Irish Rail catering

MrX · 04-03-2007, 12:00

Why do IE keep closing the dining cars at the penultimate station?

It's getting very annoying when they announce on the CDE that the dining car's closing AT THURLES!!!!!

I really wonder why I bother paying for a ticket at all. The service is so unpredictable it's a joke.

It'd be fair enough to close it at Cherry orchard or mallow or something, but when the penultimate stop is nearly half way it's a complete joke.

How lazy are these people?!

Mark Gleeson · 04-03-2007, 12:07

When you see the new prices you won't be eager to buy stuff onboard

Catering was offically privatised this morning

IHIR · 04-03-2007, 18:51

i saw the results of the new catering, they were always a bit pricey but today a woman got a chicken stuffing sandwich in the pastic wrapper which was 4.95! tea gone to 2 euro, can of coke 1.50 and a packet of crisps 1.10. Bit cheeky i think. I wont be getting anything from it anyway.

WhiteSheetPal · 04-03-2007, 19:40

I see that these people are ripping the consumer off,time to bycott and force them out of business by not buying anything off them.

Derek Wheeler · 04-03-2007, 20:47

yes the sandwich price increase is along the lines of a 16%. Its also worth mentioning that evening meals have been abandoned on the CDE since its inception. In my opinion its a deterioration of service on such a "premier train". Breakie rolls is a tad tacky on the morning services. The one area where IE tended to get it right over the years in terms of quality has now gone. Closing snack cars early totally unnacceptable. We should set up a reprt thread to monitor before we attempt anything.

StephenM · 04-03-2007, 21:02

They 14:25 Westport Dublin snack car opened in Manualla Jctn/Claremorris and had run out of water by Ballyhaunis. They had absolutely no stock appart from the bit of tea and milk until that ran out too 1 hr into a 4 hr journey!

Mark Gleeson · 04-03-2007, 21:12

My experience is on the Cork line

If you are heading to Thurles and sit in coach E, F or G you won't see the trolley since it doesn't get moving until Kildare ish. Coming up from Thurles you are unlikely to see any trolley at all, I've seen it once in 8 trips

The catering seems to shut down around Portarlington

A very hungry Tom Stamp was not happy when there was no food on the 17:05 to Ennis on Friday

Given the low overheads catering has (well they ain't paying for the capital cost of the premises, security etc) its hard if not impossible to explain the 83% mark up on the normal retail price of a bag of crisps, must be close to 150-160% mark up on wholesale

Think we need to buy a wholesale box of tayto and hand them out, that is legal under the rules

WhiteSheetPal · 04-03-2007, 23:34

Can we ask everyone to post here of issues on the Catering.
This is being run as a low paid venture and to max its profits.
IE are stupid to sell it off,just another piece of the Railway either gone forever or sold off.
Seems to the be all the go nowadays.
Someone should go on radio during the week pointing out the scandalous prices the new Caterer's are charging.
Any volunteer's?

hhf8 · 05-03-2007, 00:01

can they not replace the snack food,with vending machines?,I'd probably get better service from one,I've never ever gotten food on a westport train,never a trolley,and enytime i fancy somthing it's closed

Thomas J Stamp · 05-03-2007, 10:21

Ok.

1150 from Templemore Saturday 3/3/07. Its a Mrk 4 (hello there Mallowman, you who said they wont stop for me) and all there is is a microwave effort and some drinks. BTW no Areo Hot Chocolate. Not impressed, this is catering 2007 standards on the elite service.

Yesterday on the way back, no announcement that the snack car was open, it eventually did. Manned by a chap who bore no resemblance whatsoever to the id card he had. Some effort called rail food or something now runs the catering, Network Catering is gone.

can of 7up 1.50. Bottle of water 2.75.

That's why no one uses it.

Contrast: Jumbo brekkie in Galway Hooker 7.50. Huge amount of grub, great value. Place packed. So, you'd think that IE would cop onto the fact that decent food, affordable prices equals full restaurant car on every intercity service and, after a while, a profit?

2Funki4Wheelz · 05-03-2007, 10:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomas J Stamp

can of 7up 1.50. Bottle of water 2.75.

Bring back the Cravens so we can lick condensation off the windows.

They're Ryanair-esque snack prices!

CSL · 05-03-2007, 11:00

If a profit can be screwed out at low cost and by fleecing punters - why not, caveat emptor.

It is unreasonable for IE to expect a higher level of service from its subcontractors than it provides to its own customers.

