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Food & Beverage: The Aramark Era begins

Craig said:
Getting ad revenue from you personally isn't what they want, sure it's just one comment, but what if 40+ others decide to do the same? As an example, say those 40 enthusiasts comment on a "Coaster stuck for an hour" post with reasoned arguments in response to those "xx park is so dangerous" comments. You may not click through and read the article with the ads, but those comments bump the post up in your friend's newsfeeds and the wider algorithm, increasing exposure of that article and thus their website to potentially thousands of others. They're the people that will click through to the article and be exposed to their ads.

But anyway, getting back to the main topic again. It's been fascinating to see just how much this story spread considering it first cropped up on here weeks ago. I doubt it's going to be bringing in immediate wider changes just yet. But, it should serve as a warning shot that there's potentially going to be a bit more of an eye on presentation standards at Alton Towers this year as that breakfast pic will be in people's minds. Only takes a dodgy dry burger to be sent into the papers to start a whole other cycle of press coverage.
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I don't comment on social posts at all actually - I'm too involved with the place to say anything with my real name attached to it lol.

You're absolutely right with this being a warning shot though. The press love to build a wider story around something and if others start to come forward with their own experiences and photo evidence they'll have a field day. Somebody somewhere within Merlin and Aramark will know how these things can spiral, and I really hope it'll stay fresh in their minds as we start the new season.
 
Dont worry they issued a statement that tree house guests will now be given a continental breakfast hamper, but can get a hot breakfast at the restaurant……. Basically they have removed the breakfast room service offer from the £££ treehouses…
 
Rob F said:
Dont worry they issued a statement that tree house guests will now be given a continental breakfast hamper, but can get a hot breakfast at the restaurant……. Basically they have removed the breakfast room service offer from the £££ treehouses…
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I mean, imagine being the chef on duty that morning - "You made a room service breakfast so bad that we're never going to make one ever again!"
 
Benzin said:
Not friendly to the staff though.
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As someone has worked for spoons in the past. This is categorically not true. The papers seem to hate him.

Infact, Weatherspoons published a magazine last year highlighting all the untrue things the press said about him and his business, and the subsequent apologies they had to make for it being untrue. Made for a long read as there were loads.
 
A Spoons breakfast is usually okay. Not going to blow you away but nice enough.

Towers breakfast was almost inedible last time. I will eat nearly anything but I left some of it.
 
AT86 said:
The fact some people are willing for Wetherspoons to take over food service as it would be an improvement goes to show how bad things must have become.
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Wetherspoons becoming unofficial catering supplier to BPB has markedly improved the food experience there.

(Although in fairness I never had a bad experience of breakfast at The Big Blue, back in the days it wasn't £17.95 each!)
 
AT86 said:
The fact some people are willing for Wetherspoons to take over food service as it would be an improvement goes to show how bad things must have become.
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Bit of food snobbery there.
The spoons quality may not be top notch, but compared to standards of most theme park food I have eaten in this country, it is far superior.
And can I say...again...the food standards at the Towers have been poor overall for decades...excepting previous decent offers in the hotels and Woodcutters.
 
DistortAMG said:
As someone has worked for spoons in the past. This is categorically not true. The papers seem to hate him.

Infact, Weatherspoons published a magazine last year highlighting all the untrue things the press said about him and his business, and the subsequent apologies they had to make for it being untrue. Made for a long read as there were loads.
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Wetherspoons themselves published a magazine stating anything negative said about them or Tim Martin is categorically untrue eh?

Funny that really. No smoke without fire though and he has somewhat gone off the deep end in recent years.
 
rob666 said:
Bit of food snobbery there.
The spoons quality may not be top notch, but compared to standards of most theme park food I have eaten in this country, it is far superior.
And can I say...again...the food standards at the Towers have been poor overall for decades...excepting previous decent offers in the hotels and Woodcutters.
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I wasn’t specifically referencing food quality @rob666.

If Spoons and their Boris loving Tory party and Brexit funding, morally bankrupt owner who threw his staff and suppliers under the bus during covid are seen as an improvement over having Aramark in charge. Then things must be pretty poor indeed.
 
Well aware of the bosses background and political matters, but if we avoided every right leaning business in the world, we would all starve to death very quickly.
I have heard a large number of positive reports from spoons staff directly about the work.
Back on topic, Spoons would never happen within Merlin, because of the captive audience, selling cheap and value is never going to be on the cards.
 
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Whilst Wetherspoons is not fine-dining (they don't claim to be either) in the main their food "does what it says on the tin" & the beer is well-kept and competitively priced. Sure, you do not visit a theme park and expect 'Spoons type pricing on the F&B offer, but the fact that 'Spoons can deliver over about 850 sites in the UK says something.

I know a few of the staff at my local 'Spoons & they are in the main very positive on their view of the company - some of them have been there a long time too. Yes, in furlough Tim Martin did make "that" Tesco comment, which the press took out of context. He was actually saying that is furloughed staff wanted to find a temporary job elsewhere, then he was OK with it & their underlying job at Wetherspoon would remain theirs when the pubs could reopen.

Merlin are really going round in circles on the F&B front (particularly within the parks). Pre 1998 we had the in-house offer which was not brilliant. Then 10yrs of brand partners, followed by a few years of Burger King. Then all bought back in-house [Eastern Express excepted] and the quality was not good (slight exception in the case of Woodcutters & RCR). Now it's all been outsourced to drive down costs and quality. They will get their fingers burned on social media for sure.
 
Benzin said:
Not friendly to the staff though.

I'd expect slightly better quality than Wetherspoons breakfast from Towers mind.
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From what’s been seen so far I think Wetherspoons might offer better pay than Aramark. They are both minimum wage employers really. Same as most pub chains.
 
Kraken27 said:
Merlin are really going round in circles on the F&B front (particularly within the parks). Pre 1998 we had the in-house offer which was not brilliant. Then 10yrs of brand partners, followed by a few years of Burger King. Then all bought back in-house [Eastern Express excepted] and the quality was not good (slight exception in the case of Woodcutters & RCR). Now it's all been outsourced to drive down costs and quality. They will get their fingers burned on social media for sure.
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The initial years of AT trying to improve their food offering was an improvement, Rita’s ribs was better than the takeaway place it replaced, it felt like they were trying to improve the park by having more plated food not just takeaway. Same as the pizza buffet, to start with it was better than the Pizza Hut Express it replaced.
Rollercoaster Restaurant was good when it first opened and then the cost cutting of ingredients took place and the prices went up.

Basically it seemed like the accountants took control and profit became more important than guest satisfaction.
 
Virtually one whole side of Towers St could be converted into a single spoons, all the service stuff and exit shop on the other side.
Could have an "off peak closed" portion, like the top of the Velvet...bring it on.
 
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