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2018: General Discussion

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Rick said:
With the closed food and beverage outlets, are people of the opinion that Alton/Merlin are leaving money on the table, or do you think that people gravitate to the outlets that are open and there is no real impact in terms of revenue, just an increase in margin.

Yesterday we got drinks on Towers Street, donuts from Nemices (both without any wait) and got dinner in Flambo's - which was really good in terms of quality and value - I like the pizza options, but if that's not your bag I can understand that you may miss the previous offering.
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Can't talk in general but I known I'm not generally that fussed about getting something to eat, if I'm doing laps on Wickerman I'm not going out of my way for a burger, so they are loosing out.
I wouldn't be surprised if lazyness means people just go "oh IL get something later".

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ihaveaspergers said:
Can't talk in general but I known I'm not generally that fussed about getting something to eat, if I'm doing laps on Wickerman I'm not going out of my way for a burger, so they are loosing out.
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If you're doing laps on Wicker Man there is a burger joint next to the ride.

ihaveaspergers said:
I wouldn't be surprised if lazyness means people just go "oh IL get something later".
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Yeah, I guess that's my point. Are people saying they'll get something 'later' and literally not eating until they leave the park, or are they waiting until the next time they pass an open eatery - which, even with the closed outlets - you don't have to walk too far, the only one that really makes me scratch my head is Burger Kitchen in FV, you can't really get a meal in that area of the park.

Plus, for what it's worth, I'd be interested to know how much the success of MAP and the season pass have harmed F&B sales. If people are using those passes and coming to the park more frequently, (and in some cases for less time), I don't think that helps F&B to thrive because it really changes their purchasing habits in that space.
 
Rick said:
If you're doing laps on Wicker Man there is a burger joint next to the ride.


Yeah, I guess that's my point. Are people saying they'll get something 'later' and literally not eating until they leave the park, or are they waiting until the next time they pass an open eatery - which, even with the closed outlets - you don't have to walk too far, the only one that really makes me scratch my head is Burger Kitchen in FV, you can't really get a meal in that area of the park.

Plus, for what it's worth, I'd be interested to know how much the success of MAP and the season pass have harmed F&B sales. If people are using those passes and coming to the park more frequently, (and in some cases for less time), I don't think that helps F&B to thrive because it really changes their purchasing habits in that space.
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Does that actually ever open on time?

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I wonder how much it would cost to develop a quencher refill machine that couldn't be messed with.

Swipe barcode, clear door opens, cup in, clear door closes, squirt of water, flip it upside down, turn it round, fill it up with choice of beverage, door ooens, take cup, door closes.

Not only would it stop requiring staff, reduce retail unit queues, you'd get better monitoring of number of drinks taken. Could take contactless for annual pass cups too.

Could go with a simpler outward facing fountain (like subway, nandos ect) but there is a chance people will mess around with it more than a more automated system.

Queues for quenchers can be really ludicrous.
 
Lurker said:
I wonder how much it would cost to develop a quencher refill machine that couldn't be messed with.

Swipe barcode, clear door opens, cup in, clear door closes, squirt of water, flip it upside down, turn it round, fill it up with choice of beverage, door ooens, take cup, door closes.

Not only would it stop requiring staff, reduce retail unit queues, you'd get better monitoring of number of drinks taken. Could take contactless for annual pass cups too.

Could go with a simpler outward facing fountain (like subway, nandos ect) but there is a chance people will mess around with it more than a more automated system.

Queues for quenchers can be really ludicrous.
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I suppose they could add something onto a coke freestyle type machine with ease, after all they do have network connectivity.

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Lurker said:
Also, re: MAP F&B, as my entry is much much cheaper I've bought more merch and food/drink than I ever did as a day customer.

I imagine other people feel the same way, encouraged by 20% discount.
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That's the theory behind it, Merlin have really pushed in their investor information how good they are with secondary spend. I just wonder if that translates across demographics.

If you're a hard up family who has spotted the £55 deal and concluded "That's our summer sorted", I wonder if a trip to the park is then seen as a way to have a very cheap/free day out and secondary spending is reduced to car parking and perhaps a drink each.

GaryH said:
Flambos... Quality and value are words not usually found in the same sentence. You were lucky my friend!
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Haha! I was a little nervous at the prospect myself, but it was really great. The pizza and lasagne were really good - and noticeably different than Explorers - it's not the same stuff. There were some sauces that looked like they had been sat for a while, so we ignored those. We whored up the drinks (usual postmix + fruit juices) and the desserts were pretty great too.

They still won't serve you a beer though, you have to go up to Ma's and bring it down, which seems odd. It's not banned in the venue but they won't help you get one.
 
No, it couldn't possibly. Any reasonably thrifty family would bring their own drinks and food. It's cheap, you don't need to queue for it and you're prepared as soon as the kids start moaning to nip it in the bud. It only makes sense!

Sure maybe you buy something extra now and again, an ice cream which are hard to bring your own maybe.

I don't really know how secondary spend works on the business side, are they hoping to make to make back gate price? Or is a few pounds each, each visit good enough? Do a few 'whales' make up for the thirfty?
 
Rick said:
That's the theory behind it, Merlin have really pushed in their investor information how good they are with secondary spend. I just wonder if that translates across demographics.

If you're a hard up family who has spotted the £55 deal and concluded "That's our summer sorted", I wonder if a trip to the park is then seen as a way to have a very cheap/free day out and secondary spending is reduced to car parking and perhaps a drink each.


Haha! I was a little nervous at the prospect myself, but it was really great. The pizza and lasagne were really good - and noticeably different than Explorers - it's not the same stuff. There were some sauces that looked like they had been sat for a while, so we ignored those. We whored up the drinks (usual postmix + fruit juices) and the desserts were pretty great too.

They still won't serve you a beer though, you have to go up to Ma's and bring it down, which seems odd. It's not banned in the venue but they won't help you get one.
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When did this stupid beer policy start? Not are in flambos for a while as last time it was just plain disgusting, but could always wash it down with Stella!

Is it still basically pizza and pasta dishes then?
 
Poopoohead said:
Is it still basically pizza and pasta dishes then?
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Yeah, pretty much. Lasagne and the like too. There were three choices of dessert

We left the park by the Galactica gate at about 17:10 and went straight there, everything was fresh and although it was quiet when we arrived, it began to busy up by the time we were leaving and the water park was emptying. I'd be interested to see how the quality changes throughout the course of the evening (it shouldn't... but I've seen that happen before, particularly in Temple at Chessington - if you arrive post 8pm they look like they're ready for home).
 
They were doing the beer thing last year as well when the pizza pasta first started in Flambos. And no, the staff wont go and get you one either, you have to go and get it yourself. They also never cleared our table while were there. To call it a restaurant would have been a bit of an understatement, and our experience of the food was pretty dire.
 
With a 4pm Ride Close and rides not opening proper until 11am - 12 if I was visiting then i'd honestly grab a McDonald's Breakfast on the way and a meal on the way home in one of those hungry Horse type places.

I don't think the Big eateries are that important but I think those little kiosks particularly KC need to be open. They are making a great markup on those choccy bars and crisps and it only costs 1 member of staff and a bit of leccy
 
Drinks fountain by toilets at Towers Street SBNO.

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