Jan 7, 16, 3:16 pm
Last edit by: KARFA
This thread gives the current catering options for the Galleries First Lounge (Flounge) in LHR Terminals 3 and 5. This lounge is open to BAEC Gold and oneworld Emerald card holders. Passengers flying BA on a First ticket can also use the Concorde Room. The catering supplier was changed on 2 May 2013 to BaxterStorey. Click here to see the former thread, which covered that turbulent period.
The T3 lounge is identical to T5 in terms of food and drink options. However there is no Concorde Room in T3 so from 18:30 hrs there is a pre-flight dining option for First travellers, see here for more details.
The current catering options in the First lounge can be found in the first post in the thread, or you can click here. Currently lounge menus are not always on display in the lounge, but this link may be your best bet to see the options.
Catering options - other LHR lounges
Concorde Room (CCR) LHR : menus 2018
Galleries Club lounges LHR: Dining menu and food options - T3 and T5
For the First and Club lounges at Gatwick and the UK domestic lounges in Newcastle, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast, Leeds, Aberdeen, and Inverness
First Lounge London Gatwick Catering options
Galleries Club Lounge Gatwick (North Terminal): Catering options from April 2013 (n.b. no separate 2014-2018 threads)
UK Domestic lounges (outside London) - catering arrangements from April 2013 (n.b. no separate 2014-2018 threads)
BA Champagne & Wine thread
The LHR CCR cocktail menu - cocktail menu introduced May 2014
The 2017 BA Champagne & Wine Thread - covers LHR & LGW lounges and in the air
Archived food & drink threads
Concorde Room (CCR) LHR: menus 2017
Concorde Room (CCR) LHR: menus 2016
Concorde Room (CCR) LHR: menus 2015
Concorde Room (CCR) LHR: menus 2014
Concorde Room (CCR) LHR: menus 2013
Concorde Dining Room IAD: menus and food options - see new Concorde Rooms and Bars: JFK, IAD, SIN, DXB linked above
Galleries First (Flounge) LHR: Dining menu and food options 2015 - T3 and T5
Galleries First (Flounge) LHR: Dining menu and food options 2014 - T3 and T5
Galleries First (Flounge) LHR: Dining menu and food options 2013 - T3 and T5
First Lounge London Gatwick (North terminal): Catering options from April 2013 (n.b. no separate 2014 or 2015 thread)
The 2016 BA Champagne & Wine Thread - covers LHR & LGW lounges and in the air
The 2014 BA Champagne & Wine Thread - covers LHR & LGW lounges and in the air
The 2013 BA Champagne & Wine Thread - covers LHR & LGW lounges and in the air
International Lounge Terminal 1 LHR - catering options from May 2013 - T1 international flights
The T3 lounge is identical to T5 in terms of food and drink options. However there is no Concorde Room in T3 so from 18:30 hrs there is a pre-flight dining option for First travellers, see here for more details.
The current catering options in the First lounge can be found in the first post in the thread, or you can click here. Currently lounge menus are not always on display in the lounge, but this link may be your best bet to see the options.
