Catering & Bar Feedback Seasons 2017,18,19,20 & 21/22

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ourla
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Re: Catering & Bar Feedback Season 2016/17 & 2018.

Post by ourla »

ellis9 wrote: Sun Oct 01, 2017 8:36 pm There is a really simple solution and I don't understand why those of you moaning don't do it. Don't use the service. If you boycott it for 1 or 2 games, there WILL be changes made.

It really isn't that difficult and I'm sure you can go 2 hours without food and drink. If you can't, then I'd recommend seeing someone at AA.
I think you are coming at this from the wrong angle. There will always be people (occasional home fans, visitors, lazy people, extremely tolerant) that keeps the service operating. What we don't know is how much has been and continue's to be lost in match day revenue from those that have had one bad experience too many.
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Re: Catering & Bar Feedback Season 2016/17 & 2018.

Post by Coops »

ourla wrote: Sun Oct 01, 2017 10:43 pm
I think you are coming at this from the wrong angle. There will always be people (occasional home fans, visitors, lazy people, extremely tolerant) that keeps the service operating. What we don't know is how much has been and continue's to be lost in match day revenue from those that have had one bad experience too many.
Exactly. I've pretty much given up.

Usually get a burger & chips outside the ground with the kids, but really can't be bothered wasting my time before a game.
ourla
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Re: Catering & Bar Feedback Season 2016/17 & 2018.

Post by ourla »

Official website report from the Fans Forum held this week:
The match against Exeter Chiefs last weekend saw the club’s highest spend-per-head outside a Tigers-Saints derby in recent seasons and, after releasing a statement in the summer addressing concerns with catering services provided by partners Centerplate, the club reassured the forum that work continues in an attempt to improve matchday services.
TBH I am staggered they have achieved "highest spend-per-head" but hats off to them and for all the complaints and moaning on here, fb, etc. clearly the reality is the club are making plenty of dough.
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Re: Catering & Bar Feedback Season 2016/17 & 2018.

Post by Coops »

ourla wrote: Fri Oct 06, 2017 11:39 pm Official website report from the Fans Forum held this week:
The match against Exeter Chiefs last weekend saw the club’s highest spend-per-head outside a Tigers-Saints derby in recent seasons and, after releasing a statement in the summer addressing concerns with catering services provided by partners Centerplate, the club reassured the forum that work continues in an attempt to improve matchday services.
TBH I am staggered they have achieved "highest spend-per-head" but hats off to them and for all the complaints and moaning on here, fb, etc. clearly the reality is the club are making plenty of dough.
Should think it's quite easy to achieve but increasing prices!!!!

It's not spend per head that's the issue, it's waiting time per head.
ourla
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Re: Catering & Bar Feedback Season 2016/17 & 2018.

Post by ourla »

Should think it's quite easy to achieve but increasing prices!!!!

It's not spend per head that's the issue, it's waiting time per head.
Yeah, thinking about it that is a really clever statement from the club. If 100 customers spent £20 it is a much higher spend per head than 200 customers paying £10. By having fewer, cheaper staff and charging more money you can get your spend per head on an upward trajectory. The question would be if that is a good long-term business plan.
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Re: Catering & Bar Feedback Season 2016/17 & 2018.

Post by Scrum »

A new first. Couldn’t get a coffee at half time, one person taking money, dispensing and serving. Other staff about but I have no idea what they doing. Certainly not helping to reduce the queue.
longlivethecrumbie
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Re: Catering & Bar Feedback Season 2016/17 & 2018.

Post by longlivethecrumbie »

At the game yesterday (Worcester) a poor guy next to me at the bar asked for a cider and a lager top. The look of confusion on the faces of those behind the bar was a sight to behold as the notion of lager top was clearly too much to comprehend.

The patient guy proceeded to explain what.it was (followed by more blank looks). Eventually, after three goes, the penny dropped only for the bewildered punter to be asked which lager he wanted? Fosters, Guinness, Strongbow or Tiger?

Thankfully, the lad serving me had worked out what change to give me from a £10 note for one pint of Guinness and I missed what came next, but I'm pretty sure the bemused look had headed to the other side of the bar by that point.

Continues to be an utter joke.
ourla
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Re: Catering & Bar Feedback Season 2016/17 & 2018.

Post by ourla »

Reported in the Times (paywall):
Gillingham may be near the bottom of League One but at least the club’s supporters can get a cup of tea and a sausage roll on match days, thanks to a court victory over a “bullying” American catering company.

The Kent side was last week awarded £2.4 million in damages and legal costs after suing Centerplate when the American conglomerate suddenly broke a deal to provide everything from “burgers to banqueting” at the 11,500-capacity Priestfield stadium.
Unfortunately Tigers is a profitable venture so we are unlikely to have the benefit of them quitting on us and being forced to send us a fat cheque.

You do wonder though if this is an organisation we wish to do business with.
thebearisstilldeano
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Re: Catering & Bar Feedback Season 2016/17 & 2018.

Post by thebearisstilldeano »

Not only the shame of defeat on Sunday, but the shame of having to apologise to the Munster fans sat behind me in the Crumbie for the 10 minutes of the second half they missed because they were in a queue for beer.

