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Food & Beverage: The Aramark Era begins

Spark said:
Agree the delivery orders take the pi$$. When you want just a burger and fries yet there are 15 orders and you can see the chute is full is most annoying.

Also anyone who has been to a drive through will probably have been told to go wait, the spaces of waiting normally have 3 cars in them so it blocks the entire drive thru up
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I have the misfortune of getting my dad a McDonald’s once a week and it’s a truly miserable experience.

I’ve tried every way to expedite the process. I’m lightning on the touch screen so if it’s busy I can get my order in before most people but typically to no avail. I’ve tried all times of the day, from 6am onwards. Drive thru was the slowest, like you say there’s the car queue, then the waiting in the congested car park debacle so ordering inside is definitely quicker.

There’s usually only one member of front facing staff too so they’ll be dealing with the goons trying to pay in cash or complaining about the wait/missing drive thru order and thus delaying everyone else.

At best it’ll be a 5 minute wait but often it’s close to 20 minutes. There’s a supermarket next door so I always order then go do his shopping and I’ve never returned to find said order ready.
 
I'm old enough to remember thirty years of fast food that was actually fast.
All through my twenties, thirties and forties.
This is progress...just not for the punter.
 
Bowser said:
I have the misfortune of getting my dad a McDonald’s once a week and it’s a truly miserable experience.

I’ve tried every way to expedite the process. I’m lightning on the touch screen so if it’s busy I can get my order in before most people but typically to no avail. I’ve tried all times of the day, from 6am onwards. Drive thru was the slowest, like you say there’s the car queue, then the waiting in the congested car park debacle so ordering inside is definitely quicker.

There’s usually only one member of front facing staff too so they’ll be dealing with the goons trying to pay in cash or complaining about the wait/missing drive thru order and thus delaying everyone else.

At best it’ll be a 5 minute wait but often it’s close to 20 minutes. There’s a supermarket next door so I always order then go do his shopping and I’ve never returned to find said order ready.
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Why are they a goon for paying in cash?!

Why don't you use the app? Order on that and when you arrive at the restaurant, check in and then all you have to do is wait for your food. If you arrive in your car, you just have to park in a designated bay and a staff member will bring it out to you, you don't even have to go through the drive through.

Back on topic, and I remember during covid when you could order online on your phone for Just Chicken - I wonder if they'll bring that back any time soon? (not Covid, I mean the online ordering!)
 
We seem to be drifting somewhat from food and Aramark at Alton Towers....!

To try and bring things back on topic, food options at Thorpe Park (also Aramark) are so much better than Alton Towers. There is a huge variety of options, and food in VIBES is really good (relatively) and extremely well priced. I was able to enjoy sausage and mash, with 3 sausages and some veg, for under £9 after MAP discount.

I would love to see more varied food options at Alton Towers, but it just doesn't seem to be happening.
 
Rob said:
We seem to be drifting somewhat from food and Aramark at Alton Towers....!

To try and bring things back on topic, food options at Thorpe Park (also Aramark) are so much better than Alton Towers. There is a huge variety of options, and food in VIBES is really good (relatively) and extremely well priced. I was able to enjoy sausage and mash, with 3 sausages and some veg, for under £9 after MAP discount.

I would love to see more varied food options at Alton Towers, but it just doesn't seem to be happening.
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I remain surprised that they haven't turfed out Eastern Express at Towers. Their contract must be ironclad to have not been Aramarked out of existence yet. Maybe because they're Halal and Aramark are too incompetent to manage that?
 
dave___ said:
I remain surprised that they haven't turfed out Eastern Express at Towers. Their contract must be ironclad to have not been Aramarked out of existence yet. Maybe because they're Halal and Aramark are too incompetent to manage that?
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I seem to remember reading on here a while back that even basic food options like gluten free were giving Aramark problems at Towers (think they temporarily suspended GF options in the Burger Kitchen). If this is the case, religious dietary requirements will give them a headache.

Also agree that Eastern Express' contract must be absolutely watertight, or they would have been out.
 
AT86 said:
Dining plans have been launched for short break guests, currently only bookable during the summer period:

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Seems odd that you can't do Rollercoaster Restaurant for dinner on any of the plan levels? Also no Freestyle refill cup?

