[Food] Catering at the Amex, has it improved?

[portlock seagull]

I know you're a professional fisherman on here but I'm not talking a pint that's 3mm short, more like an inch. At Amex prices that about 60p worth. But if the majority are happy paying £4.50 for 4/5 of a pint then who am I to argue?

If you say so, court controversy sometimes perhaps but always offer an explaination. Anyway, yes, I will argue £4.50 for a pint isn’t unreasonable compared to many other local (and national) places with lower overheads etc. It’s not Spoons after all. And no one is forcing you to purchase. As for a short measure, yes they ought not to but again I’m perhaps a bit more forgiving and aware there’s 50 others behind me trying to get served in a short window so I’ll let it go rather than send it back etc. All about context. If I was at the bar in my local pub on a quiet night I’d say something. A packed concourse less so.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

If you say so, court controversy sometimes perhaps but always offer an explaination. Anyway, yes, I will argue £4.50 for a pint isn’t unreasonable compared to many other local (and national) places with lower overheads etc. It’s not Spoons after all. And no one is forcing you to purchase. As for a short measure, yes they ought not to but again I’m perhaps a bit more forgiving and aware there’s 50 others behind me trying to get served in a short window so I’ll let it go rather than send it back etc. All about context. If I was at the bar in my local pub on a quiet night I’d say something. A packed concourse less so.

Quite. As much as we might chastise them at times, these servers don't have an easy time of it, they are in a pressure environment, with a lot of people wanting to be served almost immdiately, little things like that perhaps we ought to let go.

 

[Weststander]

Quite. As much as we might chastise them at times, these servers don't have an easy time of it, they are in a pressure environment, with a lot of people wanting to be served almost immdiately, little things like that perhaps we ought to let go.

Spare a thought for those on their 7th pint, who’ve effectively been conned out of a pint.

Plus they tend to be altruistic individuals, only comsuming vast quantities of pints and pies to boost the transfer budget.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Spare a thought for those on their 7th pint, who’ve effectively been conned out of a pint.

Plus they tend to be altruistic individuals, only comsuming vast quantities of pints and pies to boost the transfer budget.

When I am carrying 3 full to the brim amex pints in plastic pots through a full pint-nudging concourse, I probably spill most of the top 10% anyway.

 

[portlock seagull]

When I am carrying 3 full to the brim amex pints in plastic pots through a full pint-nudging concourse, I probably spill most of the top 10% anyway.

A very good point! Happens to me all the time too

 

[Knocky's Nose]

A very good point! Happens to me all the time too

Get someone to sponsor these?

http://p4ck.co.uk/products/product-4/

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Spare a thought for those on their 7th pint, who’ve effectively been conned out of a pint.

Plus they tend to be altruistic individuals, only comsuming vast quantities of pints and pies to boost the transfer budget.

After seven pints l'd be far too pissed to notice! Come to think about it l'd probably be in a coma as l just can't drink that amount.

 

[BensGrandad]

After seven pints l'd be far too pissed to notice! Come to think about it l'd probably be in a coma as l just can't drink that amount.

Judging by the reports and comments on games by many on here I would think a lot have followed that route.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Quite. As much as we might chastise them at times, these servers don't have an easy time of it, they are in a pressure environment, with a lot of people wanting to be served almost immdiately, little things like that perhaps we ought to let go.

Or at the very least not be rude and patronising to the youngster pulling the pint, which I see way too often.

 

[BensGrandad]

Or at the very least not be rude and patronising to the youngster pulling the pint, which I see way too often.

I think that it is more a case of people adopting the attitude that they are getting paid to do a job and should be trained to do that job. It is their employees who are cutting corners not the counter hands and the criticism should be directed at them.

 

[Knocky's Nose]

I think that it is more a case of people adopting the attitude that they are getting paid to do a job and should be trained to do that job. It is their employees who are cutting corners not the counter hands and the criticism should be directed at them.

In that case, can Bozza email a link to this thread to whoever is in charge of catering on the concourses at the Amex?

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

I always use this example on these threads but I'm still staggered it's not the norm.

At Twickenham, the pub we normally frequent before a game on a matchday has the simple but speedy system.

LOADS of pre poured pints in the background. Constantly being poured by someone. That's their sole job.
People on the till/bar taking the order and taking the payment. That's their job.
People hearing the order and grabbing the pre-poured drinks (which aren't old as they are constantly being made) and bringing them to the front. Again, their only job.

Works wonders.