Our bars are a laughing stock with away fans.
I used to sit near a stalker and we want him back "kick for the corner!!!!"
ourla
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Re: Catering & Bar Feedback Season 2016/17 & 2018.

Post by ourla »

thebearisstilldeano wrote: Tue Dec 19, 2017 9:59 am Not only the shame of defeat on Sunday, but the shame of having to apologise to the Munster fans sat behind me in the Crumbie for the 10 minutes of the second half they missed because they were in a queue for beer.

Our bars are a laughing stock with away fans.
No sympathy. They only have to tolerate it once a season. We have it 17+ times.

Actually when I say we I don't mean me at the moment. I gave up my ST. The "match day experience" certainly wasn't a deterrent to doing so.
:smt002 :smt010 :smt022 :smt044
thebearisstilldeano
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Re: Catering & Bar Feedback Season 2016/17 & 2018.

Post by thebearisstilldeano »

ourla wrote: Tue Dec 19, 2017 10:55 am
No sympathy. They only have to tolerate it once a season. We have it 17+ times.

Actually when I say we I don't mean me at the moment. I gave up my ST. The "match day experience" certainly wasn't a deterrent to doing so.
:smt002 :smt010 :smt022 :smt044
[/quote]

Ha ha (laughs in agreement Ourla) - that was pretty much what I said to the Munster couple sat behind us!
I used to sit near a stalker and we want him back "kick for the corner!!!!"
johnthegriff
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Re: Catering & Bar Feedback Season 2016/17 & 2018.

Post by johnthegriff »

Just seen the posts above, I cannot and do not defend our catering company but I do not feel it is necessary to apologise to anyone who would rather queue for drink than watch the game they have paid to see. I would certainly not be apologising to Munster fans at whose grounds the bar service is even more chaotic than ours.
Centreplate's contract is nearing its end hopefully the plans for the future will produce a vast improvement, unfortunately I am afraid as the labour source is the same for whoever holds the contract then we will just be making the same complaints to about a different culprit.
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Re: Catering & Bar Feedback Season 2016/17 & 2018.

Post by wormus »

johnthegriff wrote: Thu Jan 25, 2018 12:08 pm Just seen the posts above, I cannot and do not defend our catering company but I do not feel it is necessary to apologise to anyone who would rather queue for drink than watch the game they have paid to see. I would certainly not be apologising to Munster fans at whose grounds the bar service is even more chaotic than ours.
Centreplate's contract is nearing its end hopefully the plans for the future will produce a vast improvement, unfortunately I am afraid as the labour source is the same for whoever holds the contract then we will just be making the same complaints to about a different culprit.
Thanks John for the news that Centreplate's contract is neigh, I do not know how they rate as far as the catering for the main hospitality and smaller areas but the main gripe is with the bar service - or lack of!
Now on Sunday I gave the Counting House a miss due to the snow and went straight into the warm ABC bar - (not been in there for several months) they had Everards hand pulled Copper Ale and it was served well with a full pint much better than the foamy Tiger and no queue - well the weather was terrible and it was probably one of our lowest turnouts for months.
Lets hope that service level continues on a full matchday.
However has anyone thought of Everards providing professional supervisors on these main bars to oversee barrel changing, dispensing and tuition to the inevitable annual student intake?
The more beer they sell it's a win win for the club, Everards and all the guests. :smt030
ourla
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Re: Catering & Bar Feedback Season 2016/17 & 2018.

Post by ourla »

johnthegriff wrote: Thu Jan 25, 2018 12:08 pm Just seen the posts above, I cannot and do not defend our catering company but I do not feel it is necessary to apologise to anyone who would rather queue for drink than watch the game they have paid to see.
But you would apologise to someone who had to wait far longer than you would expect given the queue size, to someone who was serve the wrong drink, to someone who was short changed, to someone who wanted a drink but decided they would rather see the game so had to forget it, etc. etc. Trust me, there has been a lot to apologise for in recent years. If the game is all important then the club should close down all the catering outlets and make no apologises for it - pun intended!
johnthegriff wrote: Thu Jan 25, 2018 12:08 pmI would certainly not be apologising to Munster fans at whose grounds the bar service is even more chaotic than ours.
Bejesus, what do they do pour it down your trousers.
johnthegriff wrote: Thu Jan 25, 2018 12:08 pmCentreplate's contract is nearing its end hopefully the plans for the future will produce a vast improvement,
Haven't centreplate and the company they took over been running the catering for many years. All the noises that have ever come out of the club about change in this area has been absolutely that - noise.
johnthegriff wrote: Thu Jan 25, 2018 12:08 pmunfortunately I am afraid as the labour source is the same for whoever holds the contract then we will just be making the same complaints to about a different culprit.
This is defeatism, pure and simple.
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Re: Catering & Bar Feedback Season 2016/17 & 2018.

Post by johnthegriff »

They had a ten year contract granted when they made a substantial up front payment without which we may not have been able to finance the Caterpillar (now Holland & Barrett) North stand, there cannot be long left on the contract.
Bar staff can be trained but will not stay loyal for a few hours work seventeen or eighteen times a year, when proficient they get jobs in a pub or club with more hours.
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