Have coffee cups got smaller on IR catering?

Run_to_da_hills

Wasn't too sure if this was just a once off or not. I took the Dublin to Cork train the other day and noticed that the cup was a lot smaller and also that the brand of coffee different from normal. :mad:

Judgement Day

What's IR catering?

mickydoomsux

Judgement Day wrote: »

What's IR catering?

Rail Gourmet.

This is the trolling-est thread in quite some time :pac:

Judgement Day

We're only getting started.



http://irishrailways.blogspot.ie/search?updated-min=2009-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2010-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=12

Cookie_Monster

It's just the elite restricting supplies ever more

Victor

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Wasn't too sure if this was just a once off or not. I took the Dublin to Cork train the other day and noticed that the cup was a lot smaller and also that the brand of coffee different from normal. :mad:

So, they changed supplier. Complain to Rail Gourmet.

For most coffees, there is little advantage in supplying smaller cups as most of the cost is staff cost.

Slunk

Cups hold the same amount as always. Just changed supplier. Branded Lyons and kenco cups no longer available in this size. A few less ml's of water isn't going to save any money. No point making them smaller.

Lapin

Victor wrote: »

So, they changed supplier. Complain to Rail Gourmet.

Slunk wrote: »

A few less ml's of water isn't going to save any money. No point making them smaller.

A bit uptight this evening folks !

Nowhere in the OP's post did I see any mention of making complaints or accusations of profiteering.

It looked like a simple observation to me.

A good one too.

StevenGerrard

Didnt Even no irish rail serve food. is this a commuter or something?

Judgement Day

StevenGerrard wrote: »

Didnt Even no irish rail serve food. is this a commuter or something?

Irish Rail don't serve food. Rail Gourmet have a contract to provide catering services on inter-city trains. http://www.railgourmet.com/02-organise/units/05-RG-ireland.asp Rail catering in Ireland is in operation for almost as long as there have been trains - where have you been hiding?

Terrontress

Slunk wrote: »

A few less ml's of water isn't going to save any money. No point making them smaller.

If you've got a large supply of hot water that is!

If it's off a trolley you are limited to as much as it can hold. Once it runs out you can't sell any more so smaller coffees are logical.

Victor

Terrontress wrote: »

If you've got a large supply of hot water that is!

And this is why the trains are fitted with water heaters, so the trolley can be topped up.

Terrontress

Victor wrote: »

Terrontress wrote: »

If you've got a large supply of hot water that is!

And this is why the trains are fitted with water heaters, so the trolley can be topped up.

Is that on all trains with trolley service?

In that case they should do free refills!

AngryLips

I wish the choice on IR was as good as the choice on Aer Lingus

mitosis

Judgement Day wrote: »

We're only getting started.



http://irishrailways.blogspot.ie/search?updated-min=2009-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2010-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=12

"How to pour"

Hilarious!

Losty Dublin

Victor wrote: »

And this is why the trains are fitted with water heaters, so the trolley can be topped up.

Where are the heaters on a 22000 set, aside from the few sets fitted with a dining car?

Judgement Day

mitosis wrote: »

"How to pour"

Hilarious!

It was quite a skill not to pour hot tea/coffee all over over yourself in the pre-Mk II era. Dining at your seat in the Cravens 1st class was not an experience to be undertaken lightly as the carriages used to 'hunt' violently - hard to explain if you haven't been in one.

Slunk

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Victor wrote: »

And this is why the trains are fitted with water heaters, so the trolley can be topped up.

Where are the heaters on a 22000 set, aside from the few sets fitted with a dining car?

In the carraige with the toilet and wheelchair space. There's a press opposite the toilet where the urn plugs in

Victor

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Where are the heaters on a 22000 set, aside from the few sets fitted with a dining car?

At the bicycle trolley cupboard.

foggy_lad

Victor wrote: »

At the bicycle trolley cupboard.

There is a press which is used to store the stock and rubbish bags collected, the water arrives on board with the trolley in two sealed containers with integrated heating elements and olugs, one is usually preheated and in the trolley while the other is left plugged in in the cupboard until it is required, when both are empty there is no more water available.

Terrontress

foggy_lad wrote: »

Victor wrote: »

At the bicycle trolley cupboard.

There is a press which is used to store the stock and rubbish bags collected, the water arrives on board with the trolley in two sealed containers with integrated heating elements and olugs, one is usually preheated and in the trolley while the other is left plugged in in the cupboard until it is required, when both are empty there is no more water available.

And no more coffee sold and no more money earned!

Hence an incentive to sell smaller portions of coffee at the same price. I knew when I read the OP that they must have been doing it for that reason.

