Best First Class Breakfast

[drevil0208]

In the last week I’ve experienced the complimentary First Class breakfasts on LNER, Virgin and EMT.

At least in my limited experience, EMT had the best product.

Food started being served about 10 minutes out of London and the full breakfast after about 15 minutes. You get 2 huge slices of thick toast (which actually comes before the main breakfast), and the portions are very large for the main breakfast.

Virgin and LNER, while not bad, did not come close to the quality and service that EMT provided.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Great Western Pullman has superb breakfasts!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Great Western Pullman has superb breakfasts!

I was going to say - I've not had that one (only CS, VTWC and East Coast[1]) but if you pay for something it will generally[2] be superior to a freebie.

[1] I think that's what they were called.
[2] Except the Caledonian Sleeper where it was basically the same as you get on BA i.e. far too small.

 

[Iskra]

EMT is the best complimentary breakfast.

Although I’ve only done evening meals on the WAG express so not sure how that one compares.

LNER and VTEC are okay. CS is the worst but it’s edible and better than nothing.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Without a doubt - the GWR breakfast , apart from a superlative silver service and an excellent choice , there are added extras such as Welsh cakes.

 

[Deafdoggie]

IS GWR a First class breakfast? Anyone can have it (subject to space of course) as it is a paid for product. The GWR sleeper breakfast is unworthy of the name.

 

[DarloRich]

standard class breakfast consists of a coffee and a bacon roll from Greggs. Cost: £2:50. It comes in a natty paper bag mind.

The only first class full breakfast i have had on a regular train was VTEC. It was OK. The breakfast on the WAG thing was really nice but as a one off it doesn't really count. I had a weekend breakfast once on Virgin. Seemed to be a drink, a tiny yoghurt and a mini croissant. Super.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

IS GWR a First class breakfast? Anyone can have it (subject to space of course) as it is a paid for product. The GWR sleeper breakfast is unworthy of the name.

It’s served in First Class accommodation so is surely first class?

 

[sw1ller]

Can’t rule out TfW for first class. Meant to be the best in the country.

 

[Mag_seven]

a coffee and a bacon roll from Greggs. Cost: £2:50.

I'd rather have that!

 

[Deafdoggie]

It’s served in First Class accommodation so is surely first class?

You can have it with a standard class ticket, so surely standard class?

 

[voyagerdude220]

Can’t rule out TfW for first class. Meant to be the best in the country.

I'd strongly agree about their evening meals being fantastic, although I was disappointed by their breakfast.

I haven't yet experienced food on a GWR Pullman train though.

 

[ainsworth74]

Food started being served about 10 minutes out of London and the full breakfast after about 15 minutes. You get 2 huge slices of thick toast (which actually comes before the main breakfast), and the portions are very large for the main breakfast.

EMT serve breakfast northbound? Since when? I thought it was very much a southbound only product!! Good news if it is northbound as well now.

 

[PeterY]

Hull trains for me but that was before their problems of burning the toast

 

[ajrm]

LNER is so-so; ingredient quality is run of the mill but the selection is pretty good. Toast is horrendous, as it sits on the trolley getting cold. There are persistent problems on the Aberdeen departures, which have no chef and which are always understocked. Out of Edinburgh and London are much better. VTEC briefly reintroduced silver service but it didn't last long and it's back to being plated to order.

The evening selection and wine list on the Caledonian Sleeper are really good, and it's alway puzzled me why their breakfasts are so dreadful. Even the hot drinks are awful (instant coffee, or a beaker of boiling water with a teabag to dunk on the side). Hopefully the better kitchens on the new stock will drive an improvement here. (The breakfast muffin, though, is really good.)

 

[38Cto15E]

According to the EMT website the 0831 St Pancras to Sheffield now serves full breakfast.

 

[yorkie]

It would be difficult to beat GWR. Perhaps TfW comes close?

I've not had breakfast on TfW. Their evening meals beat GWR for value for money, but I suspect it's the other way round for breakfast.

 

[Andy Pacer]

Sorry for my ignorance, the GWR breakfast, is this still as good now the IETs are on there rather than the HSTs?

 

[yorkie]

Sorry for my ignorance, the GWR breakfast, is this still as good now the IETs are on there rather than the HSTs?

I don't think the food is any different but I found the seating arrangement to be most unsatisfactory, but that's beyond the scope of this thread!

 

[HamworthyGoods]

I don't think the food is any different but I found the seating arrangement to be most unsatisfactory, but that's beyond the scope of this thread!

Food is more the same, reliability is better as the kitchen equipment in mk3 TRFBs was never very reliable, it pushed the power to the max so would often trip out thus providing a more limited menu but the ambience for dining is worse...

 

[route101]

Had both the LNER and VTWC brekkies , very similar . Sure they have shrunk . Dont remember any toast on VTWC

 

[47271]

The evening selection and wine list on the Caledonian Sleeper are really good, and it's alway puzzled me why their breakfasts are so dreadful. Even the hot drinks are awful (instant coffee, or a beaker of boiling water with a teabag to dunk on the side). Hopefully the better kitchens on the new stock will drive an improvement here. (The breakfast muffin, though, is really good.)

I think that the problem with breakfasts on the sleeper as now is that they have to be heated in a mk3 pantry microwave, and get served in either the lounge or the cabins. You couldn't deal with a proper fry up on one of those little over bed fold down tables.

Anyway, as you say, here's hoping that the new stock improves that. It should do considering how much a First Class ticket costs. As it is, all I've heard is that they'll be able to make toast...

 

[Iskra]

Had both the LNER and VTWC brekkies , very similar . Sure they have shrunk . Dont remember any toast on VTWC

The VTWC breakfast menu provides a much better range of choice. The full breakfasts are very similar, but VTWC Eggs Benedict is fantastic.

 

[Hadders]

I had a GWR breakfast just last week. Superb food and service, even if it was in a class 800.

 

[VT 390]

In terms of the value of the breakfast for the price of the ticket I find that Virgin Trains is the best especially travelling from Birmingham to Crewe/Preston in the morning which can have some very good advanced fares.
Though overall the best breakfast which is included with the ticket is on the Transport for Wales Holyhead to Cardiff Central daily service.

 

[route101]

I think that the problem with breakfasts on the sleeper as now is that they have to be heated in a mk3 pantry microwave, and get served in either the lounge or the cabins. You couldn't deal with a proper fry up on one of those little over bed fold down tables.

Anyway, as you say, here's hoping that the new stock improves that. It should do considering how much a First Class ticket costs. As it is, all I've heard is that they'll be able to make toast...

MK2 not have a kitchen?

 

[ajrm]

MK2 not have a kitchen?

Not a full-size kitchen like a Mark 3 buffet; just a small pantry with a couple of microwaves.

 

[leightonbd]

To my surprise this morning the CS came up with the egg dish shown above, known to them as eggs royale - rather like benedict. A brave effort by them really, given the conditions they have to work in. The blini underneath was pretty leathery but the egg, sauce and smoked salmon were fine. I had been expecting eggs royale to be the new name for scrambled eggs and smoked salmon!

A pic of the CS cooked breakfast (from January) is also attached. Not as good as LNER but passable - the bacon is always OK.

They are mean with the hot drinks though, as someone else said, but it’s understandable I suppose.