| Half time catering 16:42 - Aug 31 with 6318 views | CorbyQPR |
While everything on the pitch seems to be on an upward curve, it seems that there are many areas off the pitch that could be better, including the catering which is the worst I have ever known it. Forget leaving your seat in SAR after 40 mins @ halftime if you want a beer/food. No chance of getting it before the second half.
If you are lucky/get down early enough you pay £5.50 for a can of Carlsberg, poured by the catering staff, most of who have no idea how to pour a car so it takes ages.
I dread to think how many people don't bother/how much income the club are losing. Its a shambles. |  | | |  |
| Half time catering on 16:51 - Aug 31 with 4686 views | jeffranger |
Totally agree & it’s shocking, h/t v coventry waited to be served at upper loft & was then told they had no food, disgusting & bar downstairs is worse trying to get served | | | |
| Half time catering on 17:10 - Aug 31 with 4640 views | TGRRRSSS |
Generally any food I buy is away from the ground one way or another.
Given we are in the middle of London with options of every kind often cheaper why would you get it at the ground thb. |  | | |
| Half time catering on 17:28 - Aug 31 with 4580 views | nix |
Does anyone know whether they just contract out the catering or whether they organise it themselves?
Generally things that are contracted out are really crap because they try and do it on a shoestring and pay their staff absolute rubbish wages.
Honestly, maybe we need to volunteer to run the cafe on a rota basis, because the actual staff seem to be half asleep and have no system. So one person is doing the till, while the other staff are just watching on. Then the person on the till just watches while the other person gets the drinks/hotdogs etc. Somewhere like Pret just has someone taking the money, passing the order on, and then moving on to the next person. It's so much more efficient. |  | | |
| Half time catering on 18:25 - Aug 31 with 4444 views | kensalriser |
Only a solution for the Loft, but there's plenty of room in the lower Loft area to set up several street food stalls and it would be easy to find operators willing to take a pitch. |  |
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| Half time catering on 19:04 - Aug 31 with 4354 views | hoops_legend |
I am glad this has been mentioned. It's the worst food, service and drink ever. Unfortunately the profit margins are probably so large (costs 20p to make the horrific food they have) they don't care as there's always queues so they probably do alright
Would love it if they put in a little effort and had a couple of nicer beers |  |
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| Half time catering on 19:08 - Aug 31 with 4344 views | Stainrod |
| Half time catering on 18:25 - Aug 31 by kensalriser |
Only a solution for the Loft, but there's plenty of room in the lower Loft area to set up several street food stalls and it would be easy to find operators willing to take a pitch. |
Agree.
The other thing you could do is like in American stadia, think they used to be called "cigarette girls" but now they go around with trays selling drinks, another with burgers etc - the club needs to be more inventive recognising that many like me long ago gave up trying to leave their seat at half time but would happily spend a tenner (more if it were good) on a burger and drinks. If they build a decent restaurant behind the Loft I would happily go there before a match and (if we win) for a drink afterwards. In American stadia the spend on stuff other than tickets is three figures a punter. We are in West London with a largely middle aged fan base - there must be tens of thousands of pounds that leach out of the ground every match day that the club completely fails to monetarise. | | | |
| Half time catering on 00:45 - Sep 1 with 4097 views | stainrods_elbow |
Yeah, given that Hoos is American, it beggars belief. Does reinforce the feeling that he and the club just don't care about HQ. |  |
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| Half time catering on 00:54 - Sep 1 with 4099 views | Boston |
| Half time catering on 18:25 - Aug 31 by kensalriser |
Only a solution for the Loft, but there's plenty of room in the lower Loft area to set up several street food stalls and it would be easy to find operators willing to take a pitch. |
…and why not? | |
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| Half time catering on 01:07 - Sep 1 with 4090 views | Boston |
| Half time catering on 00:45 - Sep 1 by stainrods_elbow |
Yeah, given that Hoos is American, it beggars belief. Does reinforce the feeling that he and the club just don't care about HQ. |
..er, we are blessed with space in the USofA. We are also blessed with local authorities bending over backwards for local sport ‘franchises’, it’s not going to happen with the current LR site plot.
If, the board can purchase 4/5 houses that abut the stadium, then yeah, build the biggest burger bar in London, but it ain’t gonna happen.
Not being able to set up a simple chip or widget can beer stand is disappointing. [Post edited 1 Sep 2021 1:10]
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| Half time catering on 01:08 - Sep 1 with 4081 views | simmo |
Normally I don't bother with food or drink for exactly that reason, but I didn't feel very well on Saturday so needed a bottle of water... I had to miss 5mins of the 2nd half to get it...
There's nothing you can do about space and queues relative to the facilities, but at least open every bar, have staff prepared to move as quickly as possible and maybe organise for cash/card only, those that want food or just drinks, etc... It's pretty basic stuff. |  |
| ask Beavis I get nothing Butthead |
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| Half time catering on 01:47 - Sep 1 with 4066 views | DavieQPR |
| Half time catering on 17:10 - Aug 31 by TGRRRSSS |
Generally any food I buy is away from the ground one way or another.
