View Full Version : Catering Charge Hike
endplay
3rd Apr 2006, 09:58
The latest non-entitled rates are out (see Defence Net)
Breakfast: £3.04
Main meal: £10.12
Third meal: £7.09
Total: £20.25 + VAT
No advance warning and the PTC Cmd Catering Staff have gone to Strike without leaving a forwarding address.
The vast majority of users of my canteen are civil servants who will not pay this ridiculous price so I'll probably lose the facility.
It was announced on 1st April (Saturday) so I thought it was a spoof at first but apparently not.
ratty1
3rd Apr 2006, 12:22
Take sandwiches then.......................Simple.:8
Many sandwich ideas to be found >>>here<<< (http://southernfood.about.com/od/sandwiches/r/bl80601f.htm)
South Bound
3rd Apr 2006, 14:10
There is of course the argument that says the facility is not there to subsidise the civil servants and if it is unsustainable then it should be allowed to die off.
Just as long as the entitled can get something to eat or recompense if they are expected to provide their own - can we get a lunch rate under JPA? Will it cover a milkshake or just a standard extra value meal?
Ali Barber
3rd Apr 2006, 14:18
Just wondering, how does that compare to the JPA rates? Can you afford to eat MOD food on MOD rates?
For that kind of money, I would expect the choice, quantity and quality to be top rate...
Or am I being increduously naive?
peppermint_jam
4th Apr 2006, 08:01
Holy fe*k! That's one hell of a hike and by the sounds of it one hell of an underhanded way to sneak it in, I'd not be prepared to pay half of that to be honest! £100+ just to eat for the week! That's must be half of some contractors wages!!
On_The_Top_Bunk
4th Apr 2006, 17:44
There were some very upset contractors and civilian employees in the mess today when asked to pay £8.00 for pie, chips and beans for their lunch.
Someone has lost the plot with this hike.
The latest non-entitled rates...I cannot see where the problem is, the mess kitchens are for ENTITLED personnel, if non-entitled folk wish to eat there, then they pay the relevant prices.
Messes are for service folks, let the non-entitled use McDonalds or similar.
Have to agree with you zed heigh....
Paul Wilson
4th Apr 2006, 20:20
I've never been in the Forces, but my old company (John Lewis) has a heavily subsidised staff canteen (around £2.00 for premium cooked lunch, dessert, and drink - 50p for just a standard main meal) However they allow contractors working on the site to use the facilities as otherwise - They will leave the site for lunch.
Just on a straight value for money stakes, if the contractors stay on site they are much less likely to take a longer lunch break, and much more likely to return to work early. Seems to me like this decision is penny wise pound foolish to me.
But does John Lewis have a nice social room with tea and coffee and newspapers to read for half an hour, or even a bar, even if the bar can only serve soft drinks at lunchtime. Couple that with a 'club' that's paid for by its members. So why should non entitled people get a cheap deal, when other people pay for it.
Paul Wilson
4th Apr 2006, 20:50
Bar - well about 1/3 of the shops have one - evenings only though! Tea and Coffee yes but 16p a cup, newspapers - depends on the branch but most do.
My point though, was not that other places also have subsidised facilities, but that for strictly commercial reasons it makes sense to let on site contractors use them. I'm now a decorator and if I was contracted to work on an MOD site and told that lunch was £8.00 I'd be off the site and down the local pub for my lunch. This would mean that I'd be taking an hour for lunch minimum (and that wouldn't start until I was off site - not off the job), if I could eat on site for a reasonable charge I'd be back at work in 30 minutes.
As to entry to a "club" that is paid for by its members - in my view that is down to the members to decide - daily charge for access, no entry, anyone is welcome - it's your choice.
You pays your money and you takes your choice - Don't want to start an arguement, just pointing out that it may be better value for the MOD to subsidise a lunch in order to keep contractors on site and working.
ShyTorque
4th Apr 2006, 21:02
"I cannot see where the problem is, the mess kitchens are for ENTITLED personnel, if non-entitled folk wish to eat there, then they pay the relevant prices. Messes are for service folks, let the non-entitled use McDonalds or similar."
Yes, it's far better to throw that surplus food in the bin than to sell it, to help keep the staus quo.
One day soon you'll all be down McDonalds......... or paying even more :rolleyes:
Always a Sapper
6th Apr 2006, 22:21
Well that’s the last time I set foot in the Dining Hall/Mess
Got to admit, over 22 years while serving I thought the food was pretty good, even in Army Cook House's after the 'Egg Ops' had been at it, in fact it still is generally and more so in Secret Air Base Kitchens, but no way are the main meals worth that....
As for the Singlies having a 'pop' .... Do enjoy the rather quieter dining room now the 'Non Entitled' pers have been 'charged' out, and a reducing quantity/quality of food on your table.
