I agree that the food is both disgusting and overpriced, and is actually one of the reasons why I don't like bringing children to Easter Road, as they ask for that rubbish, and on what is supposed to fun day out, you are cast in the role of pompous bad guy if you refuse.
While other public entertainment arenas, multiplex cinemas for example, also serve up overpriced garbage, I feel that sporting organizations have a bigger responsibility to the community and should be promoting good eating amongst children.
It seems to escaped the attention of football clubs that there has been a slow revolution in food in Britain over the last fifteen years, which is gathering pace to the extent that the crud they sell at ER will shortly, and correctly, no longer be regarded as food.
Wouldn't it be nice if Hibs could be innovators on this issue, instead of just following the same shabby template that every other club, with a few notable exceptions, also goes along with? Yes, costs might increase, but parents who want their kids to eat properly may be more inclined to bring them along if there are some decent nutritional and easy options available. There are several good local suppliers of quality snack food in Edinburgh. I'd like to see the club be more proactive and explore some of those options, rather than buying from the same ugly mass catering outlet on some plagued industrial estate in central Scotland which should be carpet-bombed for crimes against humanity.
A kid should not repeatedly be physically sick by eating a 'hot dog'. We can make light of this, but what's really happening here is that a young lad is being poisoned by the club on a day out. If somebody else was poisoning a child, we'd be asking questions. We shouldn't be putting up with it here. Ultimately though, we get what we put up with, and we really shouldn't be putting up with this nonsense.
Results 91 to 120 of 128
Thread: Food at Easter Road
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09-10-2011 04:35 PM #91
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09-10-2011 05:23 PM #92
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09-10-2011 06:37 PM #93This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Making a pot of chicken and veg soup just now - simmered the carcass from a chicken for a few hours with some salt and some onions, that's the stock, added some potatoes, carrots, barley, mushrooms, leeks - cheap to make, difficult to ruin, can be mass produced, and let's face it - come December and January, how good would some decent soup be at half time (especially if they got really frisky and added a bread roll to the deal)?
I'd be willing to pay the two pounds odd we currently pay for awful pies for a cup of soup or stovies (and bannocks would be good with them), and I'm not sure that the difference in the margin would be that monumental.
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09-10-2011 06:51 PM #94
Those kids are not doing just 40 minutes work, they have to be there 2 hrs before kick and are still there after the match has finished. I know my daughter works there. She has come back and told me about shutters having to be closed due to something kicking off, verbally abused by so called customers. Yes it is a minimum wage and for what they have to put up with they should be paid double. I have been to games where I've witnessed this myself. So I think people should get off the staffs backs, complain about the food to the outside company.
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09-10-2011 07:35 PM #95
The health issue is an important one. I know someone within the club has raised this issue at director level and was told that 'no-one would buy healthier food'. Bearing in mind the hibernian community foundation, like other SPL sides, is currently running fit fans programmes, it seems ridiculous that the options are limited to defrosted and reheated poor quality chips, hot dogs, pizza etc for when these fans and their children actually enter the stadium on match days.
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09-10-2011 08:05 PM #96This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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09-10-2011 08:13 PM #97
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If the catering is to be contracted out ( I would advocate that in a club the size of ours it shouldn't be) then the negotiation is a simple one. You get the higher priced hospitality but you must offer a predefined menu offer at fixed for a season prices and expect to lose money on it which will be made up in hospitality. Someone got it spot on earlier with a preorder system. Easy to set up and easier to manage. I have been responsible for nearly every major stadium in the UK and I have always felt that the catering at ER is way below the norm (retail wise).
Stadium owners now discuss footprint, as in the entire radius of the walk up and walk out and try and own it as it is parasitical left to individuals.
It's an industry like any other and has it's stars and villains. I would take it in house, employ the right people and keep the fans happy.
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09-10-2011 08:45 PM #98This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Why not try out healthier made versions of stuff that'd sell? Stovies aren't hugely healthy, but contain veg, especially if you throw in some onion and that. Soup can be big, hearty stuff but can be full of veg and pretty healthy.
Things just need a slight change to work.
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09-10-2011 08:50 PM #99
£1.80 for a plastic cup, tea bag, milk and some boiling water. These four things together can't cost anymore than about 10p-15p.
Absolute rip off.Last edited by iwasthere1972; 09-10-2011 at 09:19 PM.
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09-10-2011 09:00 PM #100
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And the electricity to boil the water.
And the stirrer.
And the sugar
And the lid.
And the wages of the person serving it.
Rip off right enough.Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, vodka in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming, "WOO HOO what a ride!"