Catering options - other LHR lounges
Concorde Room (CCR) LHR : menus 2018
Galleries Club lounges LHR: Dining menu and food options - T3 and T5
For the First and Club lounges at Gatwick and the UK domestic lounges in Newcastle, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast, Leeds, Aberdeen, and Inverness
First Lounge London Gatwick Catering options
Galleries Club Lounge Gatwick (North Terminal): Catering options from April 2013 (n.b. no separate 2014-2018 threads)
UK Domestic lounges (outside London) - catering arrangements from April 2013 (n.b. no separate 2014-2018 threads)
BA Champagne & Wine thread
The LHR CCR cocktail menu - cocktail menu introduced May 2014
The 2017 BA Champagne & Wine Thread - covers LHR & LGW lounges and in the air
Archived food & drink threads
Concorde Room (CCR) LHR: menus 2017
Concorde Room (CCR) LHR: menus 2016
Concorde Room (CCR) LHR: menus 2015
Concorde Room (CCR) LHR: menus 2014
Concorde Room (CCR) LHR: menus 2013
Concorde Dining Room IAD: menus and food options - see new Concorde Rooms and Bars: JFK, IAD, SIN, DXB linked above
Galleries First (Flounge) LHR: Dining menu and food options 2015 - T3 and T5
Galleries First (Flounge) LHR: Dining menu and food options 2014 - T3 and T5
Galleries First (Flounge) LHR: Dining menu and food options 2013 - T3 and T5
First Lounge London Gatwick (North terminal): Catering options from April 2013 (n.b. no separate 2014 or 2015 thread)
The 2016 BA Champagne & Wine Thread - covers LHR & LGW lounges and in the air
The 2014 BA Champagne & Wine Thread - covers LHR & LGW lounges and in the air
The 2013 BA Champagne & Wine Thread - covers LHR & LGW lounges and in the air
International Lounge Terminal 1 LHR - catering options from May 2013 - T1 international flights
Galleries First (Flounge) LHR: Dining menu and food options
May 6, 22, 3:34 pm
#512
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 484
Originally Posted by Schwann
It looks like a novelty plastic turd.
May 7, 22, 9:19 am
#513
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 111
Originally Posted by yerffej201
What is the current menu and champagne selection?
There was also Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume out, and I saw someone(staff) walking with bottle of Chateau Batailley, but it's not out (so maybe in CCR, or GC as often I find there are better wines on offer in GC than GF).
Usual sandwiches/sweets/salads available in self service section + I think there was some BBQ chicken there too.
EDIT:
Actually 2014 Batailley was available from the bar at GF, which was a nice surprise. There were some other old Clarets available in UK lounges recently, but must have been ages since I’ve last seen Chateau Batailley.
Last edited by APPL; May 7, 22 at 11:42 am Reason: Batailley update
May 8, 22, 9:36 am
#514
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,437
Originally Posted by AnaTravel
Could it taste worse than the 'Rosemary and Red Onion (Linda McCartney)' vegetarian sausage that haunted Concorde Room breakfast plates pre-Covid? Is anyone unfortunate enough to have sampled both?
May 14, 22, 3:52 am
#515
Join Date: Oct 2019
Programs: BAEC Gold / OWE, Volare Executive / Skyteam Elite+
Posts: 630
At long last it looks like my travel is picking back up a bit 
Did I hear rightly that buffet is back in GF, at least for breakfast?
Also anyone know if the JW Blue is MIA as it wasn't on the table service menu last time I was there, but that was 6 months back...?
Did I hear rightly that buffet is back in GF, at least for breakfast?
Also anyone know if the JW Blue is MIA as it wasn't on the table service menu last time I was there, but that was 6 months back...?
May 14, 22, 4:10 am
#516
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,437
Originally Posted by drwook
At long last it looks like my travel is picking back up a bit
Did I hear rightly that buffet is back in GF, at least for breakfast?
Also anyone know if the JW Blue is MIA as it wasn't on the table service menu last time I was there, but that was 6 months back...?
Did I hear rightly that buffet is back in GF, at least for breakfast?
Also anyone know if the JW Blue is MIA as it wasn't on the table service menu last time I was there, but that was 6 months back...?
May 14, 22, 5:24 am
#518
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, LX Frequent Traveller, IHG Diamond Elite Ambassador, Hilton Silver, Accor Silver
Posts: 15,715
Originally Posted by drwook
Did I hear rightly that buffet is back in GF, at least for breakfast?
May 14, 22, 6:08 am
#519
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: At home...
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,024
Originally Posted by Genius1
There is a limited temporary buffet set up at the entrance to the Refectory, complemented by online ordering. The main buffet towards the middle and rear of the Refectory is still closed.
May 14, 22, 6:19 am
#520
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, LX Frequent Traveller, IHG Diamond Elite Ambassador, Hilton Silver, Accor Silver
Posts: 15,715
Originally Posted by CKBA
Gosh - I didn't realise it was called the Refectory...
May 15, 22, 11:52 am
#521
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold 1MM, BA Gold, UA Peon
Posts: 5,940
Named, I feel, by people with the finest public school education (or, perhaps, a strong grounding in Classics).