Otherwise not sure if there would be massive savings to be had, but some people do like to know they have budgeted the full cost of the weekend away.
At a guess for the £50 package, £12 for Burger Kitchen, £7 donuts and drink and then the £31 left is the two courses at Secret Garden, seems about right.
 
jon81uk said:
Seems odd that you can't do Rollercoaster Restaurant for dinner on any of the plan levels? Also no Freestyle refill cup?

Otherwise not sure if there would be massive savings to be had, but some people do like to know they have budgeted the full cost of the weekend away.
At a guess for the £50 package, £12 for Burger Kitchen, £7 donuts and drink and then the £31 left is the two courses at Secret Garden, seems about right.
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They don't even try anymore do they

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That £90 package is.. a painful price but does include RCR
 
I must be old, I couldn't eat that much in a day. Assuming you get breakfast at your hotel, then if you go for the ultimate plan you can have lunch at rollercoaster restaurant, 10 doughnuts and then a 3 course evening meal 🤢.
 
TPick said:
I must be old, I couldn't eat that much in a day. Assuming you get breakfast at your hotel, then if you go for the ultimate plan you can have lunch at rollercoaster restaurant, 10 doughnuts and then a 3 course evening meal 🤢.
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I could just about manage the £50 plan as that's two meals, treat and drink. Any more than that I agree does seem a bit mad but I suppose they are targeting the draw of being indulgent aren't they.

I can just feel my liver crying out for some fruit at the thought of all those doughnuts and fizzy drinks though.

e: I like the wording that you only get a "tasty" lunch with the ultimate package.
 
dave___ said:
e: I like the wording that you only get a "tasty" lunch with the ultimate package.
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Yeah, I’m guessing the cost of the Ultimate package factors in them having to bus food in from elsewhere if they’re promising it’ll be ‘tasty’

I know. Claws. 😆
 
They are deluded. Rather than address the poor food and drink reviews online and fix the actual problem as to why sales are down, they introduce this….

If the food quality was good people wouldn’t be taking their own stuff into the park and especially wouldn’t need to order food into the hotels at night!

I can’t see many people buying these packages.
 
GaryH said:
They are deluded. Rather than address the poor food and drink reviews online and fix the actual problem as to why sales are down, they introduce this….

If the food quality was good people wouldn’t be taking their own stuff into the park and especially wouldn’t need to order food into the hotels at night!

I can’t see many people buying these packages.
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I think the idea of it being "full board" is good in principle. But yet again they are charging Disney prices for a product that doesn't justify it.

I look forward to someone getting the ultimate package and then being unable to get a table in RCR to use it
 
GaryH said:
They are deluded. Rather than address the poor food and drink reviews online and fix the actual problem as to why sales are down, they introduce this….

If the food quality was good people wouldn’t be taking their own stuff into the park and especially wouldn’t need to order food into the hotels at night!

I can’t see many people buying these packages.
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I think it may be a last ditch attempt to get more food sales before ditching Aramark because changing company might be expensive especially if its within a contract
 
Why are the dining plans referring the Burger Kitchen as being in Cloud Cuckoo Land - an area of the park that hasn’t existed for 5 years?

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The park map labels it as being in the area of ‘The Towers’.

This is just going to unnecessarily confuse guests, no?

Also, including a picture of the BK in Mutiny Bay which isn’t included in the deal is also adding more confusion!

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TPick said:
I must be old, I couldn't eat that much in a day. Assuming you get breakfast at your hotel, then if you go for the ultimate plan you can have lunch at rollercoaster restaurant, 10 doughnuts and then a 3 course evening meal 🤢.
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If its the first day and you are staying that night, most people won't have had hotel breakfast. On my last trip we had Greggs breakfast on the way to the park, Burger Kitchen lunch and then two course dinner. So the package seems normal really.
 
AT86 said:
Dining plans have been launched for short break guests, currently only bookable during the summer period:

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£70 for one person for a day…

It is absolutely batshit mental, but this is where their stupid MAP policy has got them.

They’re continuously backing themselves into corners they can’t get out of.

On top of the fact the food itself, service and surroundings are utter garbage.

I am at the point now where I honestly think Merlin are incapable of operating a modern theme park for a reasonable standard.

Alton Towers should be at the levels of similar parks around Europe in terms of attractions/lands, accommodation, food & drink and entertainment. Compared to Efteling, Europa Park, Phantasialand, Parc Asterix, Port Aventura it is utterly miles away.
 
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