The Campbells Catering Monopoly

mada999

campbells catering are rip offs, the food is cheap yeah right, its cheaper than downtown i'll give ya that but it's slop most of the time.

The way its campbells on both floors is appalling. There should be a different catering company on one of the floors, for a bit of competition.

Paying €2 for chips with a little mingin curry over them thats a joke, the chips at €1.60 thats a joke. they're not even nice.

The only nice meal I had was the guinness pie, that was decent. When the foot and mouth crisis was going on they put up the price on meat and stuff, no crisis now did they take the price down? answer is no.

I remember you could get a free can of mineral with ur meal the €4.40 one, but now u have to pay extra, thats a joke!

And what about the rolls what the fúck are they the tiniest bread rolls ever, there so small its criminal.

STOP THE MONOPOLY! ANYONE AGREE ?

Stark

we have campbells in ucc as well. They're everywhere on campus (which has about 10 restaraunts). They're not even cheap any more, these days you pay about €5 for a piece of meat. I think it's a mighty empire that will never crumble these days though.

Don1

Yup. As for charging for the ketchup? That is a f*ckin disgrace. In any greasy spoon in the wold that sh*t is free.:mad: :mad:

mada999

i used to work in guinness in dundalk and they were there too. they're evil and they know it. can they be stopped?

yeha the ketchup, even in mcdonalds its free and the vinegar!!!

Don1

They're in Oral B (or Anal B as the employees like to call it) in Newbridge aswell. My brother worked there and from the sounds of it it's worse and even more pricey up there!

ShayK1

i'm hungry!

Don1

I've a chewin gum left if that'd fill ya?!!!!!!!!!



But seriously, Maccy D's?

ShayK1

sound lets go!!

Moonbeam

Its not subsidised thus the price problem,
Dinner here only costs me 2.16 everyday tis great:)

eth0_

Originally posted by Moonbeam
Its not subsidised thus the price problem,
Dinner here only costs me 2.16 everyday tis great:)

I work with moonbeam and the food here is great, tandoori chicken today for under 3 euro, yum!

We had Campbells in ITB, they were woful, they're in Tallaght too, never heard a good word about them ever. I worked part time in 3com when I was in college, and they had Campbells too, and strangely enough they were cheaper and nicer than in college, and this was on the night shift too!

They're cowboys!

Spacedog

I mentioned this very thing to the student union pres' He told me that IT Carlow's canteen is rated the second best in the country and the food and prices can't be beat! When I asked why we couldn't have local catering from town (Sambadinos in the college would rock) on one of the floors he said that there wasn't enough space. This seemed a little odd, you could swing a bengal tiger in those kitchens.
A few weeks after I was dismissed by the President someone told me that when the canteen building was build the students union was given a larger grant from the college in exchange for the not kicking up a fuss about Deans shop taking the place of the shop which was run by the Students Union.
This profiteering is at out expense, everyone is giving out about fees comming in next year at the moment but when you try to ask about improving the quality of life for students and reducing daily costs incurred by being a student which is directly under control of the student union, nobody cares

Redrocket

ive an upset stomach today ( couldnd sleep last night with it and cant eat or ill throw up ) and its from **** ****ING FOOD FROM ****HEADS IN THE CANTEEN. i know it was, everything else i ate yesterday was proper food except for some lousy chicken burger **** and soup from the canteen. the food wasnt even hot, it was warm. bastards. this was downstairs. upstairs is better but not 100%. ye bastards, make me sick! i'll ****in stab the whole lot of ye with a bread knife

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

afaik every college's catering in ireland is done by campbells.. I think they even do some of the asylum seekers little "villages" too

and a prison or two I heard as well..

Spacedog

prison food, yum!

ballooba

Campbells Catering :: DIT Aung St :: Sausage, Beans and Chips @ E2.95 Throw in a Coke @ E1.00

Raskolnikov

Originally posted by k.oriordan
we have campbells in ucc as well. They're everywhere on campus (which has about 10 restaraunts). They're not even cheap any more, these days you pay about €5 for a piece of meat. I think it's a mighty empire that will never crumble these days though.

Agreed. A friend of mine paid €1.70 for a measly carton of greasy wedges that a dog probably sh@t on. If you want decent and cheap food in UCC your only option is to cart in a lunchbox with some sandwiches.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

ShayK1

Walking????? Fúck that!

ballooba

Originally posted by ShayK1
Walking????? Fúck that!

Great thing about DIT, nearest off campus eaterie is 30 feet.

Saruman

I thought when Gateway closed down.. nice one NO MORE CAMPBELLS FOR ME!!!

But feck it this place has them too!!! AGHHHH...... even more expensive and just as shíte but at least they do some decent rolls and stuff.. not quite O'Briens but not bad at all.. other than that its slop and recently gotten cheaper food (i.e smaller and lower quality white pudding) and MORE expensive at the same time.

typical muppetry...
20c for a tiny butter
20c for a slice of toast.

so 2 of each is 80cent!!!

