Just because you are not satisfied with the new offerings doesn't mean others feel the same. We are very much aware you were against this whole idea of complimentary food and you've made that perfectly clear.
To also clarify, EC have specified that when serving the sandwiches the portion is actually 4 slices and silver served with crisps (not in the crisp packet). Therefore what you should receive are 2 of each sandwich type and a few crisps. When I've actually served this most people don't eat them, they end up in the bin and they further request more when the service next commences. Seems like a waste to me! I therefore serve as requested rather than assume everyone wants to eat 4 slices plus crisps and fruit etc.
This weeks menu is going down quite well.
For above; The drinks should be chilled anyway as they are stored in a fridge, no ice is a frequent problem that crews should foresee although there are instances when a certain supplier just don't bring any as ordered. It is upto the Crew Leader to ensure the train is adequately stocked. Ice is available at all RG depots along the route.
Your comment is very much about 'doing things right' rather than 'doing the right thing'. Surely, thi thread is not about how staff make the best of this new policy to introduce 'free food for all' but how passengers, especially those on lomg jpurneys, can opt to be fed well.
A complementary snack would meet your intention not to have waste but if the intention is to provide a meal then the policy you would seem to support poses a problem. Do you give everyone their 'entitlement' and risk waste or do you ration and risk having hungry (and therefore very dissatisfied) passengers on more than short journeys?
If what is provided as 'enttlement' does not satisfy my requirements for calories and enjoyable eating and there is not good opportunity to buy what I want, then I have two options:
1) I make other travel arrangements
2) I buy food and bring this into the FC seating
I am due to make two trips to London in the next two weeks:
- I'm opting for the first to go by air for one of those, leaving Edinburgh at the very comfortable 8.50am (and leaving home about 7.45am) rather than about 90 mins earlie; getting home at a reasonable hour on the return.
- I was keen to travel down by train for the second, as my partner is keen to do so, and its a special occasion so I want the experience to be special. Do I buy a hamper and eat its contents on board in the FC carriages, and then be polite when offered two (or four) complementary sandwiches for the 4.45 hr journey?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
the offer on the 1600 [...] for the long distance traveller [vs] a trip on Virgin at 1530 to see what a real Anglo Scottish offering should be!
I've always travelled with East Coast beforehand - for the meal and the habit of it, but this comparison of a mid/late afternoon getaway from London may be instructive.
From some arbitary point in central London, there is the choice of travelling to an airport or going to Kings Cross for the train (with probably less travel time and saving at least 45 minutes of 'process time' at an airport).
At 15.30/16.00, I'm not hungry but if my journey time is anything up to 5 hours then I wont get to Edinburgh until about 8.30pm and unless distracted by something else interesting I will be hungry by then.
I think I may now give Virgin a try if EC do not promise to feed me well.
) but on my experiences today I would hesitate to use first class when it is the all day offer if they can't even provide the whole offer what is the point? I would be better off eating before I travel and going standard and saving myself some money!