Catering staff need training up before the Championship

[Seano1988]

Yesterday was a belting day but the inexperienced kids they've got behind the kiosks for food & beer need training up. So slow! I went to get a drink about 10 minutes before half time to avoid a queue and didn't get served until they kicked off for the second half. That's nearly half an hour for an overpriced warm beer. The club need to sort it asap

 

[Jon P]

They need to sort that before Kell Brooks fight...

 

[snootyfenooty]

They need to sort that before Kell Brooks fight...

Dead right they do. Not just on service but also on the price and quality of the shit they dish up. There will be a lot of non-football fans there and United will look like a right bunch of berks which could in turn affect their chances of hosting further major events like this.

 

[Linz]

The club need to sort it asap

The catering is outsourced to a company called Compass. It isn't run by the club.

I would hazard a guess that at this stage of the season, the students who tend to man the kiosks have gone home for Easter, or if they are around, refused to work because of exams/deadlines. So I'd imagine they had to draft in the less experienced staff on their books.

Zero hours contracts only work out in the interests of the employer when there is a surfeit of willing labour. If everyone turns it down, they're up shit creek...

 

[Seano1988]

The catering is outsourced to a company called Compass. It isn't run by the club.

I would hazard a guess that at this stage of the season, the students who tend to man the kiosks have gone home for Easter, or if they are around, refused to work because of exams/deadlines. So I'd imagine they had to draft in the less experienced staff on their books.

Zero hours contracts only work out in the interests of the employer when there is a surfeit of willing labour. If everyone turns it down, they're up shit creek...

But if the company the club are contracting it to aren't up to scratch then surely they need to change company and/or take control of it themselves for the good of the fans and probably for their own profits as well. It's not like its a one off where they've been poor, a few seasons now

 

[snootyfenooty]

The catering is outsourced to a company called Compass. It isn't run by the club.

Linz, that argument went out the window years ago. Any organisation is responsible for their suppliers and subcontractors these days. In the building trade, for example, if your subbie fucks up then the main contractor is held accountable. As should United be if their caterer fails to deliver.

 

[Linz]

Linz, that argument went out the window years ago. Any organisation is responsible for their suppliers and subcontractors these days. In the building trade, for example, if your subbie fucks up then the main contractor is held accountable. As should United be if their caterer fails to deliver.

I'm only pointing out what the Club will say if you approach them with a demand that they train up the catering staff.

Not their gig.

 

[JordoBlade]

It's been a while since I bought a beer at HT but I'm sure I always remembered that they'd pour a load out before the queues started. Wished they'd get the chaps walking around with back packs again selling bottles of lager.

 

[PokerBlade]

One time I saw one of them had written down a list of how much for one beer, two beers, three beers, or four. They must have learned the pie prices the previous week.

 

[Deleted member 1486]

It's been a while since I bought a beer at HT but I'm sure I always remembered that they'd pour a load out before the queues started. Wished they'd get the chaps walking around with back packs again selling bottles of lager.

This. Honestly don't know why they stopped doing it. You could walk up to one of those guys and be drinking a cold(ish) beer within 30 seconds, and that was back in the days when the stadium was full every week. They really need to start doing this again.

 

[ElephantBlade]

This. Honestly don't know why they stopped doing it. You could walk up to one of those guys and be drinking a cold(ish) beer within 30 seconds, and that was back in the days when the stadium was full every week. They really need to start doing this again.

I'm sure they had some of these guys last season?

I had a hotdog yesterday, I've never eaten owt like it. It was so grim I had to keep eating it.

 

[WhiteHawk]

They need to sort that before Kell Brooks fight...

You're not going to have everyone trying to get a drink all at the same time for the boxing as we'll be allowed to drink in our seats.

