Is Cross Country usually this poor for first class?

[Bayum]

Service was marginally good from Manchester to Bristol Temple Meads on a Friday afternoon service. Managed a couple of hot drinks along the way.

However, a busy Saturday evening service - 17:33 from Bristol Temple Meads - in the first class cabin, each of us was served one cup of tea and a packet of biscuits at Bristol Parkway.

A couple opposite me were told there would be no more refreshment service by the host after leaving Worcestershire Parkway because she needed to close down the trolley and the onboard cafe. Expected a refreshment service from Birmingham to Leeds as the service was shown on the timetable as having catering but nothing.

Granted, I had a Seatfrog upgrade, but I can’t imagine all of us in first had done so and probably paid a fair whack for it too. Not sure if this is a general poor show or a common occurrence.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Service was marginally good from Manchester to Bristol Temple Meads on a Friday afternoon service. Managed a couple of hot drinks along the way.
However, a busy Saturday evening service - 17:33 from Bristol Temple Meads - in the first class cabin, each of us was served one cup of tea and a packet of biscuits at Bristol Parkway. A couple opposite me were told there would be no more refreshment service by the host after leaving Worcestershire Parkway because she needed to close down the trolley and the onboard cafe. Expected a refreshment service from Birmingham to Leeds as the service was shown on the timetable as having catering but nothing.

Granted, I had a Seatfrog upgrade, but I can’t imagine all of us in first had done so and probably paid a fair whack for it too. Not sure if this is a general poor show or a common occurrence.

It’s all junk anyway, either that or — and this is really insulting and quite nauseating — savoury food served left in the wholesaler packaging. By that I mean, they’ll serve bacon rolls but left in the greasy Happy Shopper plastic or sandwiches in the nondescript blue or green Booker Wholesale boxes that look like a WHSmith meal deal option. It feels very cheap and unpleasant.

Six or seven years ago they used to serve the sandwiches on little bamboo or wooden style plates, which while far removed from the full crockery you’d have got on Virgin Trains, was still something and looked rather classy.

I’ll tell you what I do quite like though — the Quakers porridge pots with a mini glass jam jar. Will take that over the microwaved roll left in the hot plastic wrap anyday.

 

[ajp999]

Service was marginally good from Manchester to Bristol Temple Meads on a Friday afternoon service. Managed a couple of hot drinks along the way.
However, a busy Saturday evening service - 17:33 from Bristol Temple Meads - in the first class cabin, each of us was served one cup of tea and a packet of biscuits at Bristol Parkway. A couple opposite me were told there would be no more refreshment service by the host after leaving Worcestershire Parkway because she needed to close down the trolley and the onboard cafe. Expected a refreshment service from Birmingham to Leeds as the service was shown on the timetable as having catering but nothing.

Granted, I had a Seatfrog upgrade, but I can’t imagine all of us in first had done so and probably paid a fair whack for it too. Not sure if this is a general poor show or a common occurrence.

Very much par for the course I'm afraid - you were probably fortunate to get anything as the catering especially at weekends can be very hit and miss. After 1900, catering is very limited if not non-existent. Unfortunately DFT seem to be quite happy to allow this arrangement to continue.

 

[VT 390]

Six or seven years ago they used to serve the sandwiches on little bamboo or wooden style plates, which while far removed from the full crockery you’d have got on Virgin Trains, was still something and looked rather classy.

I have not yet used Cross Country first class this year but as recently as last year I received food on the wooden plates so I think it either depands if they have these stocked and/or the staff serving.

 

[sh24]

Erratic is my experience. Everything from being encouraged to take leftover sandwiches home to zero service from Plymouth to Taunton. Agree it's pretty poor quality but First is about space and quiet for me.

 

[Bayum]

Very much par for the course I'm afraid - you were probably fortunate to get anything as the catering especially at weekends can be very hit and miss. After 1900, catering is very limited if not non-existent. Unfortunately DFT seem to be quite happy to allow this arrangement to continue.

