Beer & Food at half time, your thoughts Please.

Badger

I have noticed that a kiosk has been closed at the far end of the North Upper towards the quadrant corner.

During Half time I have also noticed that a Queuing system in the north upper has been introduced for drinks and food.

For those that are buying food and drinks at half time are you getting served any quicker?

I have noticed that beers are being pre poured is this making a difference.

What service do you get in the west and east stand

All views welcome.

cfgs

Unless you leave your seat well before halftime you are not served before the second half commences. New system same poor service.

Actually poor service is harsh, the quality of service has improved but the number of bars is far too small for the people needing a beer.

TelMc32

The bar at the far end has been closed for the last few games and it's causing huge queues at the next main one along. They aren't pre-pouring at all and whatever pumping system they're using for the beers in wholly inadequate & way too slow.

The queuing system was working fine, until the other kiosks closed down (the small food one between the end & main one is also closed). I would say that the staff are all very polite, just very inexperienced and too slow (at the moment) for what's needed in a half-time rush.

I remember seeing an advert on the OS a couple of months back advertising an open day for recruiting staff. It announced that unless you could attend on that day, you would miss out. Perhaps they didn't get enough takers & that's why the other bars are closed. Or perhaps we just don't want to pay for staff...or can't!

Two lads in front of us went down for beers over 5 minutes before half time on Sunday & gave up. The queue was horrendous. My dad needed something warm & did queue for a few bovrils to hand out. He missed Stephens' goal AND the next 10 minutes!

Ridiculous situation and not good enough.

Saga Lout

Very poor service at the Brighton game my son left our seats a couple of minutes early at HT and he was the last person to get served before the 2nd half started. Beer should've been pre-poured. Added to that, they seem to be the slowest pumps in the world! This is costing the club money - why can't they see that? They could also organise it so that there are staff just constantly pouring drinks whilst other staff just take the money. Wouldn't need more staff - could use the ones there better.

Athletico Charlton

I left my seat before h/t a couple of games ago and ended up bailing out of a huge queue when it was obvious i was getting no where near the front after 10 minutes of standing still. It just cannot be difficult to improve this farce of a situation.

Plumstead_Micky

Why do they persist with the policy of not having any beer poured before half time! ? It's like a surprise to them every game when people start asking. And on Sunday that is the slowest I've ever seen beer come out of a tap.

SilentAddick

Given up on this, and doing my pints before/after the match.

suzisausage

They shut kiosks in the west lower too on Boxing Day. Shocking queues at other kiosks. The staff aren't too bad but it obviously isn't working. Saw some girl before the game putting frozen sausage rolls from a box on a tray. Safe to say won't be having them again. She dropped one on the counter (covered in sticky crap) and still put it on the oven tray. They aren't set out for ease of service. They walk into each other trying to get to the oven, fridge, till tea etc. frustrating to watch for 20 mins before you get served when the game has kicked off for 2nd half and you only wanted a water.

PL54

I blame The Trust

csr_cafc

Don't bother getting anything anymore the west upper looked abit like qpr away on boxing day

Off_it

PL54 said:

I blame The Trust

Agree. Getting too many ideas above their station. Anyone would think they were trying to represent fans views or something.

kings hill addick

Out of interest I think that the new queues have helped in the East Stand.

Karim_myBagheri

east stand is great for those who just want a drink. and i am one of those so this new system is great for me!

not so great for those who want food though.

JohnnyH2

Very rarely use them as the food is crap and the queues even worse. However came straight from work for the Doncaster game and was starving so used the kiosks in the West lower. Staff totally useless and had no hot food ready (10 minutes before the game) and said would not be ready for another 20 minutes. Doesn't matter who is running the club we never get this sort of thing right

Mortimerician

Fucking shambles, always has been. Tbf Ipswich was worse

Mike

Ipswich today only served beer before the game, not at HT. Ridiculous!

RedPanda

I usually go on about 43 minutes and knowing the right queue I can usually get served in about 5. This has gotten worse though, especially before the game, with the kiosk closed near the entrance.

It wouldn't be so bad but for the state of the food and drink. Burgers approach inedible, the lager flat and pitiful, the lack of options painful. There are so many things that could be improved or introduced, like idiots we'll keep going back but for occasional visitors a pie and decent pint are part of what going to football's about.

Also annoying is the closure of toilets. Queues for the guys' aren't horrendous but I think I saw a ladies' one closed on Sunday too. That will definitely mean a few people needlessly missing the start of the second half.

Cardinal Sin

It's practically impossible to get served without missing part of the game. They can pre-pour and get better staff but it won't make a big difference. The demand is simply too great and it would be uneconomic to have more staff just to serve for 15-20 minutes at half-time. Some of those back-pack beer. Dispensers would be a good idea but having to pay someone for several hours minimum would mean they struggle to turn a profit on the volume they can sell in the time available. Make do before and after - it's hardly a premium product in the freezing cold....

Fanny Fanackapan

Never use the kiosks at halftime and very rarely before kick off either..

razil

Cardinal Sin said:

It's practically impossible to get served without missing part of the game. They can pre-pour and get better staff but it won't make a big difference. The demand is simply too great and it would be uneconomic to have more staff just to serve for 15-20 minutes at half-time. Some of those back-pack beer. Dispensers would be a good idea but having to pay someone for several hours minimum would mean they struggle to turn a profit on the volume they can sell in the time available. Make do before and after - it's hardly a premium product in the freezing cold....

Other clubs like Brighton seem to manage to do it much better if their away end is anything to go by

mrbligh

take a can in your pocket. i gave up attempting trying to get anything from the sporadically stocked/staffed/open kiosks about a month ago

suzisausage

razil said:

Cardinal Sin said:

It's practically impossible to get served without missing part of the game. They can pre-pour and get better staff but it won't make a big difference. The demand is simply too great and it would be uneconomic to have more staff just to serve for 15-20 minutes at half-time. Some of those back-pack beer. Dispensers would be a good idea but having to pay someone for several hours minimum would mean they struggle to turn a profit on the volume they can sell in the time available. Make do before and after - it's hardly a premium product in the freezing cold....

Other clubs like Brighton seem to manage to do it much better if their away end is anything to go by

You can't really compare us and Brighton as their stadium is brand new and built in such a way it can serve those people.

Our kiosks and concourses were built when we had less fans and less demand and there isn't a lot that can be done structurally to this area which is why the changes need to be done via queues and staffing procedures.

RedChaser

razil said:

Cardinal Sin said:

It's practically impossible to get served without missing part of the game. They can pre-pour and get better staff but it won't make a big difference. The demand is simply too great and it would be uneconomic to have more staff just to serve for 15-20 minutes at half-time. Some of those back-pack beer. Dispensers would be a good idea but having to pay someone for several hours minimum would mean they struggle to turn a profit on the volume they can sell in the time available. Make do before and after - it's hardly a premium product in the freezing cold....

Other clubs like Brighton seem to manage to do it much better if their away end is anything to go by

More of a captive audience though Raz. I appreciate the facilities are good but they have an added advantage as there is no point trying to rush away from the place you therefore stay behind, they cash in and are all geared up accordingly.

razil

don't agree, having been there last season, I felt there was a lot we could learn

Covered End

My thoughts are that Jimenez/Slater were unwilling to buy in any more stock & as they were leaving & didn't give a fook.

I don't think Jiminez included this in his blog :-)