Posted 3rd June 2008 | 1 Comment
Reprieve for the sizzling sausage... and new, quieter cups of tea
Catering manager Adrian Allen (left) and MD Tim Shoveller give bangers their backing.
THE Great British Breakfast lives on at East Midlands Trains after customers called on the company to ‘Save our Sausages’.
The company started a review of its first class menu in November last year after winning the new franchise. At one stage there were fears that EMT would withdraw its High Speed Train restaurant cars and replace them with a small catering galley.
At the time managing director Tim Shoveller told Railnews that “nothing was set in stone”. And in May, during a train run from Sheffield to St Pancras International, he revealed that the company had decided to keep the full breakfast on several trains, along with new dishes.
Mr Shoveller said: “We had looked at a number of options for our breakfast offer. But feedback from passengers told us that, although many want to see lighter breakfast options available, a significant number do still love our cooked full British breakfast.
“So we have listened to those customers and decided to keep the full breakfast on our menu.
“I believe this shows that we are a train company who are not only committed to providing a fantastic service, we also listen to what customers want and then deliver it.”
East Midlands Trains Great British Breakfast costs £10 and is available to first class passengers on selected trains and subject to availability on others.
Other breakfast choices now available include a special healthy breakfast option, salmon, kippers, baked beans on toast, croque monsieur and, of course, vegetarian alternatives.
Meanwhile, EMT has dispensed with its old-style cups and saucers in favour of sturdy new mugs.
“The rattling made by cups and saucers and spoons was very annoying for customers so we have changed them for more modern mugs,” said communications manager Emma Knight.
“It is also all about time- saving. In the old way, little milk containers were placed under the upturned cups so customers had to take these out before the tea or coffee could be poured in.
“Now we have easy-to-use milk sticks and have replaced the metal spoons with wooden stirrers. It all saves time.”
Reader Comments:
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Jeremy, London, London
At the same time, they have degraded their First Class at-seat service. The attentiveness of the at-seat customer host has been replaced by their orders (no doubt instructed by Shovellor & Co) to concentrate more on selling their new range of food to First Class customers. I saw this in action the other day and it was ludicrous. Furthermore, the complimentary wine offering has been much reduced to only a few trains. No doubt once again Shovellor & Co are cutting down on costs whilst degrading the First Class service.