Even though the timetable says it should have been catered to Leeds?

 

[Bayum]

Erratic is my experience. Everything from being encouraged to take leftover sandwiches home to zero service from Plymouth to Taunton. Agree it's pretty poor quality but First is about space and quiet for me.

There were many discounts on sandwiches etc on the Friday journey. Don’t think they quite got round to begging passengers to take them.

 

[Snow1964]

Even though the timetable says it should have been catered to Leeds?

Sadly XC will often show facilities like catering, but then only provide a static trolley for part of the journey, or sometimes nothing.

Last long journey I made by XC (which was about 5 hours) had three different ticket people doing ticket inspections at different parts of journey, but only one catering trolley 4.5 hours in. Just shows how carelessly it is managed.

 

[yorkie]

Service was marginally good from Manchester to Bristol Temple Meads on a Friday afternoon service. Managed a couple of hot drinks along the way.

However, a busy Saturday evening service - 17:33 from Bristol Temple Meads - in the first class cabin, each of us was served one cup of tea and a packet of biscuits at Bristol Parkway.

A couple opposite me were told there would be no more refreshment service by the host after leaving Worcestershire Parkway because she needed to close down the trolley and the onboard cafe. Expected a refreshment service from Birmingham to Leeds as the service was shown on the timetable as having catering but nothing.

Granted, I had a Seatfrog upgrade, but I can’t imagine all of us in first had done so and probably paid a fair whack for it too. Not sure if this is a general poor show or a common occurrence.

This is fairly typical of what you can expect from XC.

Occasionally you'll be offered a sandwich, but it's very rare indeed.

 

[cactustwirly]

It’s all junk anyway, either that or — and this is really insulting and quite nauseating — savoury food served left in the wholesaler packaging. By that I mean, they’ll serve bacon rolls but left in the greasy Happy Shopper plastic or sandwiches in the nondescript blue or green Booker Wholesale boxes that look like a WHSmith meal deal option. It feels very cheap and unpleasant.

Six or seven years ago they used to serve the sandwiches on little bamboo or wooden style plates, which while far removed from the full crockery you’d have got on Virgin Trains, was still something and looked rather classy.

I’ll tell you what I do quite like though — the Quakers porridge pots with a mini glass jam jar. Will take that over the microwaved roll left in the hot plastic wrap anyday.

Why is this an issue when it's complimentary food?

Virgin Atlantic does the same for their in flight catering

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Why is this an issue when it's complimentary food?

Virgin Atlantic does the same for their in flight catering

The fact you’d even ask that astounds me.

What feels premium about a clear reminder that the train company bought about sixty low quality rolls in one whack from a wholesaler and shoved it at you without even taking it out of the (now unpleasantly warm) plastic wrapper?

 

[Harpo]

First is about space and quiet for me.

A 220/221 needs the engine to be isolated for that.

 

[cactustwirly]

The fact you’d even ask that astounds me.

What feels premium about a clear reminder that the train company bought about sixty low quality rolls in one whack from a wholesaler and shoved it at you without even taking it out of the (now unpleasantly warm) plastic wrapper?

But it is complimentary food!

Someone travelling Bristol to Birmingham isn't paying a first class fare with the same yield as Manchester to London for example

It's no different to GWR, who serve you prepacked cakes and coffee in takeaway cups
Unless you travel on the Night Riveria where it is proper crockery, but the fare is much higher

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

It's no different to GWR, who serve you prepacked cakes and coffee in takeaway cups
Unless you travel on the Night Riveria where it is proper crockery, but the fare is much higher

No I'm sorry, and you can call me a snob, but at least GWR serve nice little individual locally-branded "Pullins Bakery" products which do look nice and good quality; serving the product in industrial mass catering wholesaler packaging is something very different.

Especially when it's something like a hot bacon roll. Comparing it with cakes and bakery goods isn't fair.

