This week's 1901 meal

[Superphil]

The 59 offering at Withdean included the match ticket I believe. This one is much more plus VAT - makes it in the price league of a Michelin star restaurant that I went to a few weeks ago. The drinks there made that more expensive but very good value. .

No it didnt. match ticket was on top, and VAT was on top.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Nobody seemed to moan in the first season at The Amex, well 1901 anyway. It seems they have upped the price for the 3 course to £90 which is in my opinion a ridiculous amount of money and reduced the Buffet offerings to the sort of food you'd expect in a staff canteen.

There is a happy medium to be found, the club just need to find it, and fast.

The top level price is WAY too expensive. Only true corporates (i.e. businesses entertaining guests) are ever going to pay that, which is why uptake is so low (perhaps they underestimated how many of the people in 1901 actually ARE businesses. It does include a 'gift' though! What have these 'gifts' actually been at the first matches/ Does anyone know?

But then you say "The buffet offerings have been reduced to.." They haven't been reduced at all. Such a thing never existed before. Originally there was ONE option. A sit down meal at about £40. At least now there is a £14 option, even if as yet, they haven't got the quality or presentation right.

You are right. Not everybody will be happy all the time. But the concept of price is generally based on value and you have it spot on that quality across all the 'price points' is critical. If you want to pay £6 then something that costs £4 outside is reasonable. Of you want to pay £60 then something that is £50 outside will be reasonable.

Value is clearly the key -that much is a truism. However, I get the feeling that some people are expecting the same top quality across ALL price ranges - its never, ever going to happen, and people are just setting themselves up for unrelenting dissapointment.

 

[Hillian1]

I've enjoyed my visits to the stadium (can't recall which lounges I've been in), and I don't get to fussed by the lack of quality in the food (and it is bad), but I've never had to pay for it - I certainly don't understand why Barber et al think that realistically people want expensive sit down dinners at the football, doesn't stack up for me.

What I really don't understand is why a CEO takes so much time to write individual email responses? Some will say good on 'im, I'd say surely you have something better to be doing?

I would imagine that the revenue from the 1901 is so low that he has had to get involved.

 

[The Large One]

Nobody seemed to moan in the first season at The Amex, well 1901 anyway. It seems they have upped the price for the 3 course to £90 which is in my opinion a ridiculous amount of money and reduced the Buffet offerings to the sort of food you'd expect in a staff canteen.

There is a happy medium to be found, the club just need to find it, and fast.

One of the mantras used in customer service is that if you have a good experience you will tell 5 people about it, but if you have a bad one you will tell 15.

You're joking aren't you? The Liverpool match was held up as a prime example of how not to offer high quality catering. Even Elliott from Azure would facepalm himself on that one.

It was seen to improve, but not without complaint. 'Value for money' (an entirely flexible concept I know) was the issue most commonly commented upon.

 

[Superphil]

Nobody seemed to moan in the first season at The Amex, well 1901 anyway. .

We did moan, we complained a lot, about all the same things, we got freebies as compensation, and still got terrible food and service, so we stopped using it.

Season two, promised improvement, didn't get it, eventually the club ran out of patience, and dumped Azure.

 

[The Large One]

The top level price is WAY too expensive. Only true corporates (i.e. businesses entertaining guests) are ever going to pay that, which is why uptake is so low (perhaps they underestimated how many of the people in 1901 actually ARE businesses. It does include a 'gift' though! What have these 'gifts' actually been at the first matches/ Does anyone know?

But then you say "The buffet offerings have been reduced to.." They haven't been reduced at all. Such a thing never existed before. Originally there was ONE option. A sit down meal at about £40. At least now there is a £14 option, even if as yet, they haven't got the quality or presentation right.

Value is clearly the key -that much is a truism. However, I get the feeling that some people are expecting the same top quality across ALL price ranges - its never, ever going to happen, and people are just setting themselves up for unrelenting dissapointment.

I'm told it was the DVD of the Brighton v Leicester match from last season.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I'm told it was the DVD of the Brighton v Leicester match from last season.

Really? FFS.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

So if he said he'd stick by them regardless of whether they can meet the pre-agreed standard, you'd be happy? That would amount to telling the fans "tough, you're stuck with it. He can't win. And he made it clear that he really doesn't want another change.

No. I'd prefer it if he made the right judgement call first time round. It's what he is paid to do. As a CEO you stand and fall by the big calls.

 

[Goldstone1976]

The top level price is WAY too expensive. Only true corporates (i.e. businesses entertaining guests) are ever going to pay that, which is why uptake is so low (perhaps they underestimated how many of the people in 1901 actually ARE businesses. It does include a 'gift' though! What have these 'gifts' actually been at the first matches/ Does anyone know?

