Catering quality again - 2007-2008

[firstdivision]

Apologies for repeating this again but after the first home game, the already average catering facilities have deteriorated again.

I don't know if anyone from the club reads or takes notice of these postings but her we go...

The main observations/complaints are as follows:-

1. Queues - the queues were moving too slowly, with one person assigned to a till getting distracted finding food/beer whilst 2 or 3 others just stood and watched. people at the back of the queue got served just as 2nd half started. why not open another till per bar?

2. Quality of merchandise - the Fosters served is unlike any other Fosters I have ever tasted, and was totally flat.

3. It really wouldnt take much to get the queues moving better, and improve the beer quality to something reasonable (it really was like slops).

Anyone here in the catering trade who has any better ideas to get the speed of service and quality up?

[T.R.O.L.I.]

I;m not in the catering trade but there is a simple solution (but one that I doubt RFC will ever implement):

Increase the rates of pay for the counter staff so that people other than complete imbeciles might apply for the job.

[reading98]

The beer is shocking has to be worst in the league. The ques are long because of the idiots serving half the time dont have things ready and are just generally slow oh and like to have a chat whilst serving.

Idiots!!!!!!!!!

Maybe one day we will have some decent grub and a beer to be proud of.

[Behindu]

I;m not in the catering trade but there is a simple solution (but one that I doubt RFC will ever implement):

.

RFC don;t employ the catering staff so you are probably right...

But I do agree you get what you pay for.

You'd think the catering should be an absolute goldmine and with a bit of imagination should be both profitable and worth buying.

My view has always been that each outlet should be let to a different small operator so you get variety, competition and motivation to do well.

[TheLawnMowerMan]

My view has always been that each outlet should be let to a different small operator so you get variety, competition and motivation to do well.

I'll second that (but sadly they will never be able to agree on a combined fee to pay RFC for the "consession").

[Behindu]

My view has always been that each outlet should be let to a different small operator so you get variety, competition and motivation to do well.

I'll second that (but sadly they will never be able to agree on a combined fee to pay RFC for the "consession").

Each concession should be let on it's own - so each concessionaire pays a fee to the club. Gives the club a little bit more to manage but would be so much better for us.

I think that the catering deal at the moment includes all the hospitality and conference catering as well - which woul dbe the one the company really wants. The concourse catering is probably just a pain hence the lack of effort .

[weybridgewanderer]

i say get mcdonalds in

we always hear they can't get staff as it is irregular work hence the dreadful service. If they got mcdonalds it could just be another shift for some of the staff from the store in town

[Behindu]

i say get mcdonalds in

we always hear they can't get staff as it is irregular work hence the dreadful service. If they got mcdonalds it could just be another shift for some of the staff from the store in town

Wouldn;t help the quality though.

Do people actually eat McDonalds, and if so why ?

[firstdivision]

Good point about the pay, but there are plenty of poorly paid students who work in bars and do a better job?

To me the solution is obvious (naive perhaps but stay with it..)

1. Don't let the till people do anything but take orders and money.
2. Encourage the background people to work with each bar person
3. Get the catering manager to taste the beer before it goes on sale
4. Talk to the brewery to reinforce the fact that this ruins your experience with their product.
5. Have the roaming beer sellers again.

The sad thing is that this really spoils an otherwise great day out.

The other point is that the queues stretch right back to the back walls blocking passage which must contravene a health and safety/fire regulation or two.

[Behindu]

The roaming sellers were there on Wednesday - kept getting in my way !

Not sure how you stop the queue reaching the back wall (other than serving really, really quickly !) and doubt it's a health and safety issue - it's not a fixed obstruction and first aiders etc are positioned all along the stands so can get anywhere quickly.

[shadesrwrf]

I say just have a decent meal before you go to football and stop moaning. Whatever they serve up it'll be junk food and only make you fatter.

[firstdivision]

I say just have a decent meal before you go to football and stop moaning. Whatever they serve up it'll be junk food and only make you fatter.

LOL Mrs First D made me a nice dinner before I went, it's the rubbish beer that winds me up. Nowhere else would I pay £3 for a pint of slops.

I was in lower west which was where the queues were and no sign of random beer sellers.....

Its ok I am nearly over this now, tomorrows pint can only get better....

[papereyes]

1 and 2 are standard practise at places like McDonalds. Better training is obvious, but a better standard of management would be a boost. A till person can work a till after one or two shifts - its EASY. Someone can collect pies, serve beer. EASY. Divide the work force into smaller jobs.

3 - one time, the gas went on the Fosters. They found this out when I bought the first pint of the day there. Surely the staff are in before then? Surely some level of managment is there before them? Check that it works. Not hard.

4 - I think its the journey and not the product

5 - roaming beer sellers in the North stand to stand away from the static tills and spread them out. Again, simple, logical.

[Compo's Hat]

Why don't they get plastic bottles (obviously lowering the price a bit).

This will improve the quality of beer and speed up the queues.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Why don't they get plastic bottles (obviously lowering the price a bit).

This will improve the quality of beer and speed up the queues.

Gilligham employed this method years ago (back when Rougier scored the goal that gave us another 3 points)...it works, and is a darned sight more paletable.

[papereyes]

Why don't they get plastic bottles (obviously lowering the price a bit).

This will improve the quality of beer and speed up the queues.

Can be thrown? (Oxford 2002, as an example)
Harder to carry by roaming staff?
Too much of a good idea?

[papereyes]

You could have a plastic bottle bandolier.

Like

Chewie here, but with bottles.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Why don't they get plastic bottles (obviously lowering the price a bit).

This will improve the quality of beer and speed up the queues.

Can be thrown? (Oxford 2002, as an example)
Harder to carry by roaming staff?
Too much of a good idea?

only allowed on the concourse ....obviously



RFC sells bottles of blue sugar (powerade) of course, which are permissable on the terraces

[RG30]

If you don't like it, don't buy it, simple.

[AthleticoSpizz]

If you don't like it, don't buy it, simple.

Quite,


I don't, but I have at some away grounds


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