This of course doesn't mean we should not protest; just that we should not be totally surprised.

comcor · 05-03-2007, 14:44

Thought you might like this thread on another forum.

http://www.peoplesrepublicofcork.com...ad.php?t=98632

Oisin88 · 05-03-2007, 16:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by comcor

Thought you might like this thread on another forum.

http://www.peoplesrepublicofcork.com...ad.php?t=98632

Holy Cow. I'm glad I'm a dub.

Can anyone sell stuff on the train if they have a ticket to be on it? i.e. if you had a food sellers licence could you set up an independent trolley and compete? You would think you could in this competion culture?

Mark Gleeson · 05-03-2007, 16:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oisin88

Holy Cow. I'm glad I'm a dub.

Can anyone sell stuff on the train if they have a ticket to be on it? i.e. if you had a food sellers licence could you set up an independent trolley and compete? You would think you could in this competion culture?

Afraid not, though if you where an enterprising person set yourself up in Limerick Junction and allow people to call in for stuff.

You can be assured IE have a no competition clause in the contract.

That said

Call the Mona Lisa in Thurles, 4 chips, onion rings and a 1/4 pounder, Coach C Dublin end door 19:20 cheers.

Thomas J Stamp · 05-03-2007, 17:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oisin88

Can anyone sell stuff on the train if they have a ticket to be on it? i.e. if you had a food sellers licence could you set up an independent trolley and compete? You would think you could in this competion culture?

No, its IE property and you cant do that without their agreement.

Aphfaneire · 05-03-2007, 18:57

Food on a train sounds novel, i only see it on the enterprise but i never get to hear the prices, probobably average since it has to take both northern sterling, sterling and euro.

That and i took a photo the other day of a food trolly i think was destoned for either a platform switch of the 520 gorey train or for a maynooth train.

Derek Wheeler · 05-03-2007, 21:53

Does anyone have a price comparison between Network catering last week and Rail Cuisine this week?

Soft drinks
Water
Tea/Coffee
Sandwich
Choc Bar

Old prices will do. We can do a comparison then.

Sambos were 4.25 approx when I travel. 4.95 now apparently.

Mark Gleeson · 05-03-2007, 21:58

Crisps was 75 now 110
Breakfast 11:50 now 14:50

I think I have a photo of the catering trolley thanks to IE

Wraps 4.60 now ???
Sandwiches 4.25 now 4.95

kevin · 05-03-2007, 22:18

There's been no trolly service on the 18:25 Heuston-Waterford for the last two weeks.

Apart from Tom's farewell trip through the train that is.

However they do sell Coca-Cola now, used always be that pepsi stuff before.

kevin

04-03-2007, 12:00	#1
MrX Really Regular Poster Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 585	Closing snack car / dining car early? Why do IE keep closing the dining cars at the penultimate station? It's getting very annoying when they announce on the CDE that the dining car's closing AT THURLES!!!!! I really wonder why I bother paying for a ticket at all. The service is so unpredictable it's a joke. It'd be fair enough to close it at Cherry orchard or mallow or something, but when the penultimate stop is nearly half way it's a complete joke. How lazy are these people?!

04-03-2007, 21:12	#7
Mark Gleeson Technical Officer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coach C, Seat 33 Posts: 12,669	My experience is on the Cork line If you are heading to Thurles and sit in coach E, F or G you won't see the trolley since it doesn't get moving until Kildare ish. Coming up from Thurles you are unlikely to see any trolley at all, I've seen it once in 8 trips The catering seems to shut down around Portarlington A very hungry Tom Stamp was not happy when there was no food on the 17:05 to Ennis on Friday Given the low overheads catering has (well they ain't paying for the capital cost of the premises, security etc) its hard if not impossible to explain the 83% mark up on the normal retail price of a bag of crisps, must be close to 150-160% mark up on wholesale Think we need to buy a wholesale box of tayto and hand them out, that is legal under the rules Last edited by Mark Gleeson : 04-03-2007 at 21:18.

