• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

  • ⚠️ Online Safety Act Changes

    We've made some changes to the forum as a result of the Online Safety Act. Please check the post in guest services for further information.

Food & Beverage: The Aramark Era begins

Costa have a well established franchise model, it’s why you also see them a lot in Train stations, hospitals etc. companies like compass group are actually operating them (or Aramark in Merlins case), but use the branding, products and equipment supplied by Costa.
 
Costa is part of the modern big business shift of punters drinking less alcohol.
Was owned and expanded by Whitbread (famous for questionable quality keg fizzy beer), then taken over by coca cola.
Another faceless universal high street "brand" trying to kill off originality and uniqueness in the "posh" coffee market.
 
Costa is also a very well known brand within the UK, it is apparently the largest coffee shop in the UK.

this means people know what their favourite drink is and know what quality to expect
I would expect these can help increase sales as people will know about their favourite drinks meaning they may spend more on more expensive drinks
 
Against my better judgement, and driven by sheer desperation, I risked the Earl’s Ancient Enchanted Chained Oak Fries the other day at whatever they’re calling Rita’s Ribs nowadays.

It was a decision I came to immediately regret. The miniscule portion of fries, served in a vessel no larger than a mug of tea, was so devoid of moisture that I began to wonder whether they were indeed the Earl’s fries and had been sat under the heat lamp ever since. The seasoning promised in the description must have been lost in the midst of time since the XVth Earl had left said fries under the heat lamp.

It was a truly unholy alliance of a total lack of both moisture and flavour, housed in the aforementioned mug of despair, for a ridiculous price of £5, or what we worked out to be roughly 20 pence per morsel of shrivelled, flavourless starch.

0 (ara)marks outs of 10 - about what I was expecting.
 
venny said:
Against my better judgement, and driven by sheer desperation, I risked the Earl’s Ancient Enchanted Chained Oak Fries the other day at whatever they’re calling Rita’s Ribs nowadays.

It was a decision I came to immediately regret. The miniscule portion of fries, served in a vessel no larger than a mug of tea, was so devoid of moisture that I began to wonder whether they were indeed the Earl’s fries and had been sat under the heat lamp ever since. The seasoning promised in the description must have been lost in the midst of time since the XVth Earl had left said fries under the heat lamp.

It was a truly unholy alliance of a total lack of both moisture and flavour, housed in the aforementioned mug of despair, for a ridiculous price of £5, or what we worked out to be roughly 20 pence per morsel of shrivelled, flavourless starch.

0 (ara)marks outs of 10 - about what I was expecting.
Click to expand...
If you want food at Towers skip the sit down eateries.

Your best bet is Eastern Express, The Chicken on Forbidden Valley or the Coach House Confectionery
 
Eastern Express is still a good option, since it has nothing whatsoever to do with Aramark.

The chicken place in FV is OK but if like me you cannot have the chicken strips, attempting to eat sticky wings out of a cardboard tray with blunt wooden cutlery is basically impossible, even at a picnic table. If you're not able to get a table you can absolutely forget it!

Coach house doesn't do any savoury food at all so is useless for meals.
 
venny said:
Against my better judgement, and driven by sheer desperation, I risked the Earl’s Ancient Enchanted Chained Oak Fries the other day at whatever they’re calling Rita’s Ribs nowadays.

It was a decision I came to immediately regret. The miniscule portion of fries, served in a vessel no larger than a mug of tea, was so devoid of moisture that I began to wonder whether they were indeed the Earl’s fries and had been sat under the heat lamp ever since. The seasoning promised in the description must have been lost in the midst of time since the XVth Earl had left said fries under the heat lamp.

It was a truly unholy alliance of a total lack of both moisture and flavour, housed in the aforementioned mug of despair, for a ridiculous price of £5, or what we worked out to be roughly 20 pence per morsel of shrivelled, flavourless starch.

0 (ara)marks outs of 10 - about what I was expecting.
Click to expand...
What did they say when you sent them back?
 
How long does Aramark have the contract for? They could do with ending it early and and then letting franchises in like Gregg's, subway etc. Coffee Corner is terrible now with the kiosk, massive queues today and one isn't working. If they want to go that way why not build it in the app that you can order.

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ash
karl.stubbs said:
If they want to go that way why not build it in the app that you can order.
Click to expand...
I imagine it’s a data storage and protection issue. If users are creating an account to purchase goods from both Aramark and Merlin in a single location - who holds, and is responsible for, the data?

The alternative is a separate F&B app for AT or Merlin sites, wholly operated and maintained by Aramark. But users won’t be as keen to download 2 apps for the day.

Aramark do have an app for their defence side of their business, which allows food ordering from multiple outlets across multiple sites - so, a Merlin Food app would be feasible. It’s just whether Merlin/Aramark thinks it’s a worthwhile investment - they’ve got a captive, if not satisfied customer base, without the additional cost of app dev.
 
GooseOnTheLoose said:
You've never been to my local Gregg's. Similar set up and a single staff member working.

I do not want to see franchises at theme parks. I go for escapism. If I want chains, I will go to my local shopping mall or airport.
Click to expand...

Heh, just reminded me of the Disney fan reactions when they first brought in Starbucks to the actual parks.

#WaltWouldNever
 
Benzin said:
Heh, just reminded me of the Disney fan reactions when they first brought in Starbucks to the actual parks.

#WaltWouldNever
Click to expand...
It’s so bizarre they went off like that. We’re talking about Walt, the guy who got corporate sponsors for every ride on opening day 😂

Franchises are fine. Towers has them before successfully, there’s 0 reason they can’t have them again successfully. In fact, the franchises offer an implicit guarantee of quality Aramark can’t provide. Let’s have them back please.
 
rob666 said:
Food was better when there were decent brands, all those years ago.
But progress, and profits.
Click to expand...

I used to love a succulent Zinger Tower Burger, followed by a Dairy Milk McFlurry whilst enjoying the views on Skyride.
The branded outlets were peak catering at the park I think, you generally knew what you were getting, at high street prices.

Sure, it was fast food, but for the most time, consistent quality.

I paid upwards of £4 (I think) for a 99 soft serve ice cream in TS the other week. The ice cream tasted rubbish, it had the crystallised texture to it, where the mix has accidentally been left to defrost after already being frozen at least once already. The flake also tasted like the cheapest chocolate known to man.

It is hard to mess up an ice cream, they manage it amazingly however.
 
Last edited:
rob666 said:
The zinger tower was indeed the correct choice.
Incredibly fast service in the huge McD's as well, even in peak times.
Click to expand...

The best known to man, although I am not sure on the recent change from mayonnaise and salsa to supercharger sauce. Still a decent burger, but it was a downgrade for sure.

Would love to see these back at towers, it will never happen though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top