Given we are in the middle of London with options of every kind often cheaper why would you get it at the ground thb. |
There's a Tesco Metro on the way from White City tube. Usually get a Meal Deal from there. |  | | |
| Half time catering on 04:42 - Sep 1 with 4020 views | ozexile |
I would have designated places. Some sell Alcohol only and some only sell food and beverages. That way the staff can get great at serving a couple of items. Nothing worse than queuing for beers and the person in front wants 3 Coffees and a hot chocolate. | | | |
| Half time catering on 10:58 - Sep 1 with 3875 views | stowmarketrange |
| Half time catering on 01:47 - Sep 1 by DavieQPR |
There's a Tesco Metro on the way from White City tube. Usually get a Meal Deal from there. |
That’s our usual match food option too.The bloke behind me on Saturday got cheesey chips for his boy from the lower loft kiosk,but the chips weren’t hot enough to melt the cheese and he left most of it.
How hard is it to sell hot food rather than lukewarm stuff? |  | | |
| Half time catering on 11:00 - Sep 1 with 3873 views | stowmarketrange |
| Half time catering on 04:42 - Sep 1 by ozexile |
I would have designated places. Some sell Alcohol only and some only sell food and beverages. That way the staff can get great at serving a couple of items. Nothing worse than queuing for beers and the person in front wants 3 Coffees and a hot chocolate. |
What happens if you want beer and food though? | | | |
| Half time catering on 11:08 - Sep 1 with 3857 views | GloryHunter |
| Half time catering on 04:42 - Sep 1 by ozexile |
I would have designated places. Some sell Alcohol only and some only sell food and beverages. That way the staff can get great at serving a couple of items. Nothing worse than queuing for beers and the person in front wants 3 Coffees and a hot chocolate. |
A few years ago a couple of us contacted the then stadium manager (Chris somebody, I think) and suggested dedicated beer vendors, same as they have at German grounds. To be fair, he took up the idea, and they had three of them at the foot of the steps in the Upper Loft. Trouble was, they didn't publicise it, and most people walked past them without realising they were there. They only sold a few pints, so after about three games, he dropped it. I told him they'd need to perservere, so that people would get used to them, but he decided it hadn't worked, and therefore never would. Very disappointing short-termism attitude. |  | | |
| Half time catering on 11:12 - Sep 1 with 3854 views | ParkRoyalR |
In the post-covid world of al-fresco type pop up's / mobile vans everywhere, is there not an option to use some of the space / pavement outside the ground eg on the wide pavement on South Africa Road below the main stand?
With turnstiles automated now, we don't have cost of staff to maintain throughout game and fans could scan themselves out and back-in (via their season cards!!)
With best will in the world, there is not enough space back of house on gangways to service thousands of potential customers in 15 - 20 minutes, so think club need to think outside the box (excuse pun). | | | |
| Half time catering on 11:12 - Sep 1 with 3853 views | robith |
it's slightly better in the paddocks but only cos the bar is at the end so at least the queue is clear. When my ST was in SAR I had no idea what was going on.
Given space is at a premium, efficiency is of the upmost importance. The menus could really do with rationalising. I've had a ST well over a decade and have never ordered anything other than a tea and a pie. There's way too much stuff on the menu. Any reason why we can't sell cans? We don't have space for pouring machines and it takes away too long. Have some roving teams selling quick cans with contactless to cut down the queue of people who just want one beer.
Most of the time the only time I bother is if I'm desperate |  | | |
| Half time catering on 11:16 - Sep 1 with 3845 views | GloryHunter |
| Half time catering on 11:12 - Sep 1 by robith |
it's slightly better in the paddocks but only cos the bar is at the end so at least the queue is clear. When my ST was in SAR I had no idea what was going on.
Given space is at a premium, efficiency is of the upmost importance. The menus could really do with rationalising. I've had a ST well over a decade and have never ordered anything other than a tea and a pie. There's way too much stuff on the menu. Any reason why we can't sell cans? We don't have space for pouring machines and it takes away too long. Have some roving teams selling quick cans with contactless to cut down the queue of people who just want one beer.
Most of the time the only time I bother is if I'm desperate |
They can't sell cans because we can't be trusted not to use them as missiles. That's why they have to pour them out in front of you. Seem to have stopped selling the plastic bottles of beer, too, even with the tops confiscated. | | | |
| Half time catering on 12:02 - Sep 1 with 3767 views | dsw2509 |
From my perspective the food and drink offering at HQ (other than in the boxes, which are great) has always been absolutely terrible. The outlet underneath the Ellerslie could be ok but the staff always seemed clueless. Sometimes the queue was horrendous. I hardly ever bothered with it.