But then you say "The buffet offerings have been reduced to.." They haven't been reduced at all. Such a thing never existed before. Originally there was ONE option. A sit down meal at about £40. At least now there is a £14 option, even if as yet, they haven't got the quality or presentation right.



Value is clearly the key -that much is a truism. However, I get the feeling that some people are expecting the same top quality across ALL price ranges - its never, ever going to happen, and people are just setting themselves up for unrelenting dissapointment.

Spot on.

Last week, my 1901 lounge had the following options:

Pies at the same price as on the concourses
Crisps/chocolate
A meal at £12
A meal at £14
A two-course meal priced at £19

I could have pre-booked the all-singing, all-dancing corporate shindig in one of the big lounges at the £90 level.

Don't forget that all of these prices can be discounted by up to 15%, bringing the cost of the £12 meal to a tenner if you use e-cash and order by 1:30 (which you probably would if you wanted a proper meal before the game anyway)

The range of options was perfectly satisfactory. With the exception of the £90 deal, which I've not even seen, I think that the pricing is not at all out of line. I've been to many sporting events in hospitality suites where the lowest cost meal is ~£20. I do think the quality could be upped a bit, but I'd be happy to pay another couple of quid for a GBK-like burger patty.

At the bottom of the option range, you can have a pie and a Harvey's at the same price as on the concourse, and you get to sit in your lounge, in the warm, with your included programme, looking out at the pitch. Is that really such a bad deal?

 

[ROSM]

I eat in a hospitality box in the first season and it was , quality wise, comparable to the sit down with brighton or fontwell racecourse (mains a little under but desserts much better). It wasn't as good as Goodwood

Have also eaten buffet at brighton racecourse and did pay for that and was very impressed in terms of value.

I eat at withdean and would say the quality (carvery) was better than that served in the box but surroundings were clearly better at the amex

The served in the box buffet at arsenal at their first game at the emirates was superb but served late.

Again, I havnt paid for any of those so am given a view on food alone. I have heard from the people I was guests of that they now don't have the food at the amex due to quality / vfm deterioration.

 

[trueblue]

Perhaps they have overestimated the number of 'corporate' customers as I suspect a lot of people bought tickets in company names for tax reasons and 'networking'. That doesn't mean that Bob's Plumbing Services will want to cough up for a table of ten at almost £100 a pop as someone like Vodafone might.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Perhaps they have overestimated the number of 'corporate' customers as I suspect a lot of people bought tickets in company names for tax reasons and 'networking'. That doesn't mean that Bob's Plumbing Services will want to cough up for a table of ten at almost £100 a pop as someone like Vodafone might.

They absolutely did overestimate that from the outset. And they have recognised it, which is precisely why the £12/£14 self-service meals are now available, rather than just the table service, sit-down stuff. As I said, the pricing options are now fine, IMO, its just the quality and presentation that needs improving.

 

[The Large One]

Perhaps they have overestimated the number of 'corporate' customers as I suspect a lot of people bought tickets in company names for tax reasons and 'networking'. That doesn't mean that Bob's Plumbing Services will want to cough up for a table of ten at almost £100 a pop as someone like Vodafone might.

Yes and no.

When the original plans were drawn up for the stadium, there were about 32 executive boxes in the West Stand. The club spoke to fans who were most likely to have taken a box, and they replied that they would like to sit together in one room - a la Withdean. So the plans were re-drawn, and only 10? 12? boxes were incorporated into the design.

Similarly, the take-up for 1901 Club - something which took the Albion by surprise - showed that that area was going to be taken up by fans who wanted to treat themselves a bit, and maybe as you say show-off or network a bit, NOT by Vodafone / Continental / Samsung etc.

Therefore the club knew what their target market was, and by and large, knew what they wanted.

While I appreciate the club's ambition to attract big sponsorship from major companies, it's quite hard to do so (1) when you're in the Championship, not having been in the Premier League and (2) something the club can do nothing about but, we're not located in a large city. I believe not being in London or Manchester, or even Birmingham has its disadvantages on that score.

 

[sydney]

lasagne and chips on the same plate is sooooooo chavvy....honestly ,talk about lowering the tone.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

I see from PB's email that he complains that they can't complete with other restaurants as they can't buy at the same price. That might be true ( but surely the caterer would have mass contracts in place ) but I personally could do a decent sirloin steak, with accompaniments for a cost of less than a fiver and I don't have the buying power of the caterer. Yes, I know there are staff overheads but seriously, not being able to put on a decent, value for money meal at £20 is a shambles.