I'm surprised the toilets are not signposted "reredorter".
I'm surprised the toilets are not signposted "reredorter".
May 16, 22, 5:26 am
#522
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: UK/Australia
Programs: BAEC Gold, UA2MM, WY Gold, QF Gold, VA Platinum.
Posts: 2,330
Originally Posted by Genius1
There is a limited temporary buffet set up at the entrance to the Refectory, complemented by online ordering. The main buffet towards the middle and rear of the Refectory is still closed.
Jun 6, 22, 1:17 pm
#524
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, AA Plat, HH Diamond, IHG Platinum.
Posts: 72
Reflecting on a visit yesterday to a fairly crowded GF, the halfway house between buffet and table service which we've currently got really isn't very good. In fact it got me thinking were going through a time of reduction matched only by the infamous era of this thread.
The Buffet
Cold food served on the new buffet area is not chilled, hot food is not effectively kept warm and is limited. On every recent visit I have noticed fruit flies on, or near, the food in this area. Yesterday I noticed the same at my table near the kitchen.
There are chilled food serving areas along the side of the refectory area but they are stocked with whole fruit, crisps, muffins and water. Couldn't the cold food be moved back there?
The distance from the preparation area to the buffet as well as its small size leads to staff getting in the way of customers and visibility of very "non-premium" techniques when replenishing the food on offer. Staff picking up and rearranging sandwiches by grabbing handfuls of them at the buffet and moving them around using their (gloved) hands. Unpacking pre-sliced burger buns from catering packaging and placing them directly onto the buffet. Salads arriving as big rectangular lumps as if just tipped out from bulk packaging onto serving plates. (Im aware its a mass catering operation, its just that to me, all these presentation tasks should take place in the kitchen or out of sight.)
The build-your-own burger offering yesterday was definitely non-premium looking. Floppy grey burger patties wheeled through the lounge piled up in a tray, cheap buns and tired looking accompaniments. The BA burger always used to be an order from menu item, which I think is a more suitable way to serve it.
The Menu
The online menu for table service now has just 4 items: Vegan curry, beef tortilla, steak pie, cream tea (with 2 for kids: soup or pizza). Under the Lighter Options section on the menu the only item was the Cream Tea. Setting aside how light an option that is, it's something that's ideal for self-service and if it were included there then it could allow additional items to be offered via the at seat menu.
So, we're now in the state where the lounge is packed but both the self service and the menu ordered options are depleted in quality and quantity.
The Buffet
Cold food served on the new buffet area is not chilled, hot food is not effectively kept warm and is limited. On every recent visit I have noticed fruit flies on, or near, the food in this area. Yesterday I noticed the same at my table near the kitchen.
There are chilled food serving areas along the side of the refectory area but they are stocked with whole fruit, crisps, muffins and water. Couldn't the cold food be moved back there?
The distance from the preparation area to the buffet as well as its small size leads to staff getting in the way of customers and visibility of very "non-premium" techniques when replenishing the food on offer. Staff picking up and rearranging sandwiches by grabbing handfuls of them at the buffet and moving them around using their (gloved) hands. Unpacking pre-sliced burger buns from catering packaging and placing them directly onto the buffet. Salads arriving as big rectangular lumps as if just tipped out from bulk packaging onto serving plates. (Im aware its a mass catering operation, its just that to me, all these presentation tasks should take place in the kitchen or out of sight.)
The build-your-own burger offering yesterday was definitely non-premium looking. Floppy grey burger patties wheeled through the lounge piled up in a tray, cheap buns and tired looking accompaniments. The BA burger always used to be an order from menu item, which I think is a more suitable way to serve it.
The Menu
The online menu for table service now has just 4 items: Vegan curry, beef tortilla, steak pie, cream tea (with 2 for kids: soup or pizza). Under the Lighter Options section on the menu the only item was the Cream Tea. Setting aside how light an option that is, it's something that's ideal for self-service and if it were included there then it could allow additional items to be offered via the at seat menu.
So, we're now in the state where the lounge is packed but both the self service and the menu ordered options are depleted in quality and quantity.