Sure, people will argue that more staff costs more but I would counter-argue that 1 persons hourly wage is comfortably delivering MANY more items served in the same time.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

I think that it is more a case of people adopting the attitude that they are getting paid to do a job and should be trained to do that job. It is their employees who are cutting corners not the counter hands and the criticism should be directed at them.

A very good point actually, do these staff get much training? very little would be my guess. After all many of them are uni students, and hardly look upon a job like that as a career opportunity, just awa way of generating a bit of cash to help with their social life..

When would Sodexo get the chance to train them anyway? they are only there on a match day, so on the job training is the only way.

I'm actually beginning to feel quite sorry for them now!

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

West Stand Upper has been poor since they took away the mobile bars at the back. They cannot cope serving food and beer together up there. Staff are sooooo slow and only the few senior staff know how to change a gas bottle.

Sounds like the normal process in the East Stand Upper, maybe poorer cousins compared with 1901, but trust me you're in the same boat as those outside of hospitality.

My feeling is that the people who complained have either put up and shut up or chosen, as I have, to eat before going to the match. Beer service is OK, busy at Half Time but hey as business that staffed for a 15 minute rush hour would be mad. A few idea coming in around beer tokens which may make it easier, without doubt the floating Harvey's bars were great but that was some 5 years ago or so!

 

[Publius Ovidius]

Did you try a Christmas pie at the Amex, the one I had this year was delicious.

I usually have a red onion sausage roll, by far the best food product I have eaten at any football ground in the country.

No I have given up with food at the Amex. I used to have pies and tried the hot dogs and pizzas, but the pizza was cold so that was the last thing I ever bought inside the ground.

The franchise coffee stall outside is all I use now.

 

[NorthStandSteward]

A very good point actually, do these staff get much training?

Nope, used to work behind the kiosk and to describe the training as minimal would be a huge exaggeration. On my first match I was given the honour of pint-pulling duties, having never pulled a pint in my life before it took me a good hour until I started producing anything other than a cup of cold foam. On my 3rd or 4th game I was effectively promoted to kiosk manager as I was the only one, of seven, fluent in English, suffice to say we didn't shift much produce that match. The upside was of course the quantity of pies and burgers left to divvy up between ourselves after the last fans had left.

 

[NorthStandSteward]

Nope, used to work behind the kiosk and to describe the training as minimal would be a huge exaggeration. On my first match I was given the honour of pint-pulling duties, having never pulled a pint in my life before it took me a good hour until I started producing anything other than a cup of cold foam. On my 3rd or 4th game I was effectively promoted to kisok manager as I was the only one, of seven, fluent in English, suffice to say we didn't shift much produce that match. The upside was of course the quantity of pies and burgers left to divvy up between ourselves after the last fans had left.

Having said that, I worked at the kiosks about 5/6 years ago so things may well have improved since.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Nope, used to work behind the kiosk and to describe the training as minimal would be a huge exaggeration. On my first match I was given the honour of pint-pulling duties, having never pulled a pint in my life before it took me a good hour until I started producing anything other than a cup of cold foam. On my 3rd or 4th game I was effectively promoted to kiosk manager as I was the only one, of seven, fluent in English, suffice to say we didn't shift much produce that match. The upside was of course the quantity of pies and burgers left to divvy up between ourselves after the last fans had left.

Oh well, another upside, was that you got a free evening meal at the end of the shift then!

 

[Birdie Boy]

The law states that a pint should have a minimum of 95% liquid so as to allow for a head. So a 5% deficiency is allowed. If you ask for a top up, they are not allowed to refuse.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://beerandpub.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/BBPA-Guidance-Head-on-Beer.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiIku7x3sLfAhW6XRUIHbx_Cf4QFjALegQIBxAB&usg=AOvVaw0SBOmBIo_VIeTbOe379j2h

 

[Guinness Boy]

I always use this example on these threads but I'm still staggered it's not the norm.

At Twickenham, the pub we normally frequent before a game on a matchday has the simple but speedy system.

LOADS of pre poured pints in the background. Constantly being poured by someone. That's their sole job.
People on the till/bar taking the order and taking the payment. That's their job.
People hearing the order and grabbing the pre-poured drinks (which aren't old as they are constantly being made) and bringing them to the front. Again, their only job.

Works wonders.

Sure, people will argue that more staff costs more but I would counter-argue that 1 persons hourly wage is comfortably delivering MANY more items served in the same time.

Beer queues at Edgbaston, even near the rowdey Hollies stand also move remarkably quickly due to a similar system, along with people walking round the concourses with lager dispensing back packs. Longest I've waited for a pint there is probably three to four minutes and the whole stand is shitfaced from lunchtime on.