MoneySaving alternatives to rail station food & drink outlets

MilesT6060842

[Deleted User] said:

MSE_James said:

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Obviously bringing your own snacks and drinks will be cheapest ... but sometimes you can't prepare ahead of time and need to grab something before catching a train.
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Why wouldn't it be possible to prepare your food before leaving the house - i don't see how you can't prepare ?

The MSE view is to plan, save your hard earned money, and live a life less expensive -  the whole site here shouts it from the rooftops.

Failing to prepare, is preparing to fail.

Yes, i know the thread is about spending but to the purists it shouldn't be.

Hot drinks brought in a flask is a pretty miserable experience, in my view.  Best freshly made. 


Also I would say some sorts of hot food need to be freshly prepared to be a pleasurable experience, although sometimes a short walk off the station, if you have the time, can result in better or cheaper options (e.g. Borough market and high street for London bridge, southbank or Lower Ground for Waterloo).  Also fully exploring the station i.e. the new downstairs area at Waterloo (where the international Eurostar station used to be) has a useful branch of Sainsburys which does have a drinks machine and a wider range of food options, and also Black Sheep coffee for a more premium coffee offer for same price as on the concourse, and there is more on the upstairs link to Waterloo East.

Similar for most of the main London termini, and interchanges like Stratford, Finsbury Park, High & I etc.

Sadly due to HS2 works the area round Euston is a bit of a desert for nearby options outside (although there is a student coffee shop a little south of Euston Square, and a branch of Sainsbury's on the exterior of the station);  also a useful Sainsbury's in Leeds station.

But yes bring cold food from home where you can if you are saving the pennies.

Spendless

[Deleted User] said:

MSE_James said:

With the news that the Office of Rail & Road is calling for more competition in the railway station catering market - and has found a 10 per cent price premium over the high street - I thought it might be good to share tips for cutting the cost of food & drink on the go.

Obviously bringing your own snacks and drinks will be cheapest ... but sometimes you can't prepare ahead of time and need to grab something before catching a train.

For example I noticed that at London Waterloo Station you can save on the price of a Festive Bake by avoiding the Greggs outlet on the Waterloo Road side of the station, and taking a five-minute walk to the Lower Marsh branch instead.

What are your top tips for good-value places to stock up (or sit down for a meal and a drink) near major rail stations?

Tips for good-value shops / cafes / restaurants / pubs near stations (but without the price premium) all welcome.

Why wouldn't it be possible to prepare your food before leaving the house - i don't see how you can't prepare ?

The MSE view is to plan, save your hard earned money, and live a life less expensive -  the whole site here shouts it from the rooftops.

Failing to prepare, is preparing to fail.

Yes, i know the thread is about spending but to the purists it shouldn't be.

You might live in the North of the country, have a several hour trip to London and after a day sight seeing/watching a show be travelling back and need to eat. Taking any food with you for the return trip might be problematic. For these occasions me and friend have just hit M&S Simply food - unsure if station locations charge a bit more, grabbed a sandwich snack and drink and ate on the train on the way home but then  we always factored in having a pub lunch with hot food somewhere so were never longing for something warm at this point. 

HillStreetBlues

If using McDonalds check the mark up.
I used one near a Underground station, tea was £1.09  instead of 99p from my local (not bad I thought)  local hot chocolate £1.39  but that was £1.99 . And yes I did have tea.

thelawnet

you can get 2/3 off food with Too Good To Go.

It depends where you are but if you check ahead there's often a rail outlet en route or nearby.

In addition, most tickets allow break of journey so if you have a change of train en route you can often just leave the station using your ticket and go to a nearby supermarket. 

MilesT6060842

thelawnet said:

you can get 2/3 off food with Too Good To Go.

It depends where you are but if you check ahead there's often a rail outlet en route or nearby.

In addition, most tickets allow break of journey so if you have a change of train en route you can often just leave the station using your ticket and go to a nearby supermarket. 

I would be careful with the statement "most tickets allow break of journey".  Quite a few don't (e.g. Advances never do, some only allow break on return leg), need to check the type of ticket on the national rail website.

Also quite a bit of research needed to work out which stations en-route are close to somewhere cheap or nice!

MSE_James

@MilesT6060842  - you mentioned Black Sheep Coffee at Waterloo - I had a bit of a shock there the other week when they wanted more than £4 for a flat white  

MilesT6060842

MSE_James said:

@MilesT6060842  - you mentioned Black Sheep Coffee at Waterloo - I had a bit of a shock there the other week when they wanted more than £4 for a flat white  

Indeed, but I suspect it was a nicer coffee than the other options "upstairs",  I mis-remembered that Black Sheep was a bit more expensive than some of the option "upstairs". 

I support having a high quality option as well as a cheap option

RAS

For Leeds, check out the standard Greggs and Subway next door to each other on Boar Lane, about 3 minutes from the station via the right hand exit from the main foyer (next to M&S, another option). Or the Sainsbury's in the left hand food hall. 

For Ely, if you have time, the big Tesco's is open until midnight right outside the station with a path connecting the 2 carparks. Just watch out if you are travelling south because you have to trek to the south of platform 2/3 to access the underpass, and back along platform 1. However very useful if you're travelling late. 

At Edinburgh there is a Greggs in the Waverley Market up the Waverley Steps (escalators), second landing, as well as Costa and KFC. Also an M&S accessed from the far left corner at the back of the Travel Hall/waiting area.

rdr

last time and went a substantial distance on the train I got a too good to go from Camden foods at Euston station £3.99 for a lunch bag.

Buggsby

I use M & S making sure it's on a meal deal and that way you have a choice of drinks, food and fruit. As for Tea I used Greg's last time in Kings Cross with a discount for downloading there app and was given a card with some more discount on it.