Jun 6, 22, 1:31 pm
#525
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: UK
Programs: BA Exec Club, Flying Blue
Posts: 452
Originally Posted by willmatt
Reflecting on a visit yesterday to a fairly crowded GF, the halfway house between buffet and table service which we've currently got really isn't very good. In fact it got me thinking were going through a time of reduction matched only by the infamous era of this thread.
The Buffet
Cold food served on the new buffet area is not chilled, hot food is not effectively kept warm and is limited. On every recent visit I have noticed fruit flies on, or near, the food in this area. Yesterday I noticed the same at my table near the kitchen.
There are chilled food serving areas along the side of the refectory area but they are stocked with whole fruit, crisps, muffins and water. Couldn't the cold food be moved back there?
The distance from the preparation area to the buffet as well as its small size leads to staff getting in the way of customers and visibility of very "non-premium" techniques when replenishing the food on offer. Staff picking up and rearranging sandwiches by grabbing handfuls of them at the buffet and moving them around using their (gloved) hands. Unpacking pre-sliced burger buns from catering packaging and placing them directly onto the buffet. Salads arriving as big rectangular lumps as if just tipped out from bulk packaging onto serving plates. (Im aware its a mass catering operation, its just that to me, all these presentation tasks should take place in the kitchen or out of sight.)
The build-your-own burger offering yesterday was definitely non-premium looking. Floppy grey burger patties wheeled through the lounge piled up in a tray, cheap buns and tired looking accompaniments. The BA burger always used to be an order from menu item, which I think is a more suitable way to serve it.
The Menu
The online menu for table service now has just 4 items: Vegan curry, beef tortilla, steak pie, cream tea (with 2 for kids: soup or pizza). Under the Lighter Options section on the menu the only item was the Cream Tea. Setting aside how light an option that is, it's something that's ideal for self-service and if it were included there then it could allow additional items to be offered via the at seat menu.
So, we're now in the state where the lounge is packed but both the self service and the menu ordered options are depleted in quality and quantity.
The Buffet
Cold food served on the new buffet area is not chilled, hot food is not effectively kept warm and is limited. On every recent visit I have noticed fruit flies on, or near, the food in this area. Yesterday I noticed the same at my table near the kitchen.
There are chilled food serving areas along the side of the refectory area but they are stocked with whole fruit, crisps, muffins and water. Couldn't the cold food be moved back there?
The distance from the preparation area to the buffet as well as its small size leads to staff getting in the way of customers and visibility of very "non-premium" techniques when replenishing the food on offer. Staff picking up and rearranging sandwiches by grabbing handfuls of them at the buffet and moving them around using their (gloved) hands. Unpacking pre-sliced burger buns from catering packaging and placing them directly onto the buffet. Salads arriving as big rectangular lumps as if just tipped out from bulk packaging onto serving plates. (Im aware its a mass catering operation, its just that to me, all these presentation tasks should take place in the kitchen or out of sight.)
The build-your-own burger offering yesterday was definitely non-premium looking. Floppy grey burger patties wheeled through the lounge piled up in a tray, cheap buns and tired looking accompaniments. The BA burger always used to be an order from menu item, which I think is a more suitable way to serve it.
The Menu
The online menu for table service now has just 4 items: Vegan curry, beef tortilla, steak pie, cream tea (with 2 for kids: soup or pizza). Under the Lighter Options section on the menu the only item was the Cream Tea. Setting aside how light an option that is, it's something that's ideal for self-service and if it were included there then it could allow additional items to be offered via the at seat menu.
So, we're now in the state where the lounge is packed but both the self service and the menu ordered options are depleted in quality and quantity.
Agree, its a poor interim arrangement. I was there last week.
Get back to the pre-COVID configuration and we'll be in a good position.
The BA posturing about how much everyone loved the ordering by-phone-app is pure bluff and penny pinching. The choice was unappetising and very limited and the time to delivery doesn't work for many passengers.
The grief in the link the old thread is real and important - it took a long time to get Baxter-Storey to provide a decent offering. We don't want to go back to those times.