Slunk

Most urns returned still have water in them if you must know. Very rare they run out

Judgement Day

Slunk wrote: »

Most urns returned still have water in them if you must know. Very rare they run out

Not surprised - at these prices!

http://www.irishrail.ie/media/Trolley%20and%20Dining%20Car%20Menu.pdf

Run_to_da_hills

On the Dublin to Limerick train at the moment, yes the cups have definitely gotten smaller. They have also lost that built in corrugated cooling jacket.

The tea in these cups is much stronger though which would be my preference so there is a balance.

Terrontress

Slunk wrote: »

Most urns returned still have water in them if you must know. Very rare they run out

What percentage of urns do you estimate come back empty?


The menu above shows the volume as 10 fl oz. It would be interesting if someone keeps their cup and measures it.

Losty Dublin

Terrontress wrote: »

The menu above shows the volume as 10 fl oz. It would be interesting if someone keeps their cup and measures it.

That's only the size of the cup. I doubt if they will ever get filled beyond 80% full.

Slunk

The old cups were 10fl ounces to the fill line. New cups don't have a fill line. Some people complained that the coffee is weak when full. They changed the coffee sachet then. No matter what ye do you wont please everyone.

Terrontress

If someone requested a cup of hot water would they be given it free of charge so they could add their own coffee / teabag?

Slunk

No. Can't supply the cup without the tea/coffee so you will have to pay for a tea or coffee and ask them not to put it in the water. Its a business not a charity

Mycroft H

Terrontress wrote: »

If someone requested a cup of hot water would they be given it free of charge so they could add their own coffee / teabag?

I sometimes drink tea black and bring my own thermos mug plus bags. I've gotten free hot water on the off peak services whenever I've asked.

Cookie_Monster

Judgement Day wrote: »

Not surprised - at these prices!

http://www.irishrail.ie/media/Trolley%20and%20Dining%20Car%20Menu.pdf

that's cheap for a coffee IMO, and a standard coffee is 8oz so you're getting a bigger one too.

2.70 EUR for a standard white coffee over here, 2.27 for a black

parsi

In fairness the coffee from Iarnrod Eireann (or any on board vendor) can't be compared to that from a coffee shop. Seems almost a stretch to call it coffee.

Cookie_Monster

parsi wrote: »

In fairness the coffee from Iarnrod Eireann (or any on board vendor) can't be compared to that from a coffee shop. Seems almost a stretch to call it coffee.

yeah, there is that.

Run_to_da_hills

parsi wrote: »

In fairness the coffee from Iarnrod Eireann (or any on board vendor) can't be compared to that from a coffee shop. Seems almost a stretch to call it coffee.

There is a reason, its diluted powder instead of ground bean to cup and people should expect that. Kenco wasn't the worst in Instant coffee.

Could you imagine if the trolley dolly had to plug into the mains to power up the peculator every time someone wanted a cup.

Its probably one of the reasons that I would choose tea. If the water was cold that would be a different story

cabincrewifly

parsi wrote: »

In fairness the coffee from Iarnrod Eireann (or any on board vendor) can't be compared to that from a coffee shop. Seems almost a stretch to call it coffee.

Its actually disgusting, it turned me off instant coffee for life

foggy_lad

BX 19 wrote: »

I sometimes drink tea black and bring my own thermos mug plus bags. I've gotten free hot water on the off peak services whenever I've asked.

They may give water free but you must pay if they give you a coffee or tea cup as they are all counted.

Run_to_da_hills

foggy_lad wrote: »

They may give water free but you must pay if they give you a coffee or tea cup as they are all counted.

The previous cups that they were using had a peal back base containing coffee powder. The current smaller ones are just ordinary cups so I would imagine they would be less concerned about counting them.

Solair

The catering company would make a fortune if they put a proper coffee machine into the Cork-Dublin trains and other trains that have a catering carriage.

I'd say plenty of people would pay for a decent cappuccino or americano. The coffee they serve at the moment is just instant stuff.

parsi

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

There is a reason, its diluted powder instead of ground bean to cup and people should expect that. Kenco wasn't the worst in Instant coffee.

Could you imagine if the trolley dolly had to plug into the mains to power up the peculator every time someone wanted a cup.

Its probably one of the reasons that I would choose tea. If the water was cold that would be a different story

It's not beyond the bounds of possibility to have an insulated percolator and make batches en-route (back in the dining car [if available]) but it would make stock control harder I'd imagine.

Tea is no good either - the bags are usually too weak to make a proper cup. If a mouse can't trot across it then it's not tea.

Run_to_da_hills

parsi wrote: »

It's not beyond the bounds of possibility to have an insulated percolator and make batches en-route (back in the dining car [if available]) but it would make stock control harder I'd imagine.

Tea is no good either - the bags are usually too weak to make a proper cup. If a mouse can't trot across it then it's not tea.

I never had the privilege of travelling Premier class, I presume its leaf tea in a pot with ceramic cups with saucers.