Why not have a short and simple menu, contactless payment and pay the staff just a little more. That is what Twickenham does and it seems to work. US stadiums have people walking around selling things but that is a non starter with our seat pitches. | | | |
| Half time catering on 12:10 - Sep 1 with 3749 views | ozexile |
| Half time catering on 11:00 - Sep 1 by stowmarketrange |
What happens if you want beer and food though? |
That's cheating | | | |
| Half time catering on 12:19 - Sep 1 with 3738 views | Mick_S |
| Half time catering on 11:12 - Sep 1 by robith |
it's slightly better in the paddocks but only cos the bar is at the end so at least the queue is clear. When my ST was in SAR I had no idea what was going on.
Given space is at a premium, efficiency is of the upmost importance. The menus could really do with rationalising. I've had a ST well over a decade and have never ordered anything other than a tea and a pie. There's way too much stuff on the menu. Any reason why we can't sell cans? We don't have space for pouring machines and it takes away too long. Have some roving teams selling quick cans with contactless to cut down the queue of people who just want one beer.
Most of the time the only time I bother is if I'm desperate |
We had a pre match pint of muck each before the crowds arrived. My son’s poured pint looks more like something you might dip your razor in. Not cheap and not nice. I hate club bashing but the catering at Rangers is appalling. Pre match food from The Athenian by the new little Tescos. |  |
| Did I ever mention that I was in Minder? |
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| Half time catering on 14:56 - Sep 1 with 3619 views | wood_hoop |
Was involved in the catering game for over thirty years, one company for over 25, over the last ten years or so the company I worked for supplied most of the prem clubs in the London area, plus Wembley Stadium ( I would like to quell the ugly rumour I tried to beat the keepy upppy world record with items supplied to Chel*** on a rainy day).
Not only football but concerts, festivals and many many major events, notable changes I saw were not supplying just your burger, cheese roll basic type of fare, but a far more wider range , outdoor festivals a nsmaller range but all of a good quality. The fayre being sold on the sites was not the cheapest but then the meus on offer maybe even small but all good quality stuff, the company got many repeat orders from yearly events, if big enough orders even tailor made that would be exclusive.
The club is not making the best of a golden oppurtnity imo, plenty of folk I am sure would go to the ground that much earlier if food and drink of a decent quality was on offer, and not just in boxes and the resturant, good staff training is also a key, plenty of good firms in London where staff can be supplied from, a bit of investment in my eyes could only help make the day at KPFS all the more enjoyable and if done correctly a
real money spinner. |  | | |
| Half time catering on 16:48 - Sep 1 with 3560 views | joe90 |
At football you want beer, pies and bovril. You also want it served quickly.
Put in place an efficient service and train the staff properly. Don't give too much choice, keep the offering relatively small, but good quality.
I remember Brighton had Harvey's beer and really nice pies. If they can get it right so can we. |  | | |
| Half time catering on 17:07 - Sep 1 with 3517 views | PinnerPaul |
| Half time catering on 14:56 - Sep 1 by wood_hoop |
Was involved in the catering game for over thirty years, one company for over 25, over the last ten years or so the company I worked for supplied most of the prem clubs in the London area, plus Wembley Stadium ( I would like to quell the ugly rumour I tried to beat the keepy upppy world record with items supplied to Chel*** on a rainy day).
Not only football but concerts, festivals and many many major events, notable changes I saw were not supplying just your burger, cheese roll basic type of fare, but a far more wider range , outdoor festivals a nsmaller range but all of a good quality. The fayre being sold on the sites was not the cheapest but then the meus on offer maybe even small but all good quality stuff, the company got many repeat orders from yearly events, if big enough orders even tailor made that would be exclusive.
The club is not making the best of a golden oppurtnity imo, plenty of folk I am sure would go to the ground that much earlier if food and drink of a decent quality was on offer, and not just in boxes and the resturant, good staff training is also a key, plenty of good firms in London where staff can be supplied from, a bit of investment in my eyes could only help make the day at KPFS all the more enjoyable and if done correctly a
real money spinner. |
Not sure finding good staff in this sector is that easy at the moment.
Quick google search brings up loads of stories just like this one
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57817775 | | | |
| Half time catering on 17:12 - Sep 1 with 3511 views | wood_hoop |
| Half time catering on 16:48 - Sep 1 by joe90 |
At football you want beer, pies and bovril. You also want it served quickly.
Put in place an efficient service and train the staff properly. Don't give too much choice, keep the offering relatively small, but good quality.
I remember Brighton had Harvey's beer and really nice pies. If they can get it right so can we. |
Sorry joe90, I will have to disagree, yes have the bog standard fayre for us old folk but we should do every thing to entice younger folk, good football is paramount and 1st on the list, but decent catering is creeping higher up the list,.
Even if you just go shopping in a mall/ high st, half the units are eateries, some will offer burger and chips as standard, but just how many offer foods from the four corners of the earth, its now a part of the shopping trip, seems a day out just shopping has to include a decent meal no matter what ages the family groups or a bunch of friends together are.
I know going back twenty years ago, would always go for grub prematch with my kids, give them a pie with a bovril they would of had me up for child cruelity !
Mates we took to the match of mine and the kids always liked the fact a good variety of places round THe Bush, helped to help make a good afternoon out, even if the game itself not so good. | | | |
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