Minor I know given all the other woes on the EMR intercity routes, but their new food offering is vile.They now offer snack boxes instead of sandwiches. As far as I can tell they are designed to be stored without the need for refrigeration. My wife and I selected the cheese offering. There was little that might resemble cheese inside, just some spreadable goo in little sealed containers and some pickled onions in a plastic bag. It’s the sort of thing that might be acceptable for emergency rations, but not for regular catering. Ours went in the bin uneaten.
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EMR First Class Food
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voyagerdude220
Established Member
- Joined
- 13 Oct 2005
- Messages
- 4,246
I think it's ridiculous that some TOCs e.g. EMR seem to take the biscuit with First Class catering, considering how little they could spend and still offer customers what most customers would perceive to be a much more satisfactory offer.
I guess if all of EMR's current First Class food is having to be able to be stored without fridges being available onboard their trains (why? Don't 810s have fridges?) that's a massive downgrade and obviously limits what they can offer.
I'm not talking about full hot meals (although I'm sure the 222s were able to offer them, given how good the First Class food used to be many years ago on the Hull Trains 222 trains).
Even just very basic hot ready to heat rolls in the morning (Bacon/Sausage/Vegetarian options) would cost very little for EMR to buy wholesale.
Then maybe on the snacking theme, something similar to what Avanti have offered recently in First- some sort of "picnic" box with a mixture of say cold sliced meats/cheeses/olives/savoury biscuits etc. etc. I seem to remember Avanti did one recently with half a Pork Pie.
Indeed Avanti currently have on their recently changed First Class menu: "Ploughman’s Platter (523 kcal) Roast ham, vintage Cheddar & Red Fox Cheese, cherry tomatoes, grapes, salad leaf and a cheese & pickle pinwheel roll with butter."
I guess if all of EMR's current First Class food is having to be able to be stored without fridges being available onboard their trains (why? Don't 810s have fridges?) that's a massive downgrade and obviously limits what they can offer.
I'm not talking about full hot meals (although I'm sure the 222s were able to offer them, given how good the First Class food used to be many years ago on the Hull Trains 222 trains).
Even just very basic hot ready to heat rolls in the morning (Bacon/Sausage/Vegetarian options) would cost very little for EMR to buy wholesale.
Then maybe on the snacking theme, something similar to what Avanti have offered recently in First- some sort of "picnic" box with a mixture of say cold sliced meats/cheeses/olives/savoury biscuits etc. etc. I seem to remember Avanti did one recently with half a Pork Pie.
Indeed Avanti currently have on their recently changed First Class menu: "Ploughman’s Platter (523 kcal) Roast ham, vintage Cheddar & Red Fox Cheese, cherry tomatoes, grapes, salad leaf and a cheese & pickle pinwheel roll with butter."
Back in HST days, they had very good meals - fairly basic, but served on crockery and at a reasonable price.
There was a curry or Chilli option, or cheese or (I think from memory) tuna role which came with crisps and a side salad.
To my mind, the ideal combination of value and quality. The only shame was that these weren't available on the weekend services.
Do the new trains have kitchens ? If not, it might put the kybosh on such offerings.
There was a curry or Chilli option, or cheese or (I think from memory) tuna role which came with crisps and a side salad.
To my mind, the ideal combination of value and quality. The only shame was that these weren't available on the weekend services.
Do the new trains have kitchens ? If not, it might put the kybosh on such offerings.
The cream tea sounds nice but the cream appears to be some sort of long life no fridge affair that doesn't taste quite right
It is a pity because the sandwich offer used to be quite good as although standard pre packaged they used to change the options pretty frequently so at least there was variety.
I miss the full cooked breakfast in the mornings but the economics must have been bonkers but even crosscountry can manage to heat a bacon sandwich.
It is a pity because the sandwich offer used to be quite good as although standard pre packaged they used to change the options pretty frequently so at least there was variety.
I miss the full cooked breakfast in the mornings but the economics must have been bonkers but even crosscountry can manage to heat a bacon sandwich.
Halwynd
Member
I wouldn't touch any of that. Much of it is just highly processed junk. But adults get to choose, children often do not. The childrens 'selection' of treats is particularly disgusting. For example, I was curious as to what the 'Gummie Zone Pizza' is. Tesco list the ingredients as: Glucose Syrup, Sugar, Water, Beef Gelatine, Apple Juice (5%) (from Concentrate), Humectant: Sorbitol Syrup, Acids: Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Hydrolysed Pea Protein, Flavourings, Glazing Agents: Beeswax, Camauba Wax, Concentrates (Spirulina, Safflower), Colours :* E102, *E110, E120, *E129, E150C, *May have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.
EMR ought to be ashamed.
