Food & Beverage: The Aramark Era begins

[Hid]

Rather than discounts with a Merlin Pass, would it be better if you get a free meal instead like 1 free meal. For example with Gold Pass Holders and with Platnium Holders you get 2 free meals. Similar to what happens with the Six Flags pass where you can get a meal. Would save a lot of money and bolster the value of the annual passes

 

[AT86]

Rather than discounts with a Merlin Pass, would it be better if you get a free meal instead like 1 free meal. For example with Gold Pass Holders and with Platnium Holders you get 2 free meals. Similar to what happens with the Six Flags pass where you can get a meal. Would save a lot of money and bolster the value of the annual passes

The business model of the passes is built around secondary spend.

The passes are comparatively cheap and they are relying on people spending once they are in the parks to make up for it. Giving away free meals wouldn’t fit with this approach.

 

[Islander]

Rather than discounts with a Merlin Pass, would it be better if you get a free meal instead like 1 free meal.

Depends who you ask.

The guest: yes.

Merlin, Aramark, or any sensible business person: absolutely not.

 

[Poisson]

Food in Secret Garden was nice, if pricey. Don't usually venture in so was a nice change on Saturday.

 

[John]

There seem to be many things they could do to improve streamline the discount but as all of them ultimately result in a reduction in revenue it seems they're not particularly enthusiastic about doing any of them

Whilst it's hardly the most exciting or dastardly conspiracy theory out there, I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out they're at least somewhat intentionally making the discount hard to obtain in the hope that some people decide it's not to be worth the effort

 

[djtruefitt]

One of the issues now in the outlets that you can’t use the screens is you have to order at the till to get the discount, most of these outlets have one till, which they don’t man and aren’t keen to open either.

If they made it the same in all their outlets with order screens it would be a pain on busy days for pass holders to order, the likes of burger kitchen, just chicken, corner coffee, etc all only have one order till.

 

[GooseOnTheLoose]

Trading standards, anyone?

 

[rctneil]

I thought the food prices last year were a lot for what you get but I paid out and ate around the park. This year, even more price increases and I am no longer willing to pay. I have visited twice in 2026 so far and both times have not purchased lunch at the park.

I don't mind paying slightly higher than normal prices for food but Alton's prices this year are rediculous so i've been making my point by not buying food there.

May not make a difference to them but there we go. I used to eat at Woodcutters on pretty much every visit and bought a full meal and a pint, no longer. I also refused to buy an £8 pint on my first 26 visit too.

 

[s_g_k]

I thought the food prices last year were a lot for what you get but I paid out and ate around the park. This year, even more price increases and I am no longer willing to pay. I have visited twice in 2026 so far and both times have not purchased lunch at the park.

I don't mind paying slightly higher than normal prices for food but Alton's prices this year are rediculous so i've been making my point by not buying food there.

May not make a difference to them but there we go. I used to eat at Woodcutters on pretty much every visit and bought a full meal and a pint, no longer. I also refused to buy an £8 pint on my first 26 visit too.

We’re the same. Historically we always ate in one of the restaurants, usually Woodcutters, because we felt that it was part of the overall experience. I even used to turn my nose up to bringing in sandwiches and having to carry a rucksack all day. However, for the past 2 years we’ve done just that and now bring our own food in. We usually bring a nice fresh baguette, some cheese and some Philly spread. Far nicer than the nasty Burger Kitchen burgers that feel like you’re eating a used brake pad.

There will be thousands of examples of people switching to picnics for sure.

 

[Aardvark]

Honestly surprised that they haven't tried banning picnics and external food to force people into spending extra on food. Although I doubt the current levels of food service could actually support that volume of guests needing to eat.

 

[Bert2theSpark]

Honestly surprised that they haven't tried banning picnics and external food to force people into spending extra on food. Although I doubt the current levels of food service could actually support that volume of guests needing to eat.

First and foremost that will be a disaster for customer satisfaction scores. It would translate into people being less likely to revisit again, at the expense of profit that doesn’t even directly go to Towers.

There might possibly be the risk of people passing out on rides, causing operational downtime. Whilst I’m confident this isn’t an issue at Pleasure Beach, Blackpool has plenty of food options around the park and easy access to the exit of the park from any point due to it’s small size. This not the case at Towers, and is a sizeable walk to the car, unless they’re in Forbidden Valley.