ShayK1

holy crap and people were givin out about Snowballs sig!
Look at Saruman's

Saruman

Shh...... quiet...

Whats wrong with it anyway? I was asked to make my Tolkien image smaller once.. i did so and that was about all.

TomTom

I got curry chips and a pananni in the canteen earlier, I could not finish them. Not because I was full but because the more of the chips I ate the sicker I felt. I'm going to talk to JP about the quality of the food. It's doubtfull that they will reduce the price but at least they could give us decent food for the price we pay.

ShayK1

i regularly have to visit McDonalds instead of the Canteen!
oh that hurts my pocket!

TomTom

The reason mcD's hurts your pocket is that you have to buy half a ton of crap just to fill yourself.
Go to supermacs or roadhouse for a good meal.

ShayK1

usually get a raod house breakfast on fridays to soak up the JD and coke!
Might tasty i have to admit!

TomTom

Who's going to scraggs for a little drink?

ShayK1

Now?? **** man i gotta go home first!!

Snowball

Campbells Catering have a resturant in something like 90% of colleges in Ireland and they also have something like 50% of all office buildings that are big enough to hold a canteen. They have a compete monopoly.

I think that the college should bring in another company to compete.

Spacedog

I was also just think about what the SU president said to me about there being "no room" for another canteen. even if Campbells needed all the space they have (which they clearly don't) there's the whole area of the old canteen, it could be renivated easly and would have all the required plumbing and electric fittings necessary for a decient kitchen. The current Student Union management is rotten to the core and doesn't represent students in the college on small things like this because they are too busy lining their filthy little pockets whit the subsidity money they recieve with the management of the college who recieve money from the bribery of big business who screw us over daily. J.P Mc Ardle will do nothing but count his fat cash of corruption and laugh in our faces for being so stupid as to elect him in the first place! He must truly HATE us to screw us all over so bad.

oneweb

Our current contracted foodstuff provider (not sure if it's still Campbell's) in Aungier Street is bloody awful. They charge you pretty much for every chip you get more than the quota. Java City bloke kicked up a stupid fuss when I took an extra cup (no no you can't take it, that's a waste, and he took it back - for fcukin €1.90 for a small hot chocolate I think they can spare a bloody paper cup) Then in the panini bar I was waiting aaaages so I took one myself. Only to be shouted at "OI! you're not to take them, we have to give you them. Health and Hygiene, he said" and a few weeks later when I took a roll yer wan told me not to do it again. And finally, you have to put ham slices on a seperate plate, a ceramic plate. Whatever. Until they weigh the feckin thing and charge you more than a €uro for a single slice of the stuff. I'm telling ya, they charge you for the plate. Next time I'll keep it!

I completely agree with someone's thoughts on different companies if there's more than one food area. The prices are outrageous, especially for students.

I always play 'hide the sachets' when I get ketchup. 16c for a bubble of air and a drop of red stuff? Lame.

Over the years, the college food has gone up in price and down in quality. Dramatically.

ShayK1

should there be a pic there cause i don't see one!

Don1

God you're blind it's right there!

mada999

NOTE: If you want a can of coke don't buy it in the college shop get it in the vending machines. The shop charge 85c and in the vending machines they only cost 80 so go for it !

They're ripping us off!

Who own's the vending machines in the college does ne1 know?

Stephen

He can't see it cos you can't access the intranet from lab303. (The image is hosted there)

I *think* campbells' also own the vending machines.

noah

cambells are brutal did anyone see where the refugees rerfused to eat their food in one of the hostels because it wasnt good enough and they were getting for free. Something has to be done about this monopoly in carlow it. ARE YOU LISTENING JP MCARDLE

Don1

De fekkin beshteards bye!!!!

ShayK1

thank you stephen!
i appreciate the whole clearing up thingy!
You Da MAN!

mada999

yes yes, a good point noah. Bring in a new catering company for the bottom floor. Competition needed, not excuses!

Don1

Unfortunately Noah I don't think the fantastic JP uses this site:rolleyes: And besides I doubt he can hear what you're typin!!!

Spacedog

Of course he doesn't read it, that would be keeping in touch with the students he represents and would be part of doing the job he is being paid for properly God Forbid!

The_B_Man

in all fairness though, i'd rather have JP as presdent than the other bloke that was runnin for it!!

Spacedog

I'd rather see a ficus plant run it that either of them. Like Micheal Moore did in the states lol.

TomTom

Originally posted by Spacedog23
I was also just think about what the SU president said to me about there being "no room" for another canteen. even if Campbells needed all the space they have (which they clearly don't) there's the whole area of the old canteen, it could be renivated easly and would have all the required plumbing and electric fittings necessary for a decient kitchen. The current Student Union management is rotten to the core and doesn't represent students in the college on small things like this because they are too busy lining their filthy little pockets whit the subsidity money they recieve with the management of the college who recieve money from the bribery of big business who screw us over daily. J.P Mc Ardle will do nothing but count his fat cash of corruption and laugh in our faces for being so stupid as to elect him in the first place! He must truly HATE us to screw us all over so bad.