05-03-2007, 00:01	#9
hhf8 Regular Poster Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Balbriggan Posts: 137	can they not replace the snack food,with vending machines?,I'd probably get better service from one,I've never ever gotten food on a westport train,never a trolley,and enytime i fancy somthing it's closed __________________ Compute the Commute

05-03-2007, 10:21	#10
Thomas J Stamp Chairman/Publicity Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: The Home of Hurling Posts: 2,708	Ok. 1150 from Templemore Saturday 3/3/07. Its a Mrk 4 (hello there Mallowman, you who said they wont stop for me) and all there is is a microwave effort and some drinks. BTW no Areo Hot Chocolate. Not impressed, this is catering 2007 standards on the elite service. Yesterday on the way back, no announcement that the snack car was open, it eventually did. Manned by a chap who bore no resemblance whatsoever to the id card he had. Some effort called rail food or something now runs the catering, Network Catering is gone. can of 7up 1.50. Bottle of water 2.75. That's why no one uses it. Contrast: Jumbo brekkie in Galway Hooker 7.50. Huge amount of grub, great value. Place packed. So, you'd think that IE would cop onto the fact that decent food, affordable prices equals full restaurant car on every intercity service and, after a while, a profit? __________________ We are the passengers

05-03-2007, 21:58	#19
Mark Gleeson Technical Officer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coach C, Seat 33 Posts: 12,669	Crisps was 75 now 110 Breakfast 11:50 now 14:50 I think I have a photo of the catering trolley thanks to IE Wraps 4.60 now ??? Sandwiches 4.25 now 4.95 Last edited by Mark Gleeson : 05-03-2007 at 22:22.

04-03-2007, 12:07	#2
Mark Gleeson Technical Officer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coach C, Seat 33 Posts: 12,669	When you see the new prices you won't be eager to buy stuff onboard Catering was offically privatised this morning

04-03-2007, 18:51	#3
IHIR Regular Poster Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 47	i saw the results of the new catering, they were always a bit pricey but today a woman got a chicken stuffing sandwich in the pastic wrapper which was 4.95! tea gone to 2 euro, can of coke 1.50 and a packet of crisps 1.10. Bit cheeky i think. I wont be getting anything from it anyway.

04-03-2007, 19:40	#4
WhiteSheetPal New to the board Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 2	I see that these people are ripping the consumer off,time to bycott and force them out of business by not buying anything off them.

04-03-2007, 20:47	#5
Derek Wheeler Registered user Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Kildare Posts: 1,555	yes the sandwich price increase is along the lines of a 16%. Its also worth mentioning that evening meals have been abandoned on the CDE since its inception. In my opinion its a deterioration of service on such a "premier train". Breakie rolls is a tad tacky on the morning services. The one area where IE tended to get it right over the years in terms of quality has now gone. Closing snack cars early totally unnacceptable. We should set up a reprt thread to monitor before we attempt anything.

04-03-2007, 21:02	#6
StephenM Regular Poster Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Back using the car due poor service Posts: 135	They 14:25 Westport Dublin snack car opened in Manualla Jctn/Claremorris and had run out of water by Ballyhaunis. They had absolutely no stock appart from the bit of tea and milk until that ran out too 1 hr into a 4 hr journey!

04-03-2007, 23:34	#8
WhiteSheetPal New to the board Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 2	Can we ask everyone to post here of issues on the Catering. This is being run as a low paid venture and to max its profits. IE are stupid to sell it off,just another piece of the Railway either gone forever or sold off. Seems to the be all the go nowadays. Someone should go on radio during the week pointing out the scandalous prices the new Caterer's are charging. Any volunteer's?

05-03-2007, 11:00	#12
CSL Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 378	If a profit can be screwed out at low cost and by fleecing punters - why not, caveat emptor. It is unreasonable for IE to expect a higher level of service from its subcontractors than it provides to its own customers. This of course doesn't mean we should not protest; just that we should not be totally surprised.

05-03-2007, 14:44	#13
comcor Really Regular Poster Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Cork-Dublin, Cork Commuter and occasionally DART and Dublin-Wexford Posts: 855	Thought you might like this thread on another forum. http://www.peoplesrepublicofcork.com...ad.php?t=98632

05-03-2007, 21:53	#18
Derek Wheeler Registered user Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Kildare Posts: 1,555	Does anyone have a price comparison between Network catering last week and Rail Cuisine this week? Soft drinks Water Tea/Coffee Sandwich Choc Bar Old prices will do. We can do a comparison then. Sambos were 4.25 approx when I travel. 4.95 now apparently.

05-03-2007, 22:18	#20
kevin Regular Poster Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Carlow...real soon now. Posts: 79	No trolly service There's been no trolly service on the 18:25 Heuston-Waterford for the last two weeks. Apart from Tom's farewell trip through the train that is. However they do sell Coca-Cola now, used always be that pepsi stuff before. kevin

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