Catering

[Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset]

Some observations about our catering:

- it is crap
- it has always been crap
- and I suspect always will be crap
- what is worse is that folk queue for the stuff
- but the mid second half security escorted (for their protection) ensemble of the catering corp from the West at every game lightens up the dullest of games and somehow makes it all worth while.:D

 

[Guest]

Perhaps Ron Martian should spend less time prancing about on the pitch and more time addressing the issues that matter.

 

[TerryintheWest]

Quote[/b] ]but the mid second half security escorted (for their protection) ensemble of the catering corp from the West at every game lightens up the dullest of games and somehow makes it all worth while.:D

and always when we are attacking. There's no thought to the watching crowd, down they come chatting away as if they are on a walk in the park and all the time obstructing the view. They stand on the perimeter track until everyone has come through the little gate, interfering with the view from the family stand and off they go on their walk. Why don't they go down the steps near the control centre and along the South Lower.

We also get the procession of the bar staff too, all on the same walk in the park and all oblivious that there is a game going on!!

 

[sufcintheprem]

Quote[/b] (TerryintheWest @ Mar. 04 2005,00:52)]

Quote[/b] ]but the mid second half security escorted (for their protection) ensemble of the catering corp from the West at every game lightens up the dullest of games and somehow makes it all worth while.:D

and always when we are attacking. There's no thought to the watching crowd, down they come chatting away as if they are on a walk in the park and all the time obstructing the view. They stand on the perimeter track until everyone has come through the little gate, interfering with the view from the family stand and off they go on their walk. Why don't they go down the steps near the control centre and along the South Lower.

We also get the procession of the bar staff too, all on the same walk in the park and all oblivious that there is a game going on!!

In all my time in the West, I've never noticed this! Perhaps you shouldn't sit front row!

 

[TerryintheWest]

I sit next to the "Berlin Wall" between the family block and the rest of the west and the processions happen every home first team game!! Watch out for them!!

Back to Catering, imho there are so many opportunities for the club to make more money but they  seem to be happy with the increased turnover. However my opinion is that if we can increase the turnover by even more i.e. "sweating the asset" in FA terminology, the more money we have for players wages next year.

There are problems with the size of the food outlets, of course, but with a bit of foresight, improvements can be made. I cannot get a vegetarian snack at the ground so I eat in the Fish House. I have given up queueing for up to 30 minutes for a coffee so I take a flask.

I have suggested opening up the SW food outlet for hot/cold drinks and chocolate but it hasn't been taken up! With the increased gates, the queues will get longer and longer and more and more people will not bother to use the food outlets.

If for instance, my suggestion was taken up, the queue at the family stand food outlet should shorten and more people may consider buying hot food/drinks there. More people could use the designated hot drink/chocolate food outlet especially now the South Lower is a family stand overspill. I for one would not take a flask so there's a couple of quid more!

I rest my case

 

 

 

[BoyWonder2]

My only problem with the catering at Roots Hall is the lack of options you have to eat. Now, I have a burger before every single home game and quite like them in fact, although they are covered in ketchup. What I'd really like though would be a Bristol Rovers style sausage roll or a bag of chips or a bacon roll.

Does anybody on here actually eat a hot dog at Roots Hall? As everytime I'm in the queue noone buys a hot dog and I never see anybody around me eating them so I wonder in they actually sell well?! Obviously I can only say it as I see it but no one every seems to have a hot dog around me in the East Reds.

 

[blue sky]

Agree with TerryintheWest's comments. Some of this is not difficult.
Whilst the prime motive for selling food at the ground is to make money, that money will only be made if the food is, available, of reasonable quality, and reasonably priced. I'm not sure the club's current menu would be any of those!
A few ideas...
1. Bring back bacon rolls - they were popular and I cant believe the club couldn't make money on them.
2. Look at your suppliers - are you getting the best combination of value AND quality? Cheapest isnt always best. As someone else said, what about asking a local butcher or similar supplier to tender?
3. Be imaginative - one or two different items on the menu might be a winner.
4. Involve the SUSCT to liase with supporters etc to find out what we want -maybe the idea of getting the Trust to run some catering could be looked at?
5. address the staffing/queues issues both at food outlets AND the bars - getting a pint in the Far-Post is getting increasingly difficult. A few more staff would help, or at least getting the Fat one to do some work as a start!

 

[Hooly]

Quote[/b] (blue sky @ Mar. 05 2005,11:42)]4. Involve the SUSCT to liase with supporters etc to find out what we want -maybe the idea of getting the Trust to run some catering could be looked at?

But the SUSCT have liaised with the club & got told by GK that everything in the kitchen is hunky dory.

<span style='color:blue'>. GK......added that the turnover on food on match days was up at £15000 and he was very happy with that.
GK said that the club offers as good a range of food that you will find anywhere.
GK said that the club were victims of their own success and queues were building up at the outlets.</span>
So basically GK is happy & that's all that counts.

 

[RobM.]

Quote[/b] (Hooly @ Mar. 05 2005,14:15)]GK said that the club offers as good a range of food that you will find anywhere.

What? Is he on LSD or something?

EastStand - pies &#39;burgers&#39;, hot dogs. Yep - a wide range ....my *rse&#33;

 

[footymad13]

Catering, love a nice Pie at Half Time but quite frankly its a miracle if you can get them this season. Even sold out of Coffee and Hot Chocolate at one point !

The fish house is brilliant, good quality food and lets face it, it doesnt over charge. But i would gladly get a pie at half time if i could get one without facing a 15 minute que and even then not getting one.

P.S Geoff, no doubt sits in the Blues Lounge or summit and has the prawns and Babycham, you try a burger for £2.50 !