This clearly goes to show that you don't have a clue what goes on in the students union.
JP is in court nearly every week representing students that are in more dire situations than we are.
The company that manages the college campus is threatning to bring him to court because he told the truth about him. Behind the scenes he does more for the students here than any other presedent. At the end of the day there is only a limited amount he can do in one year. He does not run the college he only represents the college students. If you have a valid case against campbells and can prove the viability of another canteen, why don't you get off your ass and approach the SU with a signed petition. They can't fight everyones little battles for them.

mada999

I say someone should set up a sandwich stand somewhere in the college and sell the sambo's for less than in cambells. You'd make a fortune.

You could buy some aldi bread @ 46c and some cheap ham/turkey and lettuce and salad. And sell them. That'd be a great idea!

Paying for meesely sachets of ketchup and vinegar is wrong! (They're even free in mcdonalds)I think I'll bring in some ketchup/vinegar and put it on the counter for people to use! That would be a start!

A what about a cup of tea? 70 fúcking cent for a cup of hot water and a dribble of milk, oh and the tea bag(the whole box of tea-bags probably costs 70 fúckin cent)

What would happen if we took our own tea bags in ? How much would they charge ??

The_B_Man

YEAH!!! they may take our money but they'll never take our freedom, etc....

TomTom

OK here's a plan. Who here would be interested in help in set up a tea stand in the canteen next week? If I get help I will try get permission to do it.

mada999

A tea stand what a great idea!!
Where are we going to get the hot water from ?? yeah we could buy the milk in aldi real cheap ? We need a fridge! and where would we get cups ?

I'd be in! but we'd need a rotation coz classes and shít!

Spacedog

Originally posted by TomTom
This clearly goes to show that you don't have a clue what goes on in the students union.
JP is in court nearly every week representing students that are in more dire situations than we are.
The company that manages the college campus is threatning to bring him to court because he told the truth about him. Behind the scenes he does more for the students here than any other presedent. At the end of the day there is only a limited amount he can do in one year. He does not run the college he only represents the college students. If you have a valid case against campbells and can prove the viability of another canteen, why don't you get off your ass and approach the SU with a signed petition. They can't fight everyones little battles for them.

That's ****e! JP and the SU were elected and paid to do this stuff, we are full time students with commitments and obligations. As I said before, I did bring up this topic with JP and he may as well have spit in my face! He is paid by the college to uphold and shelter the greed of the companies who steal from us on an ongoing basis.
<br><br>
"The company that manages the college campus is threatning to bring him to court because he told the truth about him. " - You'll have to clarify that. what truth? what's going on? why is it behind the scenes? why is it not in the blurb? why is it being hidden from us apart from a few abstract statments on a board? was the threat in writing from a lawyer? if so lets see it? quit trying to discredit me by saying I don't know what I'm talking about. read the trhead, this is not a "little battle", everyone sees the slop we are served for a fortune which could be spent more wisely if we had more consumer choice. Dunnes Stores employees are required to join the union which was set up and run by the management of Dunnes Stores. The SU IS THE SAME. What use is a union if it is not run by the people it serves

mada999

good stuff there from spacedog i totally agree!

mada999

Looks like galway had the same problem,

have a look here
http://www.sin.ie/article.php?sid=187

some good threads from it are :

The Students' Union fought very hard for the contact not to be awarded to Campbell's. However, the decision was made by a University Committee on which we only have one seat. They were going to award the new contract to Campbells outright, but because of the case the Students' Union put forward they decided to only give a one-year extension to Campbells and give them an opportunity to improve.
The Hub is only open one day. The manageress there is extremely competent and open to any ideas students may have for the place. Please do give them a chance to settle, and if after a month it is unsatisfactory then by all means voice your opinions.
And to the person who took part in the focus group, thanks. It was kind of you to give an hour of your time to constructive work. The input gained from that session has changed many of the operating procedures of Campbells as well as resulting in a change of the Head Manager. I hope you will continue to give time to being constructive in the future.


another:

one quick point to note; Cambell catering = waste of time. Having worked in many restaurants about the area it is extremely disturbing to see chefs in the canteen, who i know have been fired from previous posts for unhygenic practices (ie. hand in the pants-hand in the coleslaw kinda thing) haphazardly wandering bout the canteen. The only plus point for the hub is the cailin iontach that works there: the nicest person in the college.

And:

There is no way around it. It may seem like a bit of a cliche to complain about the campus food, food served being the subject of ridicule in institutions throughout the world, but campbells are really inflicting a truly horrendous service on the students of this college who simply do not have the time to run into town at lunch. Words fail me when it comes to the muck served up in the canteen, and if you mix and match with a few extra helpings of cheese or potatoes have you noticed that the same thing can cost totally different prices two days in a row.



http://www.sin.ie/article.php?sid=187