Originally Posted by
Cap'n Benj
I've had 4 visits to the CCR and service has been satisfactory on each occasion.
Food results have been more variable, including my wife describing on seafood pasta dish as 'catfood'
The Breakfasts are nice enough, the Burger is OK at best, the Caesar Salad is alright enough
What a shame the OP had a poor experience, and that others comment about 'catfood' - it just shouldn't be like this in the CCR. Let's hope the new Director of Customer will resolve some of these service and catering issues - it seems his agenda has a wealth of improvements, according to recent articles and comments on various web boards.
That said, there is no excuse for shoddy service and poor food. There should be a lounge manager (is there one?) - like a CSD (or a matron) who patrols and ensures staff are delivering not just 100%, but 150% at all times, but especially to customers of the CCR, who are perhaps BA's top 1% of fare paying customers?
QF's F lounge in SYD is a great example of getting things right for premium customers. I think one of the hiccups in T5 is that the BAA insisted that only certain types of cooking appliances can be used, following the grease fire in Burger King at T1 eight or ten years ago. So there has been a reduced ability for any of the chefs at T5 lounges to cook like they would in a regular restaurant kitchen. Perhaps this can be changed...it'll take a strong manager to sit down with BAA and say "this is what we are going to do...if you have any issues, you resolve it...period, end of story."
I'm not a huge fan of EK in-flight (I have serious safety concerns), but their lounge food can be amazing - you certainly don't want for much given the choice and abundance.
At a recent lunch in the City, a friend ordered a Caesar salad. The waitress returned with a huge jar filled with leaves, and a second waitress had a tray with lots of condiments on it, including grilled chicken, bacon, anchovies, parsley, salad dressing, salt, pepper. Waitress 1 proceeded to add, to my friend's taste, whatever he wished. She closed the glass jar, shook it vigorously mixing all of the condiments with the salad leaves and dressing. It was then carefully served onto a large serving plate. For a simple salad, it was impressive, and offered a very nice level of service. This is what BA should be striving for at the CCR, if not more.