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Food & Beverage: The Aramark Era begins

Steve74 said:
Let's not forget that it wasn't long ago that we were using cash - god knows where all those coins and notes were kept! There is an argument the tablets in comparison are cleaner because it's only your fingertips touching them and not your whole hand (and if you really don't want to touch the screens, carry one of those tablet pen things with the spongy tip). End of the day, regardless of how you order and what you touch leading up to handling your own food, basic hygiene is to wash your hands before eating anyway.
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That's true, i always carry my own wipes for tables and anti back gel. People are disgusting
 
djtruefitt said:
I do think more and more people aren’t buying food now. I remember back in the day you would see a queue outside Pizza pasta, or a queue to the door in burger kitchen etc. but it doesn’t seem to be the case now.

I certainly spend very little now on park, in the past I would always eat on park, but now the choice has got very limited, the quality worse and the prices really are awful.

It’s cheaper to go to Greggs or Tesco on the way and buy a meal deal, then go to the pub on the way home. All of that is cheaper than a burger kitchen meal.
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This is Merlin’s problem.

Park spend will be down as people abandon Aramark and the events wither on the vine.

Increase in MAP sales reducing the value of the gate price but with higher attendance increasing maintenance costs and putting strains on capacity etc.

It’s a toxic mix.
 
Yep. Whilst I only visit once or twice a year now, I always pay for Priority parking (so they do get some cash out of me there) and park the camper van for a little car park picnic. Nice hot cup of tea, whatever food I want to bring, and once you get over the mental hill of sitting on a camping chair in the car park it's actually quite pleasant, especially if you're in the original priority parking over on the far side.

Towers was actually the first place I ever had ribs or waffle fries (which were really nice!) some 25 years ago. So it's possible for them to do decent food themselves.
 
I don’t think it’s just toweds. I was at chessie today and the amount of people having picnics all over the park was massive. Most and bench or table you went past there were people eating their own food.
 
GaryH said:
Through the years we all have paid in excess for food and drink at theme parks because we have expected to do so given the nature of the business. Just like going to an airport shop like WH Smith.
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There is this EXACT thing at train stations, airports, etc. BUT at least the quality is there - the Boots sandwich or the Haribos/Buxton water are known quantities. Most airports are now "known chains" and - as a captive market - you can make a choice to pay a premium but you know what you're getting.

Merlin offer none of that. You can charge £20 instead of £15 for a Shake Shack meal (Gatwick). You can't charge £20 for Bob's Burger Van that's just come back from the abattoir. KFC at TP - say no more!
 
Kraken27 said:
People will just get wise and tell them the food you're taking is for dietary requirements - they will back down. Even SeaWorld & Busch Gardens in Florida have pretty strict "no food" rules to stop an idiot guest feeding an animal outside food. Just mention the "dietary" word and you're waved through.
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Disney allow you to bring your own food. As do all/most parks. More lost revenue...
 
Smiley said:
Disney allow you to bring your own food. As do all/most parks. More lost revenue...
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The difference with Disney is that they know people will pay silly money to have a Mickey Mouse shaped donut/ice cream/burger/roast dinner.

I can't see Merlin banning external food, I think that would just generate even more bad PR.

Better to follow the Disney model and use the carrot rather than the stick - I think the themed food outlets such as the one near Curse have generally been successful all things considered. I think the retheming of Woodcutters was a good shout, they just got it wrong with the menu unfortunately.
 
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