 

[Superphil]

Perhaps they have overestimated the number of 'corporate' customers as I suspect a lot of people bought tickets in company names for tax reasons and 'networking'. That doesn't mean that Bob's Plumbing Services will want to cough up for a table of ten at almost £100 a pop as someone like Vodafone might.

Don't think there are many "tax" benefits to this any more, or so said a poster on the same subject here a couple of weeks ago.

They absolutely did overestimate that from the outset. And they have recognised it, which is precisely why the £12/£14 self-service meals are now available, rather than just the table service, sit-down stuff. As I said, the pricing options are now fine, IMO, its just the quality and presentation that needs improving.

Thing is, for the £40 offer for the past 2 seasons they had probably at 200+ eating in the Profile Lounge for each match (nearly £200K a season?). They tell us that the caterer was charing them £60 for these meals, which seems way wide of the mark, nevertheless, they said they can't make money at that price. This in itself suggests to me that they are trying to make far too much money from the meals. After all, in what world can an overcooked chicken breast (not even free range) or a lamb shank (the cheapest cut), and some vegetables and a bit of gravy, followed by a slice of cheesecake ever "cost" £60 to produce?

1 x Tesco Chicken Breast, £2.00
1 x Tesco Lamb Shank, £3.00
1 x Tesco Cheesecake, £2.99 (serves 8)
Carrots, £0.90 per kg
Broccoli, £2.00 kg
Potato, £1.30 kg
Bisto, £1.25 (serves at least 25)

Mini Pigletts Pie at half time, say £2.00

Max materials cost, £6 pp, I reckon I could cook that lot up into something edible for £34.

 

[Hillian1]

I see from PB's email that he complains that they can't complete with other restaurants as they can't buy at the same price. That might be true ( but surely the caterer would have mass contracts in place ) but I personally could do a decent sirloin steak, with accompaniments for a cost of less than a fiver and I don't have the buying power of the caterer. Yes, I know there are staff overheads but seriously, not being able to put on a decent, value for money meal at £20 is a shambles.

That is a good point, he assures us that Sodexo are the second largest catering company in the world, then goes on to say they (I assume Sodexo buy their own ingredients) cannot compete with others purchasing power.

Does.Not.Add.Up,

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I see from PB's email that he complains that they can't complete with other restaurants as they can't buy at the same price. That might be true ( but surely the caterer would have mass contracts in place ) but I personally could do a decent sirloin steak, with accompaniments for a cost of less than a fiver and I don't have the buying power of the caterer. Yes, I know there are staff overheads but seriously, not being able to put on a decent, value for money meal at £20 is a shambles.

His mindset is frustrating. I have eaten in pop-ups, festival restaurants, event restaurants, wedding catering etc etc which all must suffer the same/similar issues but they see it as a challenge to rise above as opposed to use as an excuse. The two big 1901 lounges surely cannot be much different in scale and frequency of event (two things Barber says work against the club) to any of these. And for those who have faith in him turning this around I really do hope you come back and tell me how totally wrong I was at the end of the season.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Don't think there are many "tax" benefits to this any more, or so said a poster on the same subject here a couple of weeks ago.



Thing is, for the £40 offer for the past 2 seasons they had probably at 200+ eating in the Profile Lounge for each match (nearly £200K a season?). They tell us that the caterer was charing them £60 for these meals, which seems way wide of the mark, nevertheless, they said they can't make money at that price. This in itself suggests to me that they are trying to make far too much money from the meals. After all, in what world can an overcooked chicken breast (not even free range) or a lamb shank (the cheapest cut), and some vegetables and a bit of gravy, followed by a slice of cheesecake ever "cost" £60 to produce?

1 x Tesco Chicken Breast, £2.00
1 x Tesco Lamb Shank, £3.00
1 x Tesco Cheesecake, £2.99 (serves 8)
Carrots, £0.90 per kg
Broccoli, £2.00 kg
Potato, £1.30 kg
Bisto, £1.25 (serves at least 25)

Mini Pigletts Pie at half time, say £2.00

Max materials cost, £6 pp, I reckon I could cook that lot up into something edible for £34.

Not bad but I'm waiting for TLO's £6 pp offering. I must admit I do drool when he talks food.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

Spot on.

Don't forget that all of these prices can be discounted by up to 15%, bringing the cost of the £12 meal to a tenner if you use e-cash and order by 1:30 (which you probably would if you wanted a proper meal before the game anyway)

Incorrect. 1901 cash back is 10% regardless of time.