Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊

new caterers hit or miss



Freddie Goodwin.

Well-known member
Mar 31, 2007
7,186
Brighton
What get's me, and is the change since we moved to the Amex, is the Corporate Thinking that makes the decision that we can give these mugs this shit and they'll pay for it.

Three years ago it was more a case of giving our loyal fans the best choice of food and drink at a football ground anywhere in the Country.

I can see goodwill flying off into the sunset.
 






kikapu

New member
Apr 26, 2010
173
Brighton, United Kingdom
Was in the West Lower, went to the middle refreshments kiosk, asked for a Special Pie was told I'd have to wait, there was hardly any one else there as we where 2 hours before kick off, got given a Balti Pie, said no a special pie please. Got given a box with a S on top which I thought meant Special but meant Steak. Went to take the pie out the packaging and it stuck to the bottom and revealed it was a Chicken and Ham Pie. So I took it back and asked for the Special Pie I'd ordered and got given a Chicken and Ham Pie with a G on the top of the box!!!!!
So never did get a Speical Pie 😡

They really need to sought this out before the Derby game, otherwise there maybe some very unhappy fans!!
 




Eggman

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2003
3,690
West Sussex
I'll echo the sentiments here. In 1901 it was dreadful. Staff were so disinterested it was painful. One guy in front of me asked for some napkins (the cheek) only to be met with a dumbfounded girl staring, blinking and mumbling "er no.we dont have any" yup that's what you pay for im the 1901.

Lack of choice now also. A pie. Or a £14 plate of pasta that has been festering for a few hours. Gah.

Staff would just take your drinks and food off the tables even if you hadn't finished. I mean. Can't they speak and ask if anyone is done?

This is in the service manual Page 1 line 1 SURELY?

They had better improve or it could get messy when there is a full house.

Will we get the same excuses about them bedding in etc etc??
 




Sam-

New member
Feb 20, 2012
772
Had a terrible experience in west lower. Got there at 25 past. Was told they could not serve alcohol as it was too near to k.o. when I pointed out that k.o. was delayed 15 mins I got a shrug and a 'team leader' telling me they hadn't been told anything.
So I left on the whistle at half time to get a pie and pint. The people serving were so slow/incompetent that by the time I got to the front I was again told I couldn't be served as the second half had kicked off. And that I should get there earlier in future.

So there we have it, I should miss the footy otherwise I won't be served.

I will chalk this up as a one off as it was a friendly and staff must be new. But will really hope for a marked improvement at Derby game.
 


Bladders

Twats everywhere
Jun 22, 2012
13,672
The Troubadour
Was in ESL last night, got served no problem but the pies all seamed to be in the wrongly marked box. Assked for Balti but got the special instead. Also asked for a steak and ale, got a special instead. In fairness the special was excellent!

Also no Hophead, I'm sure I had an email from the club saying it would be available in the ESL and WSL but the guy we asked about it (some kind of floor manager) said there was no call for it. :shrug:
 


Philzo-93

Well-known member
Jan 17, 2009
2,797
North Stand
How did the new caterers do lastnite. Felt [SUB][/SUB]thatlacking :facepalm:in oron fofront. Pies not ready pre match, at half time. And an increase in prices on so
me items. I worry, crowd only half of the norm. The service doesnt match the price, needs sorting

Sorry. service was poor in my opinion. service doesn't justify the prices. not a good start


How quickly did you sober up :eek: ?!!?
 




Also no Hophead, I'm sure I had an email from the club saying it would be available in the ESL and WSL but the guy we asked about it (some kind of floor manager) said there was no call for it. :shrug:
I guess this is what passes for "customer service", these days. I hope he's around regularly to tell thousands of us that there is no demand for Hophead, or anything else we might choose to ask for.
 


bravohotelalpha

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2011
2,642
Good Old Sussex By The Sea
West stand lower sat night catering definitely a great big miss.

About 3 week's ago I was at a conference at the amex organised and hosted by Linda and Tony bloom and the catering and the service were first class. It was vital they got it right as the conference wtaas all about overcoming multiplesclerosis and diet is very significant - the food we were served throughout the day was the type of food being advocated. They needed to get it right and they did. This wasn't only because of the blooms but also to show that a vegan styl e diet with fish can be appetizing and tasty - and they did ! It certainly inspired me to eat more healthily
 


Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
59,902
The Fatherland
Rather than start a fresh thread, just had this email from the club:

With The Sky Bet Championship season nearly upon us and our newly appointed catering partner Sodexo Prestige now in place, we would like to offer members the opportunity to join a focus group to outline our vision to improve the 1901 Club matchday experience moving forward.

This will include an introduction to the team at Sodexo and a brief tasting to preview the menus and wine lists for the season ahead and to listen to the views of our members. The members' meeting will take place on Wednesday 31st July from 6.00pm until 7.00pm in the BMW Chandlers Lounge. While we appreciate that this is short notice, we are keen for you to meet our new catering partner and to discuss our 1901 Club improvements at the earliest convenience.

