That's exactly what I've been doing for the last few seasons
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2018: General Discussion
That's exactly what I've been doing for the last few seasons
Graham73
TS Member
This season on off peak visits we have been to Waitrose at Uttoxeter for a very filling breakfast, taken sandwiches into the park and then gone back to Waitrose for some tea.
On such short opening hours we don't want to waste time in the catering outlets at Alton Towers and it works well with the 4pm finish as heading straight back to the M6 to head back to Bolton is not a good idea!!
venny
TS Member
In previous years we would ALWAYS eat on park. It was part of the experience for us to have some food and a few beers.
Now though the lack of choice and insane queues for anything that is open means we we either eat before/after the park or bring our own.
So to answer the question of whether Merlin are leaving money on the table, in our particular circumstance at least the answer is a resounding yes.
Moreover Merlin park’s have gotten so bad at F&B generally, they are the only parks we ever even consider either taking our own food or eating elsewhere.
Now though the lack of choice and insane queues for anything that is open means we we either eat before/after the park or bring our own.
So to answer the question of whether Merlin are leaving money on the table, in our particular circumstance at least the answer is a resounding yes.
Moreover Merlin park’s have gotten so bad at F&B generally, they are the only parks we ever even consider either taking our own food or eating elsewhere.
Ditto, except for that I never eat on park unless its a late night like scarefest or fireworks
same here and I only eat from the third party burger van.Ditto, except for that I never eat on park unless its a late night like scarefest or fireworks
Alsty
TS Member
I always have breakfast en route to the park. For lunch pick up a snack from the place by Welcom-inn (chicken wraps ) and then in the evening usually eat in the hotel. I used to like the buffet at Flambos when it was prepared by real chefs but since they watered it down I've not been back. Last visit I went RCR which was good but too expensive to do every time.
Probably the only grub place on park that I'd say is ok is Woodcutters.
It sounds like I'm bucking the trend by eating at the resort, but it's too late if I don't have something before I leave.
) and then in the evening usually eat in the hotel. I used to like the buffet at Flambos when it was prepared by real chefs but since they watered it down I've not been back. Last visit I went RCR which was good but too expensive to do every time. Probably the only grub place on park that I'd say is ok is Woodcutters.
It sounds like I'm bucking the trend by eating at the resort, but it's too late if I don't have something before I leave.
Robert.W
TS Member
Mmm. Eating at Towers...
Cloud Cuckoo Land Burger Kitchen is somewhere I would absolutely never again eat at. The food looked like it hadn't been cooked properly and the customer service was disgusting. Cleanliness also seems to be an issue here. As a value option, Burger Kitchen should be ideal, especially for groups of kids / teens looking for a quick bite to eat and a sit down, but the concerning lack of quality not just with the food, but the service as well, makes it pretty bad value really. Would not recommend.
Towers Street Bar and Grill was not that great at all. Again, the food was rather bland and boring, not particularly appetising really. None of us finished our meals. The place was really dated, and looked like it needed a good clean. Not exactly very impressive. Wouldn't recommend.
Explorers Pizza Pasta Buffet was another I'd never ever do again. Absolutely not. First of all, this place is just so expensive. Cost our group of four forty quid to eat here. And what we got was nothing short of terrible. Extremely bad value. Soggy pizza, tough garlic bread. Didn't dare try the pasta myself. There was just no quality whatsoever. Might have been to do with the rushing around by the chefs to restock the buffet, but at the end of the day, it shouldn't impact on the quality – they should just hire more chefs! Would not recommend.
Woodcutters Bar and Grill was another that we found to be surprisingly bad. It first started with the customer service. Nothing short of shocking. We must have waited nearly half an hour just to place our order, which then took another forty five minutes to arrive. And it wasn't worth the wait, that's for certain. Not cooked properly and pretty bland tasting. Thank god we were sat directly next to one of their iPads, so we left a review. Would not recommend.
Mutiny Bay Eastern Express is fairly average. It used to be our go to snack location, but there seemed to be a significant drop in the quality when we went there earlier this year, so we likely won't be returning sadly.