The food offering at Towers must be strong enough stand against any packed lunch. There have been pockets of good offerings at the park over the years, but when a lot of US/EU parks are moving to an offering where food becomes a core part of the visit (even for Six Flags) then there’s a clear mandate to invest into a stronger offering. That must’ve been part of the theory when outsourcing to Aramark, they could specialise in creating a better food selection, whilst critically not being at the cost of Merlin. Food Street during Mardi Gras was a move towards capturing the street market quality food that Aramark should have cornered. Good street food or sit-down restaurant can blow the water out of even the best meal deal!

 

[Rob F]

We ate at chessingtons Vampire kitchen yesterday….. the experience was aching to something of Gordon Ramsey Kitchen Knightmares


Firstly having to order at the tills no full menu available there are just 4 examples and prices on the wall, leaving you asking constant questions to the server we chose 2 vampire slayer chicken burgers, advised chicken bacon cheese salad …. No price was advised anyhow we order with 2 kids 3 chicken strips meals with the platinum discount was still £50

But we’re unable to provide receipts as there is a park wide shortage of receipt roll

Yes these burger meals are priced at £21 shock

The restaurant was quiet at best but food took about 15 minutes with only 2 orders being sent between us arriving and collecting.

The food was stone cold, I took back and the excuses were endless, manager says everything cooked fresh, so I pointed out the holding equipment/ trays for cooked food to which he tried to deny existed….. anyhow they replaced the food but it was quite contentious when I asked the others customers how long they had waited so far and how many orders had left the kitchen there was approximately 10 staff in the unit.

There was absolutely no atmosphere in this restaurant and is literally 50 shades worse than the McDonalds that was once here…

This is my 3rd Aramark experience this year, none of them have been acceptable quality or service,

I think Aramark seem to think the GP expect the same level of service that they give in HMRC provisions…

 

[GooseOnTheLoose]

I think Aramark seem to think the GP expect the same level of service that they give in HMRC provisions…

It’s a tough life for a General Practitioner having to go to the tax office for their lunch, though I suppose both professions are experts at a cavity search and Aramark's food may assist with the initial evacuation.

 

[Mick]

Had a decent burger and chips from the burger van in Fountain Square last weekend, by decent I don’t mean gourmet or anything, but the sort of burger and chips you’d get at any burger van at any event across the country. £11.20 with annual pass felt like half decent value (comparatively in the modern world) too.

I think there is decent food and okay-ish prices around the park, but there’s also such inconsistency, it seems like a completely incoherent strategy.

 

[BennyBoy]

Had a decent burger and chips from the burger van in Fountain Square last weekend, by decent I don’t mean gourmet or anything, but the sort of burger and chips you’d get at any burger van at any event across the country. £11.20 with annual pass felt like half decent value (comparatively in the modern world) too.

I think there is decent food and okay-ish prices around the park, but there’s also such inconsistency, it seems like a completely incoherent strategy.

The fact a standard butty van burger is now considered decent in this park is ridiculous
The packed lunch will remain supreme.

Never understood why they don't just get some local business in, have them pay for the stall for the year or however long. Then you'd get some competition going every year for the stalls. Its guaranteed business.
Imagine it's because of the extortionate amount Merlin would charge.

(I understand there are a few places round the park like this already).

 

[Mick]

The fact a standard butty van burger is now considered decent in this park is ridiculous
The packed lunch will remain supreme.

Never understood why they don't just get some local business in, have them pay for the stall for the year or however long. Then you'd get some competition going every year for the stalls. Its guaranteed business.
Imagine it's because of the extortionate amount Merlin would charge.

(I understand there are a few places round the park like this already).

It’s what the majority of people want though imo, some no frills reasonably priced warm food. And when saying it was decent, it was more in comparison to the barely edible burger meals that were being reported from the Burger Kitchen last year.

A decent theme park offering should offer a variety of options, but also at a variety of price points, in my opinion, so there’s something for everyone. And for the record I’m still very much a packed lunch man - I just got extra hungry!

 

[GaryH]

I agree that eating in the park should be part of the theme park experience, and something I used to enjoy, but these days I strongly object to poor food, high prices and even worse, self ordering screens/tablets.

If I’m paying £5 for a burger in a fast food outlet (not towers granted) a self service screen is fair enough, but if I’m paying £20 for a sit down burger in a restaurant, I want table service.