Totally disgusted

internationalhardman

Having just left the Navy I am elated that I no longer have to pay £120 a month for food. The food that was served up was rubbish (cooked by contractors not navy chefs)

Myself and my friends tried numerous times to opt-out of the meal charge but was always met by "you need the correct amount of calories per day" or "some of the young lads run out of money in the first week of the month so they need to food already paid for" and this was still the case when we all moved into new accomodation blocks which have there own kitchens!

There was outrage last year where I was based because the chief caterer had managed to save £9,000 that had come from our own pay packets and was supposed to have been spent on food for us and he gave it back to the MOD!!!! That was our hard earned money!

At least one of the good things about JPA was that when you went home for the weekend you didnt have to pay for meals that you weren't going to be there to eat! They really were lining the coffers pockets before that came in... I remember 40 of us showing up for bag meals on friday morning just to see them off over the weekend.... well we had paid for it!

It's disgusting... end of.

mcwarre

What to do though? Pay for it regularly (and IMHO get a better quality) or pay as you dine then get not so good food? Whinge whatever we do

ICATQ

mcwarre wrote: »

What to do though? Pay for it regularly (and IMHO get a better quality) or pay as you dine then get not so good food? Whinge whatever we do

The actual concept of PAYD is sound and just what we all wanted. However the way it was 'sold' to the troops was that they would get an equivalent service to what we had in the past, only you would pay at point of delivery and not monthly and then try to claim meals back that were missed.

As is usual with most MoD projects it was poorly implemented and researched and just doesnt work properly.

Andy_L

The main problem was that many didn't appreciate that the money that was allocated for the meals they weren't eating (about 50% of elegible meals) was used to subsidise the meals they were taking
Since the contractor is obliged to provide all 3 meals for the old daily rate (~£3.75ish?) that means quality/portion size inevitably suffer (or at least drop back to what the JSP says they should be) unless they can cross-subsidise it with profits from the non-core menu or the bar

Esoog

The worst thing about PAYD is how it varies from place to place.... Normandy Barracks, Sennelager - food is great.

Worthy Down - Utter crap!!

garyrjb

Colliefrog wrote: »

In my opinion it is a better way of doing things. Not everyone wants to eat breakfast, and sometimes the lads/lasses may wanna nip out for a takeaway. At least with PAYD you can choose where you wanna eat and not have to pay for a meal that you're not gonna eat.

Not eat breakfast!! It used to be a parade! The world has gone mad.

gt568

garyrjb wrote: »

Not eat breakfast!! It used to be a parade! The world has gone mad.

It sure has, you can't even check the JR's pants anymore....

Alias_Omega

I live out, £1.28 for a midday or supper meal is a total bargain.

Look at to pick up a sandwich on the way to work, you can barely get a basic tuna sandwich for that from tesco for that price.

When you live in the block, it seems a waste of cash. But when you live out and are spending £80-£100 a week on shopping, you sometimes wish you were back in the mess for dinner/lunch each day.

ICATQ

I do live in the Mess and buy my own food, due mainly to the lack of realistic choices and timings they serve the food. The standard of food is usually OK where I live.

Its not about cost, its about choice in my case.

Geezer_BJ

I'm currently on a course, compulsory not voluntary.
The location is a PAYD unit. The food is pretty good and you get a fair choice to be honest, once you know how the system works and what is included in the core meals!

However, the bit that I object to is : I have been sent on a course, not through choice, yet I have to pay for my own food and accomodation.

How many companies send you on away and make you pay for the privelige? I'm quite lucky in the fact that I can afford it, but I'm not sure that some of the young lads supporting families would have the spare income to cope.