Catering - Again

[Skyline]

I always take some prawn or salmon sandwiches to games. I also take a flask of green tea and slice of victoria sponge for pudding.

Much better than the awful food they sell at the ground.

So Stamford Bridge's catering's as bad as the Madejski then?

[Woodcote Royal]

I know its very old hat to moan about the catering staff - I mean its just so not new.

However, the service at the North Stand Bar at half time is now bordering on the ridiculous. Watching the girl who was serving, she spent over 90% of her time looking over her shoulder and not at the customer, waiting for something to happen, rather than making it happen herself. Although what she wanted to serve was a mere yard or so away from her, she made no effort to do anything for herself.

The result was quite possibly the slowest queue Id ever witnessed, which ironically was for a refreshments bar that is open for only 20 minutes.

It is no exaggeration that this is customer service that doesnt even meet the basics. I know that STAR like to trawl these pages and Id like to know if this has been raised before and what the club response is - because it is really rather shoddy.

the Foster's guys are great, however - even if they could do with carrying a bit more beer in those barrels!

I think this might be a case of, go West, young man (Especailly when someone not a million miles from these parts is contemplating not rewing his ST next year )

I was up there moaning with the best of them when our catering was truly sh*te but I can only respond to the recent experiences I have had myself.

In the last few years our end of the Upper West has been transformed from one of the worst to perhaps the best matchday catering I experience up and down the country.

Even at half time, when demand is at it's highest, I have been served well before the resumption having not left my seat until the end of the first half.

When I arrive at the ground I usually buy a coffee and there's either, no queue or, one or two in front of me.

Simply, our catering bears no relation to the disgrace that past for the norm a few years ago and, whoever is responsible for this amazing turn around deserves much praise................sorry to hear things are not so rosy in the North.

[weybridgewanderer]

queues in the north stand before the game starts don't seem to be anything like the length they were

not sure if that is because nobody is buying anything anymore? maybe more people in the hotel? In general the whole area doesn't seem nearly as busy as it was

[STAR Liaison]

but if the club wish to make a fat profit on the food and drink, it might be a good start if they employed people who not only knew what lager was, filled the pint glass to the top rather than just over 3/4 full and also thought on their feet and when they were running out of stuff, got some more in, if it's available.

This old chestnut.

We have no idea what the arrangement is with the catering. Whether it's a concession, whether the club see any of the profits at all. There are any number of different scenarios.

I asked the specific question at our latest meeting with the management as they have always shown to us that they want to improve the catering and any specific complaint sent to them is acted upon, note that it is a complaint to customer services as they cannot just chase threads on here.

The club does get a % of the spend on the concourses and though it knows that the concourses are crowded now there are plans to improve them when/if the stadium expansion takes place. In the meantime they are always looking at ways to improve the service and although they do not employ the staff directly are willing to talk to Compass about staffing problems sent to them.

[Kes]

I was served by a girl who looked like Shaun Wright-Phillips last night in the North Stand and she didn't have clue.

I wanted a pint of Fosters and a hot chocolate. Total cost £4.40.

I gave her five pounds. Got no change and was given Guinness and a hot chocolate.

I then asked her for my change and she looked bemused! I said where's my change? It should be 60p. So she then hands over 6p.

Finally she gave me the right change, although I could have said £60 and she'd have probably given me it.

[TFF]

I know its very old hat to moan about the catering staff - I mean its just so not new.

However, the service at the North Stand Bar at half time is now bordering on the ridiculous. Watching the girl who was serving, she spent over 90% of her time looking over her shoulder and not at the customer, waiting for something to happen, rather than making it happen herself. Although what she wanted to serve was a mere yard or so away from her, she made no effort to do anything for herself.

The result was quite possibly the slowest queue Id ever witnessed, which ironically was for a refreshments bar that is open for only 20 minutes.

It is no exaggeration that this is customer service that doesnt even meet the basics. I know that STAR like to trawl these pages and Id like to know if this has been raised before and what the club response is - because it is really rather shoddy.

the Foster's guys are great, however - even if they could do with carrying a bit more beer in those barrels!

We have mystery shopper visits two or three times a season, and are always looking for supporters to take part in them. It's very simple, we want fans to complete a questionnaire before they come in, go to a kiosk and buy an item of food and give us the feedback on it. We then get a report from an independent company and that helps us make improvements. We've done that over the last few seasons, using our own fans. So we're looking at all fans from various age groups. Everyone's opinions count. So if you're 7 or 70, we'd like to hear from you.

http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/pa ... 16,00.html

[STAR Liaison]

We have mystery shopper visits two or three times a season, and are always looking for supporters to take part in them. It's very simple, we want fans to complete a questionnaire before they come in, go to a kiosk and buy an item of food and give us the feedback on it. We then get a report from an independent company and that helps us make improvements. We've done that over the last few seasons, using our own fans. So we're looking at all fans from various age groups. Everyone's opinions count. So if you're 7 or 70, we'd like to hear from you.