The only place I'd eat inside the park now is the Rollercoaster Restaurant, which whilst expensive, at least it can provide a quality experience all round, so in reality, actually feels like the best value option when compared to the other on-park options. Usually we leave the park and go to the Crooked Spoon becasue of how terrible we've found the on-park offerings to be. There are some pretty big issues that they need to address... I've literally had more negative dining experiences whilst on-park than positive ones.
Cloud Cuckoo Land Burger Kitchen is somewhere I would absolutely never again eat at. The food looked like it hadn't been cooked properly and the customer service was disgusting. Cleanliness also seems to be an issue here. As a value option, Burger Kitchen should be ideal, especially for groups of kids / teens looking for a quick bite to eat and a sit down, but the concerning lack of quality not just with the food, but the service as well, makes it pretty bad value really. Would not recommend.
Towers Street Bar and Grill was not that great at all. Again, the food was rather bland and boring, not particularly appetising really. None of us finished our meals. The place was really dated, and looked like it needed a good clean. Not exactly very impressive. Wouldn't recommend.
Explorers Pizza Pasta Buffet was another I'd never ever do again. Absolutely not. First of all, this place is just so expensive. Cost our group of four forty quid to eat here. And what we got was nothing short of terrible. Extremely bad value. Soggy pizza, tough garlic bread. Didn't dare try the pasta myself. There was just no quality whatsoever. Might have been to do with the rushing around by the chefs to restock the buffet, but at the end of the day, it shouldn't impact on the quality – they should just hire more chefs! Would not recommend.
Woodcutters Bar and Grill was another that we found to be surprisingly bad. It first started with the customer service. Nothing short of shocking. We must have waited nearly half an hour just to place our order, which then took another forty five minutes to arrive. And it wasn't worth the wait, that's for certain. Not cooked properly and pretty bland tasting. Thank god we were sat directly next to one of their iPads, so we left a review. Would not recommend.
Mutiny Bay Eastern Express is fairly average. It used to be our go to snack location, but there seemed to be a significant drop in the quality when we went there earlier this year, so we likely won't be returning sadly.
The only place I'd eat inside the park now is the Rollercoaster Restaurant, which whilst expensive, at least it can provide a quality experience all round, so in reality, actually feels like the best value option when compared to the other on-park options. Usually we leave the park and go to the Crooked Spoon becasue of how terrible we've found the on-park offerings to be. There are some pretty big issues that they need to address... I've literally had more negative dining experiences whilst on-park than positive ones.
Don't have a MAP anymore, so no need.
MaxPower
TS Member
As much as I'm not a fan of the fast food chains, at least when they were at the park you knew what to expect and it was reasonably priced.
At the moment it seems like you're gambling with the possibility of incredibly slow, agonising service or contracting E. coli from one of the 'mystery meat' burgers / hot dogs; all at a premium.
I always felt a Subway or similar would've worked at the park, if they could run it efficiently, which at this time seems unlikely.
At the moment it seems like you're gambling with the possibility of incredibly slow, agonising service or contracting E. coli from one of the 'mystery meat' burgers / hot dogs; all at a premium.
I always felt a Subway or similar would've worked at the park, if they could run it efficiently, which at this time seems unlikely.
Poopoohead
TS Member
Best meal you can have at towers at th minute unfortunately!
Rick
TS Member
We've had good and bad times in Explorers - I think it's inconsistent, but when it's good, it's pretty good! The last time we were there, we ate at 4pm or so, perhaps just before. Most of the crockery/pizza slices had vast amounts of congealed cheese on them, which was not particularly appetising.
In terms of value, all you can eat food and drink for a tenner is cheap. That's not to say it's cheap if the quality sucks, but as a concept I'm on board with that for a tenner. Like I said, sometimes it's been great, other times not so much - it doesn't suffer from the Pizza Hut buffet syndrome where they seemingly can't make it quick enough for the folks in the restaurant (or choose not to...).
Would certainly reiterate with regards to Flambos, we had a great time there last weekend.
Matt N
TS Member
Um... is it only me who's never found the Alton food to be anywhere near bad? OK, the EV breakfast in July 2017 was a bit mediocre, but I've never found any of Alton's food to be awful! The RCR was lovely in July 2017 and my whole family really liked the Secret Garden in March 2018!
ATV
TS Member
I love the food! However i was at the WC and the chicken was hardly cooked, and i has sever stomach ache and went home. I don't recommend WC anymore.