Less customers at the hot plate = less messing funds going into the account, whether it’s at the old price or the new. In turn there is going to be less in the pot for the Chef to buy rations in with. Don’t forget, it always was a numbers game with more paying in than eating, this enabled a good Master Chef to put lots of good scran on the table as he had the funds to do it and the confidence that not every one ‘Entitled’ would choose to tip up for the meal, it being their choice not too. (The look of panic :E on the chef’s face when all the singlies in 21 Engr tipped up for every meal one weekend in protest at something or other was great…. Normal menu service was restored by the Master Chef Monday Morning as we were very quickly eating the place out…. :ok: )
One outcome is a likely increase in the 'Extra Messing' to take up the slack if Mess Members want to maintain standards, something the JR Mess wont be able to do.
Plus if there’s less food going out then it follows there is less to prepare and cook, and consequently bean counters will put their oar in and say fewer chefs will be needed to cook what’s left, again a lowering of standards on the plate is bound to happen as in all honestly the work load wont reduce that much for them.
Chef? Not a job I would ever fancy, working hours are out of order, very little appreciation etce to be honest deserving of a medal each and every one, (less that useless bunch at BallyKelly in the mid 80’s of course, they could even kill cornflakes!)
Oh btw, not ALL Service Pers are Entitled, 'Bean Ste*ling Pads' leap to mind…
Chef - better known as "Fitters & Turners", cos they generally fit the food into pans and turn it into sh1te.
ratty1
6th Apr 2006, 22:29
its a good job chefs dont get paid the same as Techies then............:ooh:
Aren't Chefs in the same pay band as RAFP these days.:{
ratty1
6th Apr 2006, 22:50
Yes and the techies:ouch:
But as I am a Techie pushing a biro round a desk like a Bluntie (but on RAFP/Rockape/Chefs pay), I dont care who earns what, and after seeing the 'slighty damaged' C5A the other day, I don't even mind growbags getting flying pay.
I don't mind, I dont really care, because very soon, I will not be working for Mr Blair.......Days to do getting few.
SirToppamHat
7th Apr 2006, 20:22
I am not convinced the rates quoted at the top are correct... I thought lunch was £8.55 (or £7.05 for that matter)??
Anyway, if the MoD reckons it is reasonable for non-entitled civvies to pay £8.55 for lunch, how come they expect us to survive on £4.20 for us to get lunch in the civvy world?
W:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: s
STH
Ali Barber
7th Apr 2006, 20:45
Can you claim some kind of mileage allowance for driving off base to find somewhere where the food is within the lunch allowance? The whole place has gone barking mad!
Autorev
8th Apr 2006, 08:40
Who is entitled and who is non-entitled?
I've never understood mesing charges as a 3 day stay in the mess at Valley with 3 meals a day cost a couple of quid and then one lunch in the mess at Benson about £2.50!?!
As I no longer live in, this desn't affect me too much, but I remember how frustrating all the random nause generated over charges for guests etc used to be.
...just one more to strike off the list of reasons to encourage me to stay in....
The Swinging Monkey
9th Apr 2006, 18:12
ZH
Alas Sir, you miss the point.
This is just the thin edge of the wedge because it now allows them to charge you more, by saying 'well look, you are still getting it at a much cheaoer rate than the civvies'
I am all for charging civvies more to eat in the mess, but they are such a minority you have to ask 'what is the underlying reason for the hype in charges' the reason I believe is pretty clear.......watch this space.
Kind regards
TSM
C130 Techie
9th Apr 2006, 19:35
TSM
The SNCOs Mess at the secret DLO Headquarters in Cambridgeshire is like Joes Cafe at lunchtime. Many of the civil servants use it as a convenience. Though why this should be the case when your average 'Joes Cafe' serves a far better standard of food is beyond me
endplay
9th Apr 2006, 20:49
Part of the problem here is that an ecological system has been built up over the years where some messes rely on civilian usage to be viable. I work at a very small base where the lunchtime breakdown would be, typically, 1 or 2 RAF, 3 or 4 Civil servants & a varying number of contractors (usually no more than 6 or 7). Since this charge came in we have only had the RAF. This is not sustainable. The decision can only have come about from some total numpty following a formula that took no account of market dynamics. The probable upshot will be that the canteen will either close or (as the RAF singlies are "entitled") we will have a dramatically reduced service.
Another success for the nail in coffin brigade.
endplay
10th Apr 2006, 15:28
Revised rates as of today
Breakfast (Green Ticket) = £1.64 plus 24p VAT = £1.93
Dinner (Yellow Ticket) = £3.82 plus 67p VAT = £4.49
Main Meal (White Ticket) = £5.44 plus 95p VAT = £6.39
Is this a masterstroke by MoD? Put the price up to £8+ from £2+ then “lower” it to £4+….. This is then seen as both a retreat by the beancounters and a victory for the little man, when in reality it was a 100% increase. Genius