Dave
TS Founding Member
You have the example of outsourcing sort of improving things in your own post, McDonalds. They delivered predictable quality at least.
McDonald’s was franchised not outsourced.
You have the example of outsourcing sort of improving things in your own post, McDonalds. They delivered predictable quality at least.
But from what I heard the staff were not employed by Alton Towers?McDonald’s was franchised not outsourced.
But from what I heard the staff were not employed by Alton Towers?
Aramark are an unknown quantity for the majority of guests so the only brand at risk is Alton Towers, and for some reason Merlin don’t seem to be worried about that at the moment. Now whether there are contractual triggers that Merlin can use if the quality/ price starts to cause them serious issue is hard to say at the moment, but Merlin have shown no real evidence that they have any problem with the poor guest satisfaction they seem to be getting for food (if trip advisor is anything to go by anyway).
Do Aramark own any recognisable brands that we might see pop up in the parks? Can't see anything online that suggests they do, but that seems odd for such a huge catering company.
Do Aramark own any recognisable brands that we might see pop up in the parks? Can't see anything online that suggests they do, but that seems odd for such a huge catering company.
Which I think is the glass half empty view. The counter to that is that if you don't have another brand to hide behind, you're incentivised to provide a good service. Merlin for the reasons that you outlined - they don't want the hassle of running F&B so outsourcing it for better outcomes is entirely sensible. Aramark are a huge organisation who want to grow, Merlin have a bunch of properties all over the world that they can expand in to if they get these sites right.In all seriousness no I don’t think they do, and that’s the point, any reputation damage that may or may not occur will be on the resorts themselves rather than a food brand unlike the days of McD’s.
Which I think is the glass half empty view. The counter to that is that if you don't have another brand to hide behind, you're incentivised to provide a good service. Merlin for the reasons that you outlined - they don't want the hassle of running F&B so outsourcing it for better outcomes is entirely sensible. Aramark are a huge organisation who want to grow, Merlin have a bunch of properties all over the world that they can expand in to if they get these sites right.
It's in no-one's best interest for this to fail ... I wouldn't mind if we were about to lose some sort of culinary nirvana, but what's there now is pretty poor. Yes it could worsen (somehow?), but it could get a whole lot better ... Let's see how it goes.
Further premature moaning should result in the moaner being locked up at His Majesty's Pleasure and forced to eat Aramark gruel until opening day.
I've only eaten at Thorpe and Chessington this year and I thought it was fine, personally - I'm not expecting it to be different.Again I would agree with you if the evidence at Thorpe, Chessington and Lego didn’t suggest otherwise. Why are we thinking Towers will be different?
Wrong! They were what Tussauds called a "brand partner". Tussauds signed 10yr deal with the 3 brand partners (McD's, KFC & Pizza Hut). All Tussauds did was rent the units out to the relevant company - it was then up to them how they staffed them. The 3 McD's were definitely run in-house by McD's UK. They were also well known for having a reputation as being some of the worst 3 McD's in the UK. Food quality was variable at best & the staff were generally rude. It got to the point where a few years into the 10yr deal Tussauds gave McD's a list of staff where were no longer to be employed in the Towers units. Remember: if a guest gets poor service anywhere at Towers, in their mind "it's Towers who were rubbish" & they would tell other about their experience. The behind-the-scenes operating arrangement / agreement of any food outlet is if no interest to your average guest.McDonald’s was franchised not outsourced.
Wrong!
Two chocolate donuts for a quid was the common "breakfast" back in the day on TTF meets (or kebabs - RIP) .I do remember eventually avoiding the FV Maccies as the staff in there in one period of time came across as they hated you for bothering them by asking them to make you some food . I would usually then instead go to the big one by Toyland/Charlie or the little one near the Flume.
Overall I quite liked the Maccies offering jn general as you knew the ballpark quality and type of food you were getting, and the prices weren't too outrageous. I would happily have them back. My use of the parks catering has dwindled over the years due to the product/pricing to the point where last season was the first time I didn't buy any food and drink at all (maybe the season before too).
I apologise. No offence was intended. "Not quite correct" would have been more appropriate.Little immature don’t you think, I did say in the below post that I wasn’t 100% sure. By all means say someone is incorrect but there’s a classy way and a none classy way.
Hmm, it's a "yes & no" on this one.The big problem with Aramark is as a general visitor at towers you wouldn’t know Aramark run food and drink, other than the card reader saying Aramark and the receipt saying Aramark. But the staff all wear towers uniform, the branding is all towers, the units will all look the same etc
So if anything goes wrong then it the reputation of towers which suffers and not Aramark.
You often see it will picsolve when people moan on twitter about photos not working etc, even when towers direct them to picsolve you see them kicking off at towers.
At least with a known brand like McDonald’s etc, then if you’ve got issues you know who they are.