 

[BaldeRunner]

I was lucky to be there on Sunday (in the Redbrik Stand) to see this fabulous club return to being a more slick, professional and mean winning machine. Having travelled 3 hours to get there (and faced with an even longer journey back) it would have been much appreciated if the catering could just be slightly aligned with the resurgent professionalism seen on the pitch. No chance. A complete and utter shambles. Only one outlet out of the three available open and staffed by completely inexperienced and clueless staff. It should have been a caterers dream. - a guaranteed number of fans in a packed stand. Completely predictable numbers and time slots. - what could possibly go wrong? Not enough staff and not enough food or drink. - they were turning people away during half time saying"there's nowt left". It was the kind of logistical challenge that could have been worked out in 3 minutes on the back of a fag packet - great profits and a happy fan base. Instead it was gobsmacking incompetence of a stellar nature. I accept that it's not the club's own staff. I would make a plea that the club take this seriously and get it sorted if we are to take our place in the big time.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

They need more kiosks and need to pay better wages for experienced staff.

 

[seanbeenstattoo]

All the criticisms of Compass are spot on. The club are mad to ousource their catering operation. McCabe could and should employ an events management team directly who would recuit and train staff. FFS they only have to serve a couple of hours tops on home matchdays. In fact,given the range and frequency of corporate and other events at the Lane it would justify a team of full time,well trained and motivated staff,not some students and a few who need to take their shoes and socks off to count past 10.
They can get stock levels bob on based on ticket sales and most stuff has at least a fortnights shelflife if not longer in the event it dosent sell. Absolutely no excuses whatsoever for not making the catering run like clockwork;and drag in a lot more revenue!!!!!

 

[CrookesBlade]

It does seem like clubs (not just us) seem to openly resent serving refreshments to fans and make the whole process of buying a pint/pie as arduous as possible instead of seeing it as a nice little earner.

Only ground I've ever been to that had it nailed down was Anfield in 2003. Also they seem to manage it at Glastonbury. Loads of staff and prepoured pints, it's not rocket science.

 

[Trafford]

Service in the John Street stand has been ridiculously slow for months but, to be fair, they had a'manager type' on one of the two tills on Sunday and it made a massive difference. They still didn't have any burgers but he knew what he was doing, organised the 'gofers' and moved the queue much quicker than I've seen it before.

 

[Russ]

Cans rather than draft would surely work better even if just at half time.

As long as it's not Carling!

 

[Blade56]

I rarely use the catering but bought a tray of chips before game. Took ages to get served and when they came they were white, soggy and totally under cooked. Complained, went and got another tray that were exactly the same. Din't have a go at kid serving its not their fault but everyone needs email club to get something done.

 

[cahill]

The catering is outsourced to a company called Compass. It isn't run by the club.

I would hazard a guess that at this stage of the season, the students who tend to man the kiosks have gone home for Easter, or if they are around, refused to work because of exams/deadlines. So I'd imagine they had to draft in the less experienced staff on their books.

Zero hours contracts only work out in the interests of the employer when there is a surfeit of willing labour. If everyone turns it down, they're up shit creek...

Vote Labour I say

 

[Whiston Blade]

Never use the catering but Sunday was an exception as I took our lasses son for the first time. He wanted a bottle of Sprite, queue was just 4 people deep but took 10 mins to get served, not the end of the world but when I'm paying £2.20 for a £1 bottle, it pisses you off.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

All the criticisms of Compass are spot on. The club are mad to ousource their catering operation. McCabe could and should employ an events management team directly who would recuit and train staff. FFS they only have to serve a couple of hours tops on home matchdays. In fact,given the range and frequency of corporate and other events at the Lane it would justify a team of full time,well trained and motivated staff,not some students and a few who need to take their shoes and socks off to count past 10.
They can get stock levels bob on based on ticket sales and most stuff has at least a fortnights shelflife if not longer in the event it dosent sell. Absolutely no excuses whatsoever for not making the catering run like clockwork;and drag in a lot more revenue!!!!!

yeah well, I know what you are saying, but there are usually good reasons why companies choose to outsource various parts of their operations and it's often about profitability. It's expensive to employ people because you have to pay salaries and pensions and NI contributions and all that malarkey. And they appear on your books as headcount and can be expensive to get shut of if circumstances change suddenly. But I think what the company could do is insist on better standards from those who supply these staff. I mean...a lot of them are just young kids. I do feel a bit sorry for them having got young teenage kids myself and the thing is, they don't think on their feet and neither did we when we were there age. So they need training how to do it.

