Poor experience on Virgin West Coast first class

[Ianmel1969]

We travelled First Advance on the 1730 Euston to Glasgow on 30th October fully expecting a choice of 4 evening meals as stated on Virgin's website. We got an announcement about half an hour in saying it was steak night on this train. I just assumed that this was in addition to the stated menu. Then they started dishing out steak meals to EVERYONE. When I asked what the vegetarian option was (as nobody had taken orders) I was told the steak was the only meal being served but we could offer you a SANDWICH instead!

The staff looked particularly fed up and were pretty short with customers, so I guess they were getting it in the neck from others on the train.

For the entire 4.5 hour journey we got offered just 2 teas/coffees.

I wrote to complain afterwards and got the usual drivel in reply plus a £20 rail voucher.

Presumably there is no part of the rail authority that makes sure these companies are providing what they advertise online, so companies such as Virgin are getting away with it?

I would walk out immediately from a restaurant that advertised lots of meals on their menu but then just told you when you sat down there was only one available today. But Virgin have already taken your money for your meal when you buy your ticket. Bit of a scam if you ask me!

 

[backontrack]

Personally, I feel that if you're only going to serve one meal it should be something that vegetarians and meat-eaters can have, but unfortunately nobody's going to do that.

 

[Aldaniti]

The staff looked particularly fed up and were pretty short with customers, so I guess they were getting it in the neck from others on the train.

I'm not surprised, the catering is provided by a London crew. Preston and Glasgow crews are far, far better - they have the ability to engage in conversation, they smile, are competent in their job and sometimes will go beyond the call of duty in my experience. The last time I used that train, after being presented with options, I asked for the beef dish. The beef itself was handed to me on a plate just after passing Watford. To be fair, it looked rather good, but despite a quick reminder somewhere around Rugby, the accompanying veg had still not appeared by Basford Hall, so I just asked them to take it away and went to the buffet for a coffee instead. It felt like being sat in the Fawlty Towers dining room for two and a half hours....

 

[me123]

Personally, I feel that if you're only going to serve one meal it should be something that vegetarians and meat-eaters can have, but unfortunately nobody's going to do that.

Of course, there's a sizeable number of meat eaters who "don't eat vegetarian food". These people often have a very limited IQ, but are unfortunately very vociferous and would complain to Virgin that their "needs" were not be met.

The solution is, of course, to serve multiple meals. As advertised.

To be honest, as a carnivore myself, I'd have been more than happy being served a steak on a train, particularly if I wasn't expecting it! However, the service you recieved was pretty shoddy and I think you were well within your rights to complain. Vegetarians are not exactly unusual, and when you think of the people who would not want a steak meal (vegetarians, those who avoid red meat, people who simply don't fancy a steak tonight, people with religious dietary requirements...) then actually an alternative would have potentially been quite popular.

I do not see why a proper vegetarian option could not be offered. This would have kept all but the pickiest of eaters happy.

 

[Tim R-T-C]

Presumably there is no part of the rail authority that makes sure these companies are providing what they advertise online, so companies such as Virgin are getting away with it?

It depends how it is advertised really. Food in first class is part of the 'complementary service' so it is free to first class passengers, but not actually part of the fare, so VTWC can argue that there is no requirement for them to actually offer it. Particularly when it comes to offering hot meals. The restaurant analogy is rather inapt therefore, it is more like having a limited selection at a free breakfast buffet in a hotel, frustrating but ultimately not the main thing you are paying for.

However having a flick through the Virgin WC website, they don't make this clear anywhere and it seems that the food service is a guaranteed part of a first class ticket, like a meal on a plane.

Nothing to do with rail regulators I would have thought, but if you wanted, I'm sure you could complain to the ASA if you felt it was mis-advertised.