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Food & Beverage: The Aramark Era begins

Burgers (and a few fries that cost pennies) are up to £18 now, surely this is similarly offensive. £21 with a drink.
Yet bizarrely people do and will pay this, I certainly would not, the powers that be know a large proportion of the custom will so they are quite happy.
 
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I do wonder how well it will work, because it will get to a point where no one will pay for it,
I don't know how many people are MAP holders are in the parks, but I have seen enough lanyards per day to think it is quite high (considering most MAP users don't go arround with lanyards)
and how many of the regular users will buy food?
at that cost, it is practically buying a ticket at this point and it is far cheaper to stop off at the lidl/aldi in uttoxiter on the way in and pick up a sandwitch and packet of crisps.
and for the park guests, they may buy it once, or during scarefest but at these prices it isn't difficult to learn that the prices are insane and tell people who you may know are going to bring a pack lunch, I tell everyone I know to bring one, or stop off at lidl in uttoxiter (their bakery section is nice)
 
...and some of us have known all this for decades, and use express parking for a posh picnic at every opportunity!
It really isn't anything new, though the standards of food and overall costs do seem to keep going in opposite directions.
Sheeple keep paying for it, just because...convenience...lack of options...expensive junk is the correct and usual associated food for theme parks.
The park owners know it, or wouldn't be blatantly overcharging for low quality product...for decades.
 
I do wonder how well it will work, because it will get to a point where no one will pay for it,
I don't know how many people are MAP holders are in the parks, but I have seen enough lanyards per day to think it is quite high (considering most MAP users don't go arround with lanyards)
and how many of the regular users will buy food?
at that cost, it is practically buying a ticket at this point and it is far cheaper to stop off at the lidl/aldi in uttoxiter on the way in and pick up a sandwitch and packet of crisps.
and for the park guests, they may buy it once, or during scarefest but at these prices it isn't difficult to learn that the prices are insane and tell people who you may know are going to bring a pack lunch, I tell everyone I know to bring one, or stop off at lidl in uttoxiter (their bakery section is nice)
The “20% pass holder discount” is obviously baked into the prices and anyone who doesn’t get that is just bonus profit.

There has to be a tipping point somewhere and I always wonder every year how close they are getting to it, only to be surprised/disappointed once again.
 
I hit that tipping point this year. I only go once a year, so usually just eat the food in the park.

But this year was enough. It was too expensive. So I made a picnic and took my backpack. Worked out a lot better too as it was busy so we ate our sandwiches in the queue line to save time.
 
I hit that tipping point this year. I only go once a year, so usually just eat the food in the park.

But this year was enough. It was too expensive. So I made a picnic and took my backpack. Worked out a lot better too as it was busy so we ate our sandwiches in the queue line to save time.
What's particularly frustrating is that the Aramark quick service food outlets at Thorpe this year aren't terribly priced and are of reasonable quality. I had quite a tasty burrito meal from Tacotaria for £14, without MAP discount. Drink, burrito and tortilla chips with a dip. Not too dissimilar to high street prices and comparable, if not slightly better, quality.

The downside was that the service was really not quick.
 
I always think Footy Scran is a good comparator for this kind of thing. Same kind of area - captive audience and shameless drive to profit. And football ground hot dogs generally look better than a Rollover for almost a tenner.

Not a hot dog but look at this food mountain compared to the AT chicken and chips offerings:


From: https://x.com/ncfctomm/status/1791163625505214621

To be faiiir, I don't think that's actually from inside the ground, I think that's a food van from outside. Inside the ground is an entirely different story.
 
To be faiiir, I don't think that's actually from inside the ground, I think that's a food van from outside. Inside the ground is an entirely different story.
I think it’s actually inside the ground as they have a good reputation. Definite in ground comparable price though would be Arsenal, hot dog and a drink for just shy of a tenner.

I don’t know why (well I do really let’s be honest) these places including all the theme parks make it so difficult to find their food prices on their websites.
 
Legoland today and had to begrudgingly visit The Burger Kitchen.

£10 for the burger, chips and drink with MAP is somewhat tolerable and the food was.... fine. It is an extra annoyance though that there is never anywhere to actually sit and eat said food. Legoland has to be the worst park for this, it's completely bereft of seating, even on a sunny day. At least AT/CWOA have grassy areas.
 
X Position food is completely closed and sectioned off today.

Is this a “peak time” facility only?
 
...and some of us have known all this for decades, and use express parking for a posh picnic at every opportunity!
It really isn't anything new, though the standards of food and overall costs do seem to keep going in opposite directions.
Sheeple keep paying for it, just because...convenience...lack of options...expensive junk is the correct and usual associated food for theme parks.
The park owners know it, or wouldn't be blatantly overcharging for low quality product...for decades.
This, all of the This. Take the camper van with it's fridge and hob for a cuppa, get an end parking space with room to put the table and chairs out or pop the roof up and sit inside if it's awful - far nicer experience than anything available on park for a fraction of the price.
 
Took the old faithful packed lunch yesterday and enjoyed twenty minutes outside Galactica.

Every food and drink outlet looked busy though including the new units in X Sector. There was even a queue for the £12 hotdogs outside Wicker Man, insane.

I ended up going the whole day without spending a single penny, which is unusual for me but I don’t feel like I missed out.
 
This, all of the This. Take the camper van with it's fridge and hob for a cuppa, get an end parking space with room to put the table and chairs out or pop the roof up and sit inside if it's awful - far nicer experience than anything available on park for a fraction of the price.

I know prices are going up but I don't think that they are surpassing that of buying a whole camper van yet..
 
I know prices are going up but I don't think that they are surpassing that of buying a whole camper van yet..
You could easily hire a camper for a day with what you'd save trying to feed a family on park. It'd make the journey a bit more adventurous too!
 
You could easily hire a camper for a day with what you'd save trying to feed a family on park. It'd make the journey a bit more adventurous too!
Wonder how they’d feel about someone setting up a camping stove in the car park and selling bacon butties on the QT
 
Wonder how they’d feel about someone setting up a camping stove in the car park and selling bacon butties on the QT
Quite simple, security come over and politely ask you to put them out.
No gas canisters or open fires with naked flames anywhere on the car park...even if you turn up from overnight fly camping at five thirty in the morning intent on a full english for four of you.

Been there, breakfast is now off site, as is warming up the flask dogs for lunch.
 
To maximize profits you could also run a car taxi service from the main car park to the entrance on busy days for people who would otherwise walk due to monorail queues. Food and a lift to the entrance. Tenner a pop. Rinse and repeat. Hot dog and a lift.
 
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