East Coast unveils first class food revamp
Published: 15/04/2011 - Filed under: News »
Rail operator East Coast is set to launch its new upgraded first class food offering next month, including the replacing of restaurant cars in favour of a complimentary table service.
The move, first announced in November last year (see online news November 15, 2010), is designed to attract more first class customers, and is part of a £12m investment programme intended to put the publicly-owned rail company in a good position ahead of re-privatisation bidding wars in 2012.
Besides introducing complimentary food to all first class passengers (at no extra cost), the investment has created new high-speed routes from major business centres to the capital and added 19 daily services to the timetable.
The changes, due to be introduced May 22, are about getting the best value product for the customer and, eventually, the tax payer, according to East Coast Head of Communications, Neal Smith.
“We’re a business,” says Smith, “and we have to pay back the government. It’s about getting the best deal for the passenger and government. Restaurant cars hark back to a romantic era, but they are not well used. We are losing £20m a year – nobody can sustain that. You have to give good value. Some people like [the restaurant cars], and a few MPs have made comments.”
Smith is referring to the parliamentary debate sparked by East Coast’s plans, which prompted Halifax MP Linda Riordan to accuse the train operator of putting “profit before passenger comfort”.
East Coast currently delivers 100,000 meals a year, but is aiming for a million once the changes are brought in. The new service includes table service, a breakfast, all-day, afternoon tea and evening menu, and snack and drinks throughout the day (no alcoholic drinks on weekends).
The on-board staff have been completely retrained, 40 new chefs were hired and new high spec steam ovens installed. Five seats were taken out of first class carriages to accommodate the new kitchen, though none were removed on the narrower, high-speed trains.
The system seems to be working well, and when Business Traveller sampled the new breakfast this April we found the food to be surprisingly fresh and tasty. The cooked breakfast was served from platter to plate at the table, a nice touch, and had been cooked on-site that morning. Local produce from along the route is used whenever possible, including Wensleydale bacon, British chicken, free-range British eggs and cheese from specialists in Yeovil. Cake recipes from National Trust properties along the route are used for afternoon tea and there is talk of introducing Black Sheep Yorkshire ale to the menu.
Research conducted by East Coast showed that customers want airplane-style service, and this, Smith believes, is a good step toward encouraging customers to opt for rail over air travel.
A key route that will help their case is the “Flying Scotsman” which takes four hours from Edinburgh to London, stopping only at Newcastle (weekdays, 5.40-9.40am). By comparison, Virgin Trains offers just over five hours journey time and First Great Western over four and a half hours. Other new services include a two hour Leeds to London route (weekdays, 6.52-8.59), a daily direct service between London and Harrogate (the first in 20 years) and 11 daily non-stop services between York and London.
In addition, a quiet coach has been introduced and a £600,000 investment has delivered free wifi in first class (in standard, the first 15 minutes are free, then it costs £4.95 an hour or £9.95 for 24 hours).
“The ten to twenty year forecast for rail growth is phenomenal,” says Managing Director Karen Boswell, “so we’re making sure we have the capacity.”
East Coast has been subject to some bad press in the past, following a less than perfect punctuality record. However, Smith says four fifths of these delays were down to “external factors”, including Network Rail issues, weather or animals on the track.
“At Christmas there were overhead line problems,” says Boswell, “two weeks ago Network Rail’s computers failed. Temperature changes up and down the route and trains carry tonnes of compacted snow beneath. There have been cows on the line, swans on the line. We’re just waiting for the plague of locusts!”
“What’s in our control, we’ve had substantial success with,” Smith added. “You do everything you can but customers obviously don’t see that.”
East Coast says it is working with Network Rail to overcome the issues, and the latest statistics show the service performed better this March than in the past eleven years.
Visit eastcoast.co.uk.
Report by Liat Clark
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COMMENTS »
Amused99 - 15/04/2011 20:45
Don't know where you got the idea 40 new chefs where hired? But the opposite is true, voluntary redundancy was offered to all chefs on east coast while the least senior chefs will be given new roles as customer service assistants, no new chefs have been hired and as for the staff training although it was given most are still in the dark about the service that's to be offered.
MartinCarter - 21/04/2011 15:41
This article makes no sense at all:
"We're a business and have to pay back the government."
Eh? The government OWNS the business.
"We are losing £20m a year [on the Restaurant Car]"
Under GNER it was said to be £10 million, but any MBA will tell you that trying to isolate a number like that is highly risky since it's wrapped up with other revenue streams that could easily be lost when the Restaurant Car goes.
"East Coast currently delivers 100,000 meals a year, but is aiming for a million once the changes are brought in."
The changes are advertised as 'complimentary food'. How does giving away 1,000,000 meals for free save money?
BusinessTraveller - 21/04/2011 15:57
Thanks for your comments Amused99 and MartinCarter - we've contacted East Coast to see if the operator wishes to respond to your posts.
concerned - 22/04/2011 11:56
Amused99 is correct no new chefs have been employed the complete opposite has happened chefs have been demoted or offered voluntary redundency. The staff training has consisted of classroom talks and no one actually knows how or what will actually be delivered come may.
And from what I am hearing the trials around the delivery of the new offer have been far from convincing, often failing completely.