I've noticed that they usually have them working in two's - one doing the money - the other one fetching the food. What happens is, the one fetching the food waits and watches the one doing the money and vice-versa. So for every customer there's a gap in time while the two watch each other do their duty. They should put in extra tills for a start. If they had twice the amount of tills then that's the queue's halved to begin with. Another thing they could do is pay in one place and collect in another. So the queue keeps moving.

Some more ideas...

Beer.

Why not have mobile beer trolley's like they do at Chesterfield's Pro Act? You don't need to go and get in the pie queue if you want a beer there. You just go to the mobile trolley and the guy pulls you a perfect pint - just like being in a pub.

Confectionery! I'd separate that out from the other stuff. If folks just want a chocolate bar or a packet of crisps, install a bloody vending machine with them in. That will reduce the queues at the counter as well.

 

[S64 Blade]

I don't generally get anything in the ground as it's too expensive, for what it is. I would be willing to spend my money in there more if (1) there was a better selection; i.e. why not use some of the local breweries to supply the beer? There's a huge scene in Sheffield with many being into it. and (2) the queues went down faster. As others have pointed out, we seemed to have a better way of operating a few years ago with pints being pre-pulled and the people with backpacks of beer going around.

 

[sheffielder]

I really don't understand why they don't just sell cans. Beer and lager is shit so at least we know what we're getting

 

[metalblade]

I thought I'd try a pie at the game on Sunday so I ask the lass on the till for a Chicken Balti pie, she turns a asked her co worker for a Chicken Balti pie. The other lass come back with a meat and tata pie, lass on the till sends her back for another pie, other lass comes back with a Steak pie, lass on till tells her which are the Balti pies, all this has taken a minute or two to sell one pie, Jesus wept nice enough lasses but clueless don't even describe them the lass on the till took my money and then was stood doing nothing while her mate searched in vain for the correct pie. You would have thought they would be moving like one armed fiddle players to get the queues down, totally unprofessional and over priced United really should be doing better, it is like a burger stall at a local church fair with a sweet old dear doing the cooking in her own time.

 

[LW_Blade]

The craft beer bar on John St had 1 PERSON pulling beer AND doing the till. Gave up after 15 mins.

 

[I should coco]

I would hazard a guess that at this stage of the season, the students who tend to man the kiosks have gone home for Easter, or if they are around, refused to work because of exams/deadlines. So I'd imagine they had to draft in the less experienced staff on their books.

Zero hours contracts only work out in the interests of the employer when there is a surfeit of willing labour. If everyone turns it down, they're up shit creek...

My daughter and boyfriend are students and both work at the Lane. Sunday was the last shift for quite few, so some people had a drink or two and the motivational effects of the minimum wage are really not that great on your last day.

You are right about the zero hours and that together with the minimum wage for U21s means you get six formers and students. Motivated, skilled and well trained they are not!

it would justify a team of full time,well trained and motivated staff,not some students and a few who need to take their shoes and socks off to count past 10

It wouldn't.

Daughter's boyfriend takes most of the shifts offered and gets about 15-20 hours work per week.

Some of the staff might have trouble counting but please don't tar them all with the same brush.

The prices are set by Compass, but AFTER United have demanded a rake off (eg £1 per pint etc).

 

[BushBlade]

I rarely use the catering but bought a tray of chips before game. Took ages to get served and when they came they were white, soggy and totally under cooked. Complained, went and got another tray that were exactly the same. Din't have a go at kid serving its not their fault but everyone needs email club to get something done.

That ^^^^^. The more people that email the club the more likely they are to do something.

 

[GrozzaTheBlade]

Even funnier when they ID you, as a young looking 22 year old i had no problem in doing such as i expect it regularly, jokingly i asked the lad behind the bar to show me his "I don't have any i've just turned 16"

 

[Whiston Blade]

Confectionery! I'd separate that out from the other stuff. If folks just want a chocolate bar or a packet of crisps, install a bloody vending machine with them in. That will reduce the queues at the counter as well.

A vending machine would just get vandalized and broken time and time again. Not worth the hassle.

It would be an idea to have a beer/alcohol only kiosk for those who can't go 45 mins without a pint but also serve alcohol at the food kiosks, for those who want food and a pint.