I can confirm the mystery shopper visits, as can several other nobbers who have participated - and I can also confirm that they are not the easiest to please

[Kes]

Why doesn't Jackie Evans just read the comments on here instead of wasting time getting mystery shoppers?

[Behindu]

Why doesn't Jackie Evans just read the comments on here instead of wasting time getting mystery shoppers?

I'm sure if you provide your full name and address she would.

Otherwise she probably realises that 90% of what is on here is exaggerated or mischief making.

[Kes]

Why doesn't Jackie Evans just read the comments on here instead of wasting time getting mystery shoppers?

I'm sure if you provide your full name and address she would.

Otherwise she probably realises that 90% of what is on here is exaggerated or mischief making.

So if I supply my name address it doesn't mean I not exaggerating or mischief making......

[Behindu]

Why doesn't Jackie Evans just read the comments on here instead of wasting time getting mystery shoppers?

I'm sure if you provide your full name and address she would.

Otherwise she probably realises that 90% of what is on here is exaggerated or mischief making.

So if I supply my name address it doesn't mean I not exaggerating or mischief making......

No, your user name gives it away.

If you supply a name and address then at least they can follow it up.

But in any case HNA isn;t the place for communicating with the football club and if an issue is so unimportant that you can;t be bothered to contact them direct it hardly merits their time...

[Kes]

Why doesn't Jackie Evans just read the comments on here instead of wasting time getting mystery shoppers?

I'm sure if you provide your full name and address she would.

Otherwise she probably realises that 90% of what is on here is exaggerated or mischief making.

So if I supply my name address it doesn't mean I not exaggerating or mischief making......

No, your user name gives it away.

If you supply a name and address then at least they can follow it up.

But in any case HNA isn;t the place for communicating with the football club and if an issue is so unimportant that you can;t be bothered to contact them direct it hardly merits their time...

why would they need to follow it up when they can read what the problem is on here?

[Behindu]

As if !

Next thing you know people will be thinking the letter page of the Evening Post is full of 'real issues' !!

[Kes]

My story about the girl that looked like SWP is true. I don't think people tend to make up stories in this forum, unlike in undfounded rumours.......etc....

[Behindu]

My story about the girl that looked like SWP is true. I don't think people tend to make up stories in this forum, unlike in undfounded rumours.......etc....

In that case contact the club and tell them you don;t want to be served by England Look-a-likes in future.

I'm sure they will vet all staff for Peter Crouch dopplegangers or Joleon Lescott doubles.

[g]

Why doesn't Jackie Evans just read the comments on here instead of wasting time getting mystery shoppers?

I agree about mystery shoppers, complete waste of time. Just have to look of the character of someone who chooses their career to be one. If you want honest opinions ask the people who are there not the people being paid for it.

[Behindu]

Why doesn't Jackie Evans just read the comments on here instead of wasting time getting mystery shoppers?

I agree about mystery shoppers, complete waste of time. Just have to look of the character of someone who chooses their career to be one. If you want honest opinions ask the people who are there not the people being paid for it.

Although look at the character of people who comment on things they haven't read....

The club are asking fans (ie people who are there) to be 'mystery shoppers' and aren;t offering payment.
Much better to actually try and find out what is giong on than rely on the windups and inventions that you find on here. Kes's 'problem' being a classic....

[Skyline]

Why doesn't Jackie Evans just read the comments on here instead of wasting time getting mystery shoppers?

I'm sure if you provide your full name and address she would.

Otherwise she probably realises that 90% of what is on here is exaggerated or mischief making.

So if I supply my name address it doesn't mean I not exaggerating or mischief making......

No, your user name gives it away.

If you supply a name and address then at least they can follow it up.

But in any case HNA isn;t the place for communicating with the football club and if an issue is so unimportant that you can;t be bothered to contact them direct it hardly merits their time...

why would they need to follow it up when they can read what the problem is on here?

Reminds me of the argument one of the regulars on RoyalMail came out with once. It was to do with a fairly major change to do with the stadium (possibly when making the East Stand reserved seating was first being mooted). This genius reckoned that the best way to communicate the change to the fans wasn't through the official website, match-day progreamme, the local papers, or even unofficial websites. No, what he said they should do was to have people who could start rumours about the change.

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

Ahh, the good old days of RoyalMail

[STAR Liaison]

Why doesn't Jackie Evans just read the comments on here instead of wasting time getting mystery shoppers?

I agree about mystery shoppers, complete waste of time. Just have to look of the character of someone who chooses their career to be one. If you want honest opinions ask the people who are there not the people being paid for it.

You are so wrong in this instance - the mystery shoppers in this case are not professionals but ordinary supporters, who have been asked to just go and buy at the concourse outlets and then complete a questionnaire. The only payment, which may or may not be an advantage, is the food and beverage you buy up to the limit of the voucher you are given. The only outside input is the analysis of the questionnaire results.