Food price caps not observed

[mblackhouse]

After downloading the food price list on the reading website, it all looked pretty reasonable this year. I, being skint and a lover of mexican food, saw the 4.50 burrito and jazzed myself. However, when i got there, it was more like 7 quid. This was pretty much across the board.

Cider will hit the 4 quid mark next year too methinks!

[rachbon]

Cider will hit the 4 quid mark next year too methinks!

[Paul ™]

Thank god for the PO club @ £2.40 a pint and the WBC village bar for £1.50 a pint

[jammy2211]

4 cans of Blackthorn at Tesco for £1.98 was amazing, couldn't believe the value.

In the arena is was poor pricing though, I bought a kebab for a fiver and some chinese crap for a fiver and stopped after that. Got some bargains on the last night from the food stalls but really didn't eat alot all weekend, except for tinned beans, tinned curry and cookies!

[benissright]

I ate in town.

[jameshendicott]

Im used to Irish prices, and Im really not exaggerating when I say I found it cheap. Beer costs me far more down the pub in Galway. Damn it Ireland!

[Dirty Boots]

The £5.50 1/2 lb cheeseburger was a beauty.

[beLIEveR]

Did anyone try the fat bastard burgers right next to Yellow/Orange Gate? Best £6 I ever spent.

[