Towards the end of last year I had a first class run around the UK to try some of the services, although didn't get to sample Virgin's.
I travelled first class Sheffield to Doncaster on Transpennine Express, comfy seat and free cup of tea from the trolley.
I travelled first class from Doncaster to Kings Cross on Grand Central, comfy seat and ONE free cup of coffee with biscuit. Yes, the stewardess only did one run. She then fetched some microwave ready meals from the buffet for passengers that had ordered them (at menu price) and was then not seen again...
Did Scotrail sleeper from Euston to Fort William. Private berth, free pot of coffee in the lounge car in the evening and a free airline style breakfast tray in the morning.
Fort William to Glasgow and on to Edinburgh was on Standard Class only trains.
Did Edinburgh to Doncaster on East Coast so got to try the new service. The inward stock was late so the service had a bit of a chaotic start bit I will forgive that.
On departure from Edinburgh someone dashed through putting menus on all the tables, followed by tea & coffee service.
A while after, trolley comes down offering cold drinks and food. The food trolley had open platters of sandwiches on the top with staff serving from the platter, the trolley also had crisps, cakes etc on the bottom of the trolley. I however chose to order hot food (jacket potato).
The hot food took a while to come but then it was a busy train and when it did arrive it was really tasty.
There were further runs of tea and coffee and one more run of cold drinks and food. I missed out on the offer of a sandwich as the trolley moved to let someone walk down the aisle and didn't come back. I did notice on the second run of the food trolley that all the sandwiches were prepacked rather than out on a platter.
Another observation, when we left Edinburgh I had a table to myself, a group of businessmen got on in Newcastle and sat on the opposite seat and next table, the guy sat opposite me never got given a menu and the catering staff seemed to treat him as if he was travelling with me.
My general opinion on the East Coast First class service is the delivery of it needs working on, including consistency, however overall I think its good and the food and drink offered is nice and actually observing the business travellers around me the sandwiches and coffee was exactly the sort of food they wanted.
I do think that for leisure travellers travelling longer distances there may be some demand for a more substantial meal option, perhaps at a cost (say upgrade complimentary snack/light meal to a dinner for an extra fiver?).
I had plenty of tea and coffee, I understand the cold drinks are intended to go with the meal and that is why you are offered A cold/alcoholic drink just the once (although I got two opportunities of both food and cold drink).
The new service is certainly better than what you got for your money before (tea/coffee/juice/water/biscuit), some are obviously missing the option of buying restaurant meals on board but the reason the restaurants were withdrawn was that there was not enough demand to make them financially viable - although it was a strange set up when the restaurant was a seperate first class carriage - makes much more sense to deliver food to any first class seat, much more efficient use of capacity!
