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Food & Beverage: The Aramark Era begins
jon81uk
TS Member
To be honest, my first trip to AT 30 years ago involved that too, at least that was just because it was expensive to eat on park, not because of fear of poisoning!
I know very few people who don't bring a pack lunch to a theme park, as a lot of people know the food is expensive.
Funny old world, apart from myself and my good wife, I know very few others who take a packed meal.
People know it is expensive, and just stump up as part of the day out.
Even the Yorkshiremen.
Used to be happy to pay for the food when the quality was reasonable for the cost, but that equation went out of the window decades ago.
Katy
TS Member
I still eat on park, however it is far too expensive and the lack of quality just means it has very little value for money. But, I don't want to have to make a lunch and carry it round with me. The "premium" chicken tenders are alright and will do me for a meal. However on a shorter day, if I can last the day without, I won't be making a stop for food.
I used to like doing the pizza buffet but as with all other food outlets, the price has gone up while the quality has gone down. I also can't stuff myself full of food like I used to be able to when I was younger so I can't fully take advantage of it being "unlimited".
I used to like doing the pizza buffet but as with all other food outlets, the price has gone up while the quality has gone down. I also can't stuff myself full of food like I used to be able to when I was younger so I can't fully take advantage of it being "unlimited".
ScottishChris
TS Member
I don't take food with me because I don't want to be carrying it around all day, I have been grudgingly paying for their offer for a few years but with the suggested price rises this will need to end. I feel for families who are going for their day out and get absolutely stung for such poor quality - in this day and age where money is tight for so many it is criminal.
DistortAMG
TS Member
I must confess, last year, I did end up eating ALOT on park, 2x Burger meals, about 5 burgers on top over the day, doughnuts, kebab and various chocolate bars and crisps throughout the day (lucky to be 6ft and 13 stone I guess!). It was Scarefest, but I did feel slightly cheated for wasting all that money for the convenience of not carrying a bag.
The food was not terrible, was not exactly great either. Given the ever decreasing quality, I will re consider my plans this year. I am a big spender when it comes to food and I can be quite tolerable. But if they are loosing customers such as me, it goes to say something about the state of the food.
The food was not terrible, was not exactly great either. Given the ever decreasing quality, I will re consider my plans this year. I am a big spender when it comes to food and I can be quite tolerable. But if they are loosing customers such as me, it goes to say something about the state of the food.
AstroDan
TS Team
The hyperbole in this topic is hilarious.
Prison food. Please.
It might not be haute cuisine but the prices and quality at Woodcutters is acceptable. As are loaded fries in Valley. Pastries and cakes are also decent at both coffee shops.
Prison food. Please.
It might not be haute cuisine but the prices and quality at Woodcutters is acceptable. As are loaded fries in Valley. Pastries and cakes are also decent at both coffee shops.
Burner
TS Member
Last time I went to Pizza and Pasta during Scarefest last season, it tasted exactly the same as pre-Aramark.
The pizza there has never been great, but it's good enough. Plus with MAP discount, I don't think it's that badly priced if you really get your money's worth. What they do need to either bin or change are those awful garlic bread things which have managed to be somehow worse than they were under Towers operation.
The pizza there has never been great, but it's good enough. Plus with MAP discount, I don't think it's that badly priced if you really get your money's worth. What they do need to either bin or change are those awful garlic bread things which have managed to be somehow worse than they were under Towers operation.
Last year was the first time that we sacked off the Burger Kitchen and brought our own food in, usually a Greggs. Fine when the weather’s nice (which it was on the days we went last year), cheaper and to be honest nicer.
Used to usually have a hot-dog/donuts as an end of day, walking back to the car treat but he really stopped doing this due to the price rises.
They’ll definitely be losing out amongst repeat visitors that go regularly and know that the food is both worse quality and ridiculously over-priced, but I still think most people will just see it as part of the day. Really hope they change it though.
Used to usually have a hot-dog/donuts as an end of day, walking back to the car treat but he really stopped doing this due to the price rises.
They’ll definitely be losing out amongst repeat visitors that go regularly and know that the food is both worse quality and ridiculously over-priced, but I still think most people will just see it as part of the day. Really hope they change it though.
It feels like Disney prices for a travelling fairground experience at the moment.
Should be nigh on impossible to go so badly wrong with cheap fast food
I do not know how people stomach those either.
Cheese and ham sandwiches wrapped in cling film and left to go warm and moist on the bottom of a rucksack is where it's at. Bonus points for eating them in a long queue line for maximum efficiency and vomit potential.
Having reasonably recently tried pizza and pasta at Stark Factory at DLP, eaten from the onsite bakery at backerei kumel or The White Horse at Efteling.
The standard of food and surroundings is multiple leagues in front of anything on offer at AT. Or from memory any Merlin park I’ve been to recently.
The idea of a quality, themed food offering for some strange reason has become a completely foreign concept to them. And as others have said we barely reach premier inn breakfast/wetherspoons levels.
I’d like to see a full sit down restaurant return to towers street with a decent interior. Another thing I’d quite happily wait 2 years for an attraction of this was sorted.
Leaving money on the table again
The standard of food and surroundings is multiple leagues in front of anything on offer at AT. Or from memory any Merlin park I’ve been to recently.
The idea of a quality, themed food offering for some strange reason has become a completely foreign concept to them. And as others have said we barely reach premier inn breakfast/wetherspoons levels.
I’d like to see a full sit down restaurant return to towers street with a decent interior. Another thing I’d quite happily wait 2 years for an attraction of this was sorted.
Leaving money on the table again
ScottishChris
TS Member
It would be genuinely interesting to know the mark-up on their offer. I have little doubt drinks are around the 200-300% range, with most of their convenience food not far off reaching the 400%+ range.
@Ash talks about places like Disney - the place where people are more than willing to pay £11 for a rice krispy treat, £5 for a small ice cream bar or £10+ for a bucket popcorn. The reason why people are happy to pay... quality and presentation. Yes, you do feel ripped off a tad, but you know you are getting something with a bit of quality behind it, or something unique to the park. It's not complicated - if they had standards for their food (not even needing to spend a huge amount more on raw materials) and added perceived value they would likely sell more without needing to lower the cost.
From a business point of view - I get why they outsourced. It literally puts all the issues and responsibility with staffing, procurement and legal stuff in the hands of someone else. I do think, however, it is crazy that a company the size of Merlin don't have their own wholly-owned catering subsidiary. You would think that from a cost-to-profit ratio this would make sense, and allow more specialist operations.
@Ash talks about places like Disney - the place where people are more than willing to pay £11 for a rice krispy treat, £5 for a small ice cream bar or £10+ for a bucket popcorn. The reason why people are happy to pay... quality and presentation. Yes, you do feel ripped off a tad, but you know you are getting something with a bit of quality behind it, or something unique to the park. It's not complicated - if they had standards for their food (not even needing to spend a huge amount more on raw materials) and added perceived value they would likely sell more without needing to lower the cost.
From a business point of view - I get why they outsourced. It literally puts all the issues and responsibility with staffing, procurement and legal stuff in the hands of someone else. I do think, however, it is crazy that a company the size of Merlin don't have their own wholly-owned catering subsidiary. You would think that from a cost-to-profit ratio this would make sense, and allow more specialist operations.