The focus group will be hosted by the Albion commercial team and they will all be on hand to answer any questions you may have.

We have a limited number of 30 places available for this event, so if you would like to attend please RSVP by 5pm on Monday 29th July to jo.brooks@bhafc.co.uk.
We hope you are able to join us.

I thought you would form a focus group BEFORE you decide what the season's intentions are, not after?
 




Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
59,902
The Fatherland
Had a terrible experience in west lower. Got there at 25 past. Was told they could not serve alcohol as it was too near to k.o. when I pointed out that k.o. was delayed 15 mins I got a shrug and a 'team leader' telling me they hadn't been told anything.
So I left on the whistle at half time to get a pie and pint. The people serving were so slow/incompetent that by the time I got to the front I was again told I couldn't be served as the second half had kicked off. And that I should get there earlier in future.

So there we have it, I should miss the footy otherwise I won't be served.

I will chalk this up as a one off as it was a friendly and staff must be new. But will really hope for a marked improvement at Derby game.

I presumed Barber got rid of Azure because their service was pants and their quality was low. This new lot seem to be plumbing knew depths on both fronts so maybe the change was more financially motivated?
 




Superphil

Dismember
Jul 7, 2003
25,442
In a pile of football shirts
Why on earth do they need a focus group? If they want an honest assessment, all they need to do is open threads such as these :shrug:

I just emailed them in reply with each of the 1901 member comments on this thread.
 




Superphil

Dismember
Jul 7, 2003
25,442
In a pile of football shirts
I thought you would form a focus group BEFORE you decide what the season's intentions are, not after?

To be honest, this might be a bit of a response to the grief Jo was getting on Saturday, everyone we saw her speaking to was criticising what was going on. The new meal options were getting crucified, the staff were coming in for loads of stick. I did also raise the issue of the staff, and their lack of English, as in "A pint of lager, and a glass of tap water please" was simply not understood. I had to point to the beer pump to get them to understand what I wanted, as for a glass of water, I swear the bloke asked another member of staff if it was OK to serve it.

As for the use of the tills, IT WAS A ****ING JOKE, for ****s sake, it's a till, there are millions of them in use in supermarkets, macdonalds, pubs, restaurants all over the world, why the **** can they not employ staff who may have used one before. In my local pub I was shown how to use the till once, it took all of 2 minutes, including breaks, and from then on I never had to ask where the ****ing button for a pint of ****ing lager was again.
 


The Merry Prankster

Pactum serva
Aug 19, 2006
5,577
Shoreham Beach
To be honest, this might be a bit of a response to the grief Jo was getting on Saturday, everyone we saw her speaking to was criticising what was going on. The new meal options were getting crucified, the staff were coming in for loads of stick. I did also raise the issue of the staff, and their lack of English, as in "A pint of lager, and a glass of tap water please" was simply not understood. I had to point to the beer pump to get them to understand what I wanted, as for a glass of water, I swear the bloke asked another member of staff if it was OK to serve it.

As for the use of the tills, IT WAS A ****ING JOKE, for ****s sake, it's a till, there are millions of them in use in supermarkets, macdonalds, pubs, restaurants all over the world, why the **** can they not employ staff who may have used one before. In my local pub I was shown how to use the till once, it took all of 2 minutes, including breaks, and from then on I never had to ask where the ****ing button for a pint of ****ing lager was again.

Got to feel very sorry for Jo (and Dodge) constantly being asked to sell (and then defend) a terrible product.
 


Spun Cuppa

Thanks Greens :(
Did a local college have an input into the catering for the last two years? People with an interest in giving good service? Now it appears to be profit driving it :(
 


Superphil

Dismember
Jul 7, 2003
25,442
In a pile of football shirts
Got to feel very sorry for Jo (and Dodge) constantly being asked to sell (and then defend) a terrible product.

Agree with you 100%, poor Jo looked a bit shellshocked on Saturday. They put the responsibility with the caterers, but surely it is in the interests of the club to make sure the staff the caterers employ are actually trained.
 




Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
59,902
The Fatherland
What get's me, and is the change since we moved to the Amex, is the Corporate Thinking that makes the decision that we can give these mugs this shit and they'll pay for it.

Three years ago it was more a case of giving our loyal fans the best choice of food and drink at a football ground anywhere in the Country.

I can see goodwill flying off into the sunset.

Well put. 3 years ago we were doing something a bit different, and personally I liked that, and the supporters hoovered it up in record amounts. The times are a changing.
 


Bozza

You can change this
Helpful Moderator
Jul 4, 2003
55,864
Back in Sussex
It's such a shame to be reading this stuff. Given past woes, the club MUST have drummed into the new lot that there was a need to hit the ground running at full pace, yet it sounds like the very fundamentals of recruitment (Struggling with English) and training (basic product knowledge and till usage) have been neglected.

I'm sure most will give some slack for improvement with new incumbents involved, but I can't imagine many expected the quality, or lack of, that is being described here.

The club must be pulling their hair out over this.
 


Albion and Premier League latest from Sky Sports


Top
Link Here