)

 

[chubs]

The problem is, if I'm travelling somewhere by train, I don't want "high quality" food. I love going out for nice meals but quality food is as much about the atmosphere and service as ut is how nice the dish is. When I'm off on a journey somewhere my main concerns aredoes it have anything on/in/hidden amongst it that I can't eat (Pret a Manger, I'm looking at you), can I carry it to my train (Boots really really need to get a more reliable bag supplier), and can I afford it (James Martin, whoever you are, you must be laughing all the way to the bank as people pay that much for a pastry product).

Greggs or a McDonalds/KFC do fine. Sainsbury's at certain locations now do Curries and Pizzas hot to take away - perfect to grab on your way through the station and eat on the train.

Save the "quality food" for the restaurants who do it well.

The sticker that tells you what the item is in Pret list every single ingredient for each item, in quite bug letters too. They always have done.

Whilst I also enjoy eating out in restaurants and don't expect the same standards it doesn't mean we all have to eat McDonalds or KFC

 

[route101]

They're doing little many-page booklets now. If you board a train 10 mins before departure and get your laptop out on table, somebody will be along five minutes later to clutter the place with 4 copies of a menu, which are immediately shoved onto a seat or into the bin. It's quite an effective way of wasting paper.

I suppose its easier to view the card than try and read the pricelist on the trolley . I think they put them up to drum up sales .

 

[Mikey C]

I suspect that part of the reason for the disparity of opinions on here is the very wide range of intercity journey lengths in the UK.

If I'm doing 3-4 hours from London to Newcastle or Edinburgh, I'm fairly happy with grabbing something at the station[1]. And it's probably fair to say that for the majority of UK travellers, that is a "long journey".
If I'm doing 7-8 hours between London and Aberdeen/Inverness, I'd rather not subsist entirely on M&S sandwiches.

[1] (Although I do miss the fresh-cooked breakfasts and burgers on GWR HSTs, from when I lived in that direction back in 2012)

Wouldn't that also depend on the time of day you were travelling at?

If I was on the 10:00 service to Aberdeen for example, I'd bring provisions from home (or buy at the supermarket beforehand) for lunch and snacks, and have a decent meal when I arrived at the other end. Other than hot drinks, I wouldn't particularly need anything else from the train.
If I was on the 14:00 service, then the arrival time would be quite late, so eating on the train would be a more attractive option. Especially if I'd been in work/meetings in the morning and only had a sandwich for lunch

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I was a bit disappointed that the buffet cars had been discontinued on the Cheb to Prague services not long before I travelled that route. There was still a trolley though, and price-wise it wiped the floor with anything in the UK. Come to think of it, that may be why the buffets were considered not viable. Inevitably there's going to be a mark-up with food and drink on trains, but the UK approach appears to be "how high a price can we get away with?" whereas on DB and ČD it seemed to be no more than 10% or so more than the price you'd expect to pay on the high street in those countries.

One thing ČD had that ought to be tried here is menu leaflets on every seat showing the full range of products available from the trolley, including prices. Such a simple idea yet I've never encountered it over here.

I did Prague to Berlin on CD on Wednesday, and can tell you the menu cards remain.

 

[hexagon789]

Think it depends on the service itself - I've seen some catering staff on the E&G collecting the cards (actually a wee booklet) before Haymarket in the middle of the day, so presumably they are offloaded with the trolley at Waverley.

There's an online version of sorts…

The on-train version looks identical to that. They do forget to remove them occasionally

 

[hexagon789]

They're doing little many-page booklets now. If you board a train 10 mins before departure and get your laptop out on table, somebody will be along five minutes later to clutter the place with 4 copies of a menu, which are immediately shoved onto a seat or into the bin. It's quite an effective way of wasting paper.

They seem to bin them with the rubbish too.

 

[delt1c]

The problem is, if I'm travelling somewhere by train, I don't want "high quality" food. I love going out for nice meals but quality food is as much about the atmosphere and service as ut is how nice the dish is. When I'm off on a journey somewhere my main concerns aredoes it have anything on/in/hidden amongst it that I can't eat (Pret a Manger, I'm looking at you), can I carry it to my train (Boots really really need to get a more reliable bag supplier), and can I afford it (James Martin, whoever you are, you must be laughing all the way to the bank as people pay that much for a pastry product).

Greggs or a McDonalds/KFC do fine. Sainsbury's at certain locations now do Curries and Pizzas hot to take away - perfect to grab on your way through the station and eat on the train.

Save the "quality food" for the restaurants who do it well.

Greggs , McDonalds, Sainsbury's all within a few minutes walk of waverly