daftboy

Remarkable - someone following up on the frequent throwaway comments that "GC/GF/CCR food is no better than a carvery"

I've seen it all now

hugolover

madfish thank you for taking the time to explain to me those brands. As I said, I only visited Brewers Fayre but it was the reheated type food that I felt was familiar to what is served in the lounges.

The context for the comparison of GF to Toby Carvery is down to my friend. On a recent visit to the T3 GF buffet the gammon was inedible, a fork would not mark it, dried-up, boot leather crap. He joked it was only good as heat shielding which I found very amusing. Considering Toby Carvery is a cheap establishment serving carvery meats he informed me BAs gammon would not pass the muster there, but we are in a proper F class lounge.

It turns out they cook to an inch of its life anyway, and then it stays under a heat lamp for up to an hour, it had been there for 30 mins and was truly awful.

The rice on the ultra-mild jalfrezi was mush, boil in a bag rubbish; we could squash it flat with our forks.

This was at odds with the AA Flagship where we had just visited and which had proper rice on the buffet. I had ordered a freshly cooked pan-fried fillet of seatrout with wilted spinach and pomme mousseline followed by a delicious, light, hot pudding.

So forgive me for wondering why AA provide a better catering experience compared to BA in their home base and with a reputation for really not offering the best.

I don't think BA's First Class lounge food is up to scratch so the comparisons to the brands is a mixture of fact and jest. But I have observed that as long as BA continues its moniker as "Bevvie Airways" then the pax will be happy. I am sometimes one of those pax, of course, but not always. The Lufthansa First Class lounges are always in mind where I think all tastes can be catered for.

pazza2000

QF F lounge at LAX is my favourite OW lounge, it is a little 'dark' yes and the drink offering is perhaps not as good as the CCR however the staff are friendly, flexible (let us bring in an elderly second guest) and the menu is great, I recommend the squid.

opalfruit

At the CCR now.

"Hi, can we have a table for two?"
"Haha... sir, you are 6th in the queue"
...
Found a seat, sat for 15 mins. No service. Fetched a grand siecle from the bar.
...
15 mins later, called to the dining room as they now have a table. Shown to table, handed menus. And thats where I remain, a further 10 mins later, unserved...

But, hey, no one else agrees that this happens in the CCR...

opalfruit

Order taken shortly after the above post. No food yet.

HighLife

I'd say I'm in the CCR twice a week on average, and sadly I completely agree with you.

I am sometimes pleasantly surprised, but sadly not that often... and this is coming from a glass-half-full man, trust me!

opalfruit

Food finally came. Full English dreadful, dry and overcooked everything bar the poached egg.

Pancakes were good.

BA038_Passenger

They are really struggling today, not enough staff or not the right staff?

I've been sat at the bar, ordered a latte and they forgot! I waited 10 mins and reminded them.

I've also never seen quite so many special services ladies floating about

I really enjoy the QF LAX lounge, the bar men are great fun

ESFLYER95

Yeh I just voluntarily left the CCR to go to GF. It is heaving.

simons1

A good entertaining 'popcorn' thread.

Stand back as people gather into their usual camps.

opalfruit

I just want BA to be better.

simons1

Better? The only way that will happen is for a major programme of spend/capacity expansion (which is unlikely) or a cull of people entitled to access (which will eventually come).

BA is no different to many airlines on that. The modern problem of stretching a tight budget across the 'entitled'....

Tobias-UK

What an excellent contribution to the topic. Very helpful indeed ^

Cap'n Benj

Not enough I suspect, sadly at Easter things are never likely to be as pleasant as your average Thursday in October.

You can kind of forgive the lounge being overcrowded at properly core peak times, they should really ensure they up staff levels to cope however

BA038_Passenger

I agree, I wasn't that bothered, but I did notice it was not as well served as normal. I like the CCR, the dining can be quite excellent.

There was an elderly gentleman who everyone was fawning over, getting his own food prepared and subsequently eating it at the bar. The special services lady looking after him had to almost drag him away telling him he was going to miss his flight. His plate, cup and cutlery were cleared after 10 mins of him leaving. The mess that he left whilst eating remained on the bar when I left 30 mins later. That's not good enough!