Food & Beverage: The Aramark Era begins

[D4n]

I heard that the Rollercoaster Restaurant is now serving whole beer-battered onions, is that correct?

Rank.

Bad enough that they get rolled out for Mardi Gras.

Grease covered raw onion making your breath stink for days.

 

[Tom]

So...'Beer Battered Onion' is on the menu for £4.

I thought it was a typo but thought I'd make a bad joke about it actually being a real offering thinking it'd be gross if actually real. Then I read your post, @D4n, Google it and I discover that they are actually a thing? Minging: https://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/beer-battered-blooming-onions.html

 

[havaska]

Blooming onions are actually amazing.

 

[Mikw]

For anyone who wants free water, there's cold taps in a couple of the toilet blocks. I've refilled my bottle from these on most visits and have suffered no ill effects

 

[Tom]

Is this what we’re reduced to under Aramark rule?

We will be grazing off the lawns next.


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[George W]

For anyone who wants free water, there's cold taps in a couple of the toilet blocks. I've refilled my bottle from these on most visits and have suffered no ill effects

Those sinks should be pretty clean considering so many people seem to walk out of a cubicle and straight to the exit I've noticed a lot lately (disgustang).

In all seriousness though shouldn't have to resort to using taps which can be subject to bacteria build up, would be good to see some more water fountains installed if the freestyle machines can't cope or whatever.

 

[rob666]

Just remembered one from half a century ago...
Southport Funhouse (now their ghost train) only had one tap in the bogs...hot!
They sold an awful lot of orange cordial in the cafe though.
Funny that.

 

[Jb85]

It’s doubly frustrating in that a few years back (perhaps 2019?) they installed various fountains around the park for free water refills, only to remove them when freestyle came in. Now things are still worse than they were a few season back.

Probably removed those due to covid risk?

 

[rob666]

What covid risk?!
They removed them to protect the company from a loss of profits, not to protect the punters from the virus!

 

[Poisson]

Is this what we’re reduced to under Aramark rule?

We will be grazing off the lawns next.


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Are you telling me I'm not supposed to eat the ducks on the lawns? They're tasty and free.

 

[Mikw]

What covid risk?!
They removed them to protect the company from a loss of profits, not to protect the punters from the virus!

Our local council covered up our drinking water fountains because of Covid

 

[George W]

Our local council covered up our drinking water fountains because of Covid

Yet again, that wasn't because of covid.

 

[pluk]

Yet again, that wasn't because of covid.

During covid it almost certainly was, if they've not been reinstated then that's a financial decision.

Lets not get all tin foil hat about it.

 

[jon81uk]

What covid risk?!
They removed them to protect the company from a loss of profits, not to protect the punters from the virus!

Our local council covered up our drinking water fountains because of Covid

Yet again, that wasn't because of covid.

In the early days of the pandemic lots of places removed self-service drinks, water fountains and even ketchup bottles as initial guidances was based on the risk of transmission via touch. Its only after the first year or two that those things were corrected.

If things remain closed off in 2023 its cost cutting, but in 2020 and 2021 it was definitly covid guidance done in good faith. They were wiping down coaster trains every hour even!

 

[rob666]

A bottle of sanitiser next to the tap?

 

[Rob]

We once again seem to be drifting away from the topic of Aramark and F&B at Alton Towers, so if we could get back to that please!

 

[Poisson]

Water fountains are definitely outside the remit of Aramark, as I imagine the Freestyle set up is.

I know things like Woodcutters are Aramark, but would the smaller things like donuts be them? I am unsure of their remit.

 

[Craig]

Water fountains are definitely outside the remit of Aramark, as I imagine the Freestyle set up is.

I know things like Woodcutters are Aramark, but would the smaller things like donuts be them? I am unsure of their remit.

Everything serviced food and beverage aside from Thornbury Hall/Eastern Express is Aramark (donuts, coffee, kiosks etc).

Water fountains were supplied via the kiosks, so would technically probably fall under Aramark in those original locations. But as mentioned, their removal was originally due to Covid restrictions. They can and should be reinstalled, as one has been at the top of Towers Street. But their addition isn't really for discussion here as this topic is mainly food and beverage sold at the park, not so much for water refills discussion. That should be provided as a basic service by the park itself, much as the likes of toilets and handwashing facilities are.

 

[AT86]

I assumed that Freestyle was classed as ‘retail’ along with the kiosks that sell drinks/snacks (Hydration stations) that previously had water fountains placed on them, therefore it is not Aramark territory?

 

[Craig]

I assumed that Freestyle was classed as ‘retail’ along with the kiosks that sell drinks/snacks (Hydration stations) that previously had water fountains placed on them, therefore it is not Aramark territory?

Oh I thought they were on the likes of the donut kiosks (never used them ). In any case though, it's an issue for Alton Towers to address more than Aramark, as their removal was long before their arrival. Hopefully the Towers Street outlet is the first of a few, especially with summer coming.

But anyway, back to Aramark in here please