Passengers should also be aware that those on journeys of less than one hour will get no more than they do currently i.e a drink and a cake or nibble.
pulsator - 25/05/2011 17:31
What was offered was totally inadequate for a journey of three hours (or four or even seven if you are travelling to or from Scotland). I was given a tumbler of lukewarm Chilean chardonnay, not the advertised sauvignon blanc. The crayfish salad would just about have sufficed as a starter on a proper menu, but the crayfish were tough and flavourless. The vegetable biriyani looked like a Vesta packet meal. No doubt the lucky folk travelling from Kings Cross in the evening will appreciate having a chef on board, but they may be less than impressed that the only dish he/she can produce is sausage and mash. East Coast have actually managed to produce an offering worse than Virgin’s (that is quite an achievement), for Virgin offer hot meals in First Class on all trains in the early evening, and even on a few midday services on the Glasgow run.
I detest chardonnay, so asked if I could order (and pay for) a bottle of something else, and perhaps some other food. I was told that I would have to go to the CaféBar. There the staff managed to find two half-bottles of a better wine, and (last trace of old-fashioned customer care) kept one on ice for later. The is the first time I have ever had to leave a first-class seat on an east Coast train and queue at the buffet, even on a service without restaurant or at-seat dining; until nowI have always been able to order and pay for a choice of food and drink, brought to my seat.
travellingsteve - 06/06/2011 07:02
I am currently sitting on an east coast train in the new 1st class, complimentary food unavailable as "unfortunatly due to technical reasons there is no chef onboard today" wi-fi not working and they've run out of orange juice.... Brilliant start eh!
Oh yes and I've just been told that I have to by a new ticket because unfortunatly my print at home ticket can't be read by the guards machine, how has this problem with their machine all of a sudden managed to become my problem!
EastCoastIsNowRubbish - 06/06/2011 19:49
I've been travelling my entire life First Class on the East Coast rail between York and London and I have to say the new first class service it a total shocker. From York you have to decide within about two minutes of getting on the train whether you want the only coffee or tea offered to you for the next two hours. There is always a choice of one sandwich flavour of which it is obvious the rest of the train declined, dry cake or a banana, all of which has replaced the excellent at seat service and choice of about twenty options. Its very sad to see the exceptional service and quailty of the dining car has been cleared away for this poor excuse of a virgin train. The typical order you get served on the train is coffee, dry sandwich, wine... don't know which idiot eats like this but they have obviously never eaten at a restaurant or encountered good service before.
NeverAgain - 16/12/2011 12:54
I was really disappointed with my experience on East Coast trains on the weekend of 2nd December 2011. I attempted to book a ticket via the East Coast website on Friday but it failed with a "nodelivery options" error. Instead I bought my ticket - an off peak 1st
Class return for £234.50 from redspottedhandkerchief.
I took the 1900 from Kings Cross up to York. The food and drink service was fine although the stewardesses lacked finesse and my eyebrows were raised somewhat when my wine was served in a tumbler! After not being attended to for 20 mins I wandered down to find the stewards by the catering carriage. I requested a spirit and mixer and was told that the trolley would be coming down later. I Persisted and said that I'd really be grateful to have a drink now. I was directed to the buffet where I had to queue up to purchase my drink. As an aside card payment transactions take an inordinately long time. There was one steward manning the buffet and quite a queue was building up - have you considered contactless payment?
On the return journey I took the 1356 service from York. Sandwiches were served – no plates and no offer of wine! Again I was directed to the buffet.
I've been using the 1st Class service since 1994 and was very happy when GNER ran the line. They showed an attention to detail - Table cloths, glasses, staff focused on service, Bacardi, Champagne, slices of lemon. Everything was available at your seat.
The 1st Class stewards these days seem to a bit more "rough and ready" and excellence is not a concept that is at the forefront of their minds.
For the new “1st Class” service food and drink is now included in the ticket price - fine but only what they have on the trolley and if it's not on the trolley you are directed to the buffet to queue up for it! This is not 1st class service!
I expect to be able to order anything available on the train at my seat - I'm happy to pay for it!
For me to consider traveling again in the 1st Class accommodation, anything I require should be served to me using the appropriate glassware and crockery at my seat. Also I don't expect to see the train stewards sitting in the 1st Class accommodation.
We’re travelling up to the North East for Christmas – if they were able to offer a proper 1st Class service I would happily pay for 1st Class off-peak returns. Instead this time we’re going to drive up.
oldskoolcsd - 21/12/2011 15:12
I'm using the 2200 to Newcastle tonight so let's see what they manage to offer in the new 1st!
janesanders - 17/01/2012 00:46
The breakfast served is very good but the customer service on the Edinburgh to Kings Cross leg was shocking. The stewardess had tattooed hands and lacked finesse. She said we weren't allowed fresh fruit with our breakfast despite the menu suggesting to the contrary and passengers were told there was no scrambled egg just minutes after leaving Edinburgh where the train had been victualled.
On the return leg the Geordie staff were much better Breakfast was lovely and nice fresh sandwiches shortly before arriving in Edinburgh.
DundeeRugby - 04/03/2012 13:38
I travel1st class from Dundee to London 2/3 times per month and in my experience service has slipped although there are exceptions. Why no wine etc at weekends? Other services manage it!
HaxbyClive - 23/04/2012 13:16
Just read the press release at the top. I have to say the 'at seat service' is nothing like as good as the old restaurant car. I realise it frees up some more first class seats; but the restaurant offered a civilised, enjoyable breakfast or dinner; making the journey go much quicker. 'At seat' is really just a slightly upgraded version of what you can buy at the buffet. I hate the way changes like this are always presented as innovative progress brought about by customer preference. Why not just say East Coast needed to pull in more money for less service?
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