EMR ought to be ashamed.
The 222 has a kitchen that is nearly as capable as a HST, it was designed to be able to cook proper hot meals. The 810 unfortunately Is nowhere near as highly specified.
However Midland Mainline's model was a full service with dining sold at a large premium to business customers, in both classes really. It was already starting to falter at the end of the 2000s with the global financial crisis and was killed properly with the growth of online networking and then COVID. East Midlands Trains continued to provide a balance of hot meal provision but it was reduced over time.
First class is still popular but is far more of a leisure product these days. This unlike the other Intercity operators of a greater journey length where it is worth a higher price because of the length of time you are there for well heeled leisure customers. Greater Anglia is more or less in the same boat with similar journey lengths and an even more heavily reduced offering.
However Midland Mainline's model was a full service with dining sold at a large premium to business customers, in both classes really. It was already starting to falter at the end of the 2000s with the global financial crisis and was killed properly with the growth of online networking and then COVID. East Midlands Trains continued to provide a balance of hot meal provision but it was reduced over time.
First class is still popular but is far more of a leisure product these days. This unlike the other Intercity operators of a greater journey length where it is worth a higher price because of the length of time you are there for well heeled leisure customers. Greater Anglia is more or less in the same boat with similar journey lengths and an even more heavily reduced offering.
StephenHunter
Established Member
Something GBR can fix, hopefully.
Just to make clear, this is the offering during the week as well, plus the normal shortbread, cake, crisps, tea/coffee and a bottle of water. Someone next to me was charged extra for a coke/pepsi! This on a 222.
Merle Haggard
Established Member
Hitachi can & should fix the sandwich withdrawal.
When I suggested that the withdrawal of the sandwich option was a design shortcoming on the Hitachi 810s - because of the size of the chiller was inadequate* - I was told that I was wrong, the inference being I was slighting Hitachi.
The real reason then given was that the chiller cuts out going through neutral sections and at the electric/diesel changeover. - which I must say did seem tome to be a Hitachi design shortcoming, though a different one.
Whether Hitachi will be told to correct this is another matter, and, even if so, probably a long way down the list of things to be addressed.
* an explanation that had been given by hosts to passengers, allegedly.
It might be the excuse, but rather defies physics. A few minutes loss of chiller power will have little effect on the temperature of the contents. Unless the chiller cuts out and never restarts.….
StephenHunter
Established Member
I'd personally like to see a flavour of crisps called "See it. Say it. Ready Salted." but that might just be me.
The chiller cutting in neutral sections - is that much of a problem if you'll only be down for a few seconds?
The chiller cutting in neutral sections - is that much of a problem if you'll only be down for a few seconds?
Merle Haggard
Established Member
Wasn't really explained, but there'a a lot of electric trains with chillers gone through a lot of neutral sections up to now with no problem ...
StephenHunter
Established Member
Don't they have back-up generators too?
GWR IET's manage a kitchen full of food for the Pullman Dining and neutral sections without an issue.
worldsteam
Member
- Joined
- 30 Mar 2016
- Messages
- 9
The boxes seem an environmental disaster, but haven't dissected one or read any small print on the packaging. Although the box is probably more flavorsome and nutritious than the food contained.
I had the "Cream Tea" box on Tuesday on an 810 from Sheffield to London. In itself it was fine. Moist scone, jam and reasonably nice cream in a pot together with a shortbreat biscuit. Fortunately I had brough my own sandwich for lunch, being aware of the minimalist catering on EMR 1st. Having digested the signature Mark IV LNER breakfast on my down journey the contrast was marked! To be fair, the Seatfrog upgrade on LNER was twice the price of the EMR equivalent.
Andy Pacer
Established Member
EMR do a hot breakfast roll in the mornings.
Monday - Friday Menu | EMR
Please settle in for your longer journey in First Class today and your host will be with you shortly to take your order. Let your host know about any dietary requirements or allergies. Enjoy your meal and have a pleasant journey.
www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk
I think its worth remembering that pre Covid when EMR did the excellent breakfast service, the rest of the day offering was dire, simply a hot drink and a biscuit, even the sandwiches had to be paid for.
We travelled recently and had the cream tea box and the ploughmans box, wasn't bad coupled with a hot drink and a few bits from the snack trolly.
Slightly off topic which I accept, but I came back to London from Newport, South Wales last Saturday. In standard I bought from the well stock trolley (and not complimentary in 1st), I had a Coffee, bottle of Water and a bag of decent quality crisps and cost was £6.95 which I wouldn't normally need to purchase but in the scheme of things I didn't think was an extravagant price. The hostess said that they now use coffee bags so to fish it out when it was at the strength I wanted.