I've suddenly thought of an example. Have you seen those gigantic industrial sized catering 5-litre bottles of "Chef's Larder ketchup" or "Chef's Larder tartare sauce" at local businesses like a burger van or fish and chip shop, because it's the same sort of thing. You wouldn't dump that in first class on a train, you'd dispense some into disposable pots because it's not an appetising thing to see in a premium service.

It gives away that they're buying mass produced low quality stuff to distribute out en-masse, which sure, I appreciate might be the practical and logistical approach -- but they could absolutely make an effort to make it look a little nicer, even if that's just taking the bacon roll out of the wrapper and serving on even just a napkin.

 

[Rescars]

No I'm sorry, and you can call me a snob, but at least GWR serve nice little individual locally-branded "Pullins Bakery" products which do look nice and good quality; serving the product in industrial mass catering wholesaler packaging is something very different.

Especially when it's something like a hot bacon roll. Comparing it with cakes and bakery goods isn't fair.

I've suddenly thought of an example. Have you seen those gigantic industrial sized catering 5-litre bottles of "Chef's Larder ketchup" or "Chef's Larder tartare sauce" at local businesses like a burger van or fish and chip shop, because it's the same sort of thing. You wouldn't dump that in first class on a train, you'd dispense some into disposable pots because it's not an appetising thing to see in a premium service.

It gives away that they're buying mass produced low quality stuff to distribute out en-masse, which sure, I appreciate might be the practical and logistical approach -- but they could absolutely make an effort to make it look a little nicer, even if that's just taking the bacon roll out of the wrapper and serving on even just a napkin.

To put this into context and as an indictor of progress, in a previous era, every table in the saloon would not only be covered with a linen table cloth and be laid up with place settings, but would also sport a generous sized bottle of Worcestershire sauce in case you fancied a tomato juice!

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

To put this into context and as an indictor of progress, in a previous era, every table in the saloon would not only be covered with a linen table cloth and be laid up with place settings, but would also sport a generous sized bottle of Worcestershire sauce in case you fancied a tomato juice!

True, but that doesn't help my point because what you've described there is an extreme, and I'm not advocating for extremes, I just think it's pretty basic to remove the bacon roll or sandwich from the catering wholesaler packaging before it's served!

 

[VT 390]

True, but that doesn't help my point because what you've described there is an extreme, and I'm not advocating for extremes, I just think it's pretty basic to remove the bacon roll or sandwich from the catering wholesaler packaging before it's served!

I do agree with you in general with this point but I would rather a consistent offering at all advertised times be prioritised over presentation at the moment as it is to unpredictable what and when catering will be available on Cross Country at the moment.
Ideally the offering would be consistent and presented nicely but given its Cross Country the priority should be providing the items over the presentation as for most items it will taste the same either way.

 

[Hyebone]

Hrm?

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

View attachment 200961
Hrm?

Luckily they’ve solved the smell nowadays

 

[cactustwirly]

No I'm sorry, and you can call me a snob, but at least GWR serve nice little individual locally-branded "Pullins Bakery" products which do look nice and good quality; serving the product in industrial mass catering wholesaler packaging is something very different.

Especially when it's something like a hot bacon roll. Comparing it with cakes and bakery goods isn't fair.

I've suddenly thought of an example. Have you seen those gigantic industrial sized catering 5-litre bottles of "Chef's Larder ketchup" or "Chef's Larder tartare sauce" at local businesses like a burger van or fish and chip shop, because it's the same sort of thing. You wouldn't dump that in first class on a train, you'd dispense some into disposable pots because it's not an appetising thing to see in a premium service.

It gives away that they're buying mass produced low quality stuff to distribute out en-masse, which sure, I appreciate might be the practical and logistical approach -- but they could absolutely make an effort to make it look a little nicer, even if that's just taking the bacon roll out of the wrapper and serving on even just a napkin.

How much is the typical First Class fare on XC compared to Avanti or LNER

 

[Starmill]

Even though the timetable says it should have been catered to Leeds?

Yes. I imagine that train never has had any catering from Birmingham to Leeds, and that has almost certainly been the case for a long, long time now.

I would ignore the timetable data. It is very unlikely to match reality.

 

[D1537]

How much is the typical First Class fare on XC compared to Avanti or LNER

In general, cheaper than Avanti and more expensive than LNER (both of which have a far better and more reliable food offering)

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

How much is the typical First Class fare on XC compared to Avanti or LNER

You’re still missing the point. Regardless of the price, removing the catering wholesaler packaging is something that costs very little money yet stops a service feeling cheap and nasty.

 

[GuyGibsonVC]

Quality down, price up.

It is a microcosm of wider society. Cheap, ultra processed food, wrapped in plastic and given the veneer of a premium product.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Cross Country's own website has a link to their First Class menu:

https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/sites/default/files/First%20Class%20catering.pdf

But it doesn't state when you should expect to be offered the full range of items on this menu.

Timetables have the alleged sections of where catering is provided on each journey highlighted. I don't know how accurate the information is.

I remember many years ago (maybe 2005 ish) Virgin had a map of their Cross Country network printed on the First Class menus, which highlighted a certain area of their network where the full range of First Class food/drink would be offered.

Used to be Preston/Newcastle-Bristol/Manchester-Reading. I think it was something like 07:00-19:00 on Weekdays, excluding Bank Holidays. For journeys out of these areas you could collect food/drink from the Shop during the times mentioned. (Or potentially no catering at all)

 

[800Travel]

Cross Country's own website has a link to their First Class menu:

https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/sites/default/files/First%20Class%20catering.pdf

But it doesn't state when you should expect to be offered the full range of items on this menu.

Timetables have the alleged sections of where catering is provided on each journey highlighted. I don't know how accurate the information is.

I remember many years ago (maybe 2005 ish) Virgin had a map of their Cross Country network printed on the First Class menus, which highlighted a certain area of their network where the full range of First Class food/drink would be offered.

Used to be Preston/Newcastle-Bristol/Manchester-Reading. I think it was something like 07:00-19:00 on Weekdays, excluding Bank Holidays. For journeys out of these areas you could collect food/drink from the Shop during the times mentioned. (Or potentially no catering at all)

Is the collect from the shop (or I guess trolley) thing long gone on cross country? A few times when they've been out of stuff in first, it has just been tough luck

 

[voyagerdude220]

Is the collect from the shop (or I guess trolley) thing long gone on cross country? A few times when they've been out of stuff in first, it has just been tough luck

I've been known to be offered food/drink from the Retail Service Manager in the absence of a dedicated First Class Host, although when this has been the case, it's often only been Tea/Coffee/Crisps/Cake. Not the full First Class menu.

 

[Metroman62]

On a recent Cross Country trip from Bristol to York, we were offered hot drinks not long after boarding. Since we had a long journey we asked if there was any food and were then offered quite a selection including bacon roll and sandwiches. No one in our coach was offered food so had we not asked then perhaps we would have missed out! First class on Cross Country is so inconsistent.

 

[Egg Centric]

The other week I was on one where the orange juice wasn't even real orange juice but instead "orange juice drink" (ie orange juice mixed with water, sweetener, and flavouring). Might as well be Sunny D.

Like @sh24 I primarily travel 1st for space reasons plus know what to expect so it doesn't "bother me" but I can't see any point in their catering offering - I'd give up if I were them. Or limit it to tea, coffee, water, bananas and biscuits - ie stuff that can both be high quality yet also be stored in the units themselves without refrigeration and lasts an age so the logistics are simpler.

 

[sabanda]

I've been known to be offered food/drink from the Retail Service Manager in the absence of a dedicated First Class Host, although when this has been the case, it's often only been Tea/Coffee/Crisps/Cake. Not the full First Class menu.

I’ve had RSMs provide the full range in first on a couple of occasions - and have similarly been directed to collect hot drinks and sandwiches from the shop on ex-Avanti units, where the TM generally seems to have a limited range of snacks and soft drinks for those unwilling to make the journey.