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09-10-2011 09:18 PM #101This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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09-10-2011 10:47 PM #102
I never get a stirrer and I'm sure the water ain't even boiled. It is a rip off what ever way you look at it. God for £1.80 they could Irish it up a bit.
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10-10-2011 03:31 AM #103This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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10-10-2011 04:12 AM #104
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The most expensive matchday experience in the SPL also includes the worst food. You don't have to eat it though and a person could just about survive 90mins without wedging something into the face. The kiosks are about making the most amount of money possible from the least amount of outlay. Profit for both the catering company and the club is the only consideration.
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10-10-2011 02:31 PM #105
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The average spends in the SPL are between 65p and 1.05 depending on the stadium. With average crowds just now of less than 10k I suggest that the turnover is circa 7,000 UK Pounds per match. Wastage factors are high in retail catering and staff are employed on a set up, work and breakdown basis (over three days) with the bulk coming from agencies on match day. If they are making 700 quid they are managing it very well. Hardly worth the effort unless you have the more lucrative Hospitality contract and non match day income which Azure do.
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10-10-2011 05:08 PM #106This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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10-10-2011 07:12 PM #107
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10-10-2011 07:31 PM #108
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10-10-2011 07:36 PM #109
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Can you imagine it if Gordon Ramsey was to make a programme about the ER catering ?, he would run out of swear words after ten seconds !. I must admit i have not bought food at ER for years but i see the kids coming back to their seats at half time with i what i think are pizzas but they are nothing that any Italian would recognize !. It would appear that any old merde will do for the fans and i don't expect there is a vast difference accross the land but you would think that whoever is in charge of catering would take a tumble to themselves and try to be a bit different and offer something edible , by the way do you think the directors eat the same **** ?.
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10-10-2011 08:16 PM #110
Most (professional) grounds down here only serve pies, burgers and hot dogs - the first time I mentioned that not only could you buy chips at ER but also pizza, nobody would believe me, so I suppose that's a plus point on this topic!
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10-10-2011 09:09 PM #111
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The best food of a poor lot is the pizza slice which, for reasons best known to Hibs, is unavailable in the West Upper.
Incidentally, add up the the so called food "deals" and you'll find that it's no cheaper than buying the over-priced crap separately.
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10-10-2011 09:17 PM #112
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IIRC, the last time people complained to Hibs about the catering, Hibs replied saying it was nothing to do with them and provided contact details for the contractor. That is a pathetic cop-out as far as I am concerned - time for Hibs to replace the contractor if they are not deliver the goods.
The Pontius Pilate act won't work forever.
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11-10-2011 09:25 AM #113This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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11-10-2011 10:05 AM #114This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Certainly no different at Bolton, Wigan and Blackburn anyway.
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11-10-2011 02:18 PM #115
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The newer stadiums are better as they generally have some Caterers in-put in advance therefore have the right amount of power for the right equipment. Add to that bigger crowds down south and beer sales and you have an opportunity to make money. Clubs like ours have to start understanding that it is part of the match day experience and supplements the ticket price i.e. adds value. There is absolutely no reason why proper quality food cannot be served, its a mindset and an investment issue.
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12-10-2011 06:22 AM #116This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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12-10-2011 08:23 AM #117
My team in The Hague sell hotdogs and various other goodies its not brilliant quality but its very do-able,and alot better than the keek at ER, they also sell alcohol, (this, from a club, that in the past has had the worst hooligans in Holland). Pre-match entertainment in the form of dancing pom pom girls, former players recieving awards, kickass build up of bouncing music, exploding confetti (the fans let them off) massive FULL family area for the kids and kids fitba clubs, with entertainment for the kids outside the stadium, even the visiting fans appreciate what the club is doing, Hibs/Scottish fitba could really learn alot from clubs like ADO.
On a side note, why IF the stadium is not selling out, why does the club not close parts of the stands and push folk to sit closer together and make an atmosphere.
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12-10-2011 08:24 AM #118
As posters have said mindset of club is yet again the problem (not just regarding food). It was raised at a forum in 2007 and O'Hagans response (in tone with him rejecting doing anything remotely radical the whole evening) to the lady who highlighted poor quality of catering was of the nature "do you come to the football to eat" - no wonder crowds are falling if Tom Farmer thinks men like O'Hagan are appropriate to hold senior positions.
The real indictment of Hibs is that every junior and non-league ground in Scotland I have visted in last 2 years provides far superior value for money despite less resources.
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12-10-2011 09:05 AM #119This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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12-10-2011 12:34 PM #120This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
I would rather run the risk of dehydrating than give them £2 for that muck they call tea.
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