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The previous DMR was not based on the cost of the service provision but similar to what it'd cost to feed yourself at home. Staffing and running costs were not part of the equation and the cost of the ingredients was less than the charge
The new charges are as high as they can get away with.
Loads of people moaned about paying for 21 meals a week and only eating a fraction of them but nobody asked for the current implimentation of PAYD. I'm sure if a promotion chasing cost saving Officer had actually thought about the end product (ignoring the mock ups provided by ISS et al) and realised you cannot reduce costs, involve a profit driven third party, introduce extra work and still provide a decent service then perhaps we may have had another solution.
From what I remember this was driven by the RAF as a response to peoples wishes but the Army saw it as a way to cut costs.
G
grumpyoldb
Guest
The army could probably carry it with large garrisons and more footfall in the mess.
I don't know if it's true but when I joined in 96 I was told the stripe on the back of my 1250 would soon allow me to only pay for the meals I ate. I assume this is what most the 70's-80's moaners wanted, same mess, same food, same price (maybe a bit pricier), same chefs etc, you would then pay for your last months meals (I think) out of next months pay. This sounds pretty reasonable for the livers in, probably almost un-workable for the catering accounts people though.
What we've got seems to be worst of possible outcome for the 'customer'.
A few observations.....
I'm amazed by the numbers of staff (granted probably on minimum wage and limited hours contracts) you see milling about, doing next to cock all, when it started there were a lot of 'suits' over seeing meals, these all seem to have disappeared.
I was at HMP Marham when it rolled out and it seemed okay, 7 months down the line at Coningsby and it's getting worse by the month, and as it's dipped they've put the prices up.
The food choices go in cycles. At Marham we seemed to have about six weeks of Thai curry, at Con we had a meatball month, but we are now firmly lodged in a pasta bake loop, that seems to be never ending.
There hardly ever seems to be any salad although I believe it's part of the core meal, the comments book is full of complaints about this, last week OC catering said this was now sorted and it would always be there, the next day there wasn't any.
I also believe several serial complainers have been told told to 'knock it off' and that it's a comments book, not for complaints?
The comments are rarely actioned.
Is anyone happy with their mess at present?
What we've got seems to be worst of possible outcome for the 'customer'.
A few observations.....
I'm amazed by the numbers of staff (granted probably on minimum wage and limited hours contracts) you see milling about, doing next to cock all, when it started there were a lot of 'suits' over seeing meals, these all seem to have disappeared.
I was at HMP Marham when it rolled out and it seemed okay, 7 months down the line at Coningsby and it's getting worse by the month, and as it's dipped they've put the prices up.
The food choices go in cycles. At Marham we seemed to have about six weeks of Thai curry, at Con we had a meatball month, but we are now firmly lodged in a pasta bake loop, that seems to be never ending.
There hardly ever seems to be any salad although I believe it's part of the core meal, the comments book is full of complaints about this, last week OC catering said this was now sorted and it would always be there, the next day there wasn't any.
I also believe several serial complainers have been told told to 'knock it off' and that it's a comments book, not for complaints?
The comments are rarely actioned.
Is anyone happy with their mess at present?
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That's the way it was explained to me when we were asked to choose for or against PAYD. Still a fixed price, although a higher one, for a meal. The current system is the creation of an utter idiot (no doubt one holding, or at least held, the Queen's Commission). Anyone with a part share in a brain would either have kept it as a fixed price for meal or gone down the full cafeteria route and pay for what you have - none of this idiotic core menu b*llocks or going out to contract catering.
Toffee-Scouser
LAC
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No, and I agree with you about the cycles of food, we're currently in the meatball phase again with every flavor under the sun. The other day I had meatballs in a hoisin sauce with noodles, the next night you guessed it, meatballs tikka masala. both days the 'meat' in the meatballs was questionable about wether it infact came from an animal at all, no wonder I bought myself a hob.
I will say about the salad though atleast here it is provided, in the form of about 20 browning lettuce leaves in a bowl that doesn't get replenished until it runs out, which I believe is why they are brown.
Soup is a big one here for us as well, it's available with tea but it rarely if ever changes, we've had 'mushroom' soup for the last week now under various different names, ranging from fungus soup to mushroom soup to wild mushroom soup.... There is little doubt in my mind it was just the same soup reheated
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XVR RA RA RA
Sergeant
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I take it meatballs are the cheapest thing they can buy in? Meatball season must be when they're running short of pennies. Its a spiral of decline if you ask me, cut your costs and the product gets worse, if the product gets worse even less people want it.
Sounds like some medical condition after a bop night. Not the most inviting of names.
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You could always tell it was near the end of the month when the mess used compo rations in some of the meals. Surprising how good the food was.
Sent from my LT18i using Tapatalk 2
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I attended a 3-course family lunch at a PAYD unit on Sunday. Starters was mushroom soup, carvery with help-yourself veg & potatoes, and sponge pudding & custard for dessert. It cost me £3.50 , which I thought was cracking value compared to the options listed above.
So, livers-in, I'll ask this question again...what price would you be prepared to pay for quality food in your mess?
John Lloyd
Warrant Officer
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At least cookie has a sense of humour. In the general outside catering world you tend to get only two types of soupe du jour. Carrot and coriander or potato and leek. The factory making these must be huge.
XVR RA RA RA
Sergeant
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The problem is, the mess might do the same menu. But it's not the same quality or quantity. For example, chicken curry from the mess compared to a proper restaurant or takeaway, or compare a sandwich from the mess compared to Subway. Yes I know there is a difference in price, but you get what you pay for. PAYD fails because it brought in profit making organisations who can't operate at the daily messing rate. If the PAYD contract was non-profit making, it wouldn't have to worry about it's operating costs and have to lower quality or quantity.
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Shiney Scot
SAC
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That sign was obviously incorrect. I have amended it for you
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And if you want beans on toast for around 50p you can have that at your home, that option has been taken away from livers in. Imagine having to spend around £8 a day to feed each member of your family to to get edible, tasty and identifiable food £210 min a week snacks and drinks excluded.
To compare it to commercial outlets is a bit naff to be honest
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I can understand why you are trying to make such a point but IMHO it's an altogether different context.
Lee Enfield
LAC
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If PAYD as brought ISS to its knees then this should deliver the knock out blow as ISS have know "won" catering contract for last known surviving RAF Station in Nottinghamshire.
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In English please.
Can you explain why? You're paying a business to provide meals to you in both examples, those businesses both want to make profits.
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Those businesses have two very different customer bases to operate with. Where as the commercial outlet draws in joe public, a CRL managed facility at a phase 1 training unit is expected to provide the trainees (who are on a physical and mentally demanding course) with their daily calorific needs. Where as one cadet might be ok with the meagre portions, what about the units amongst us who need to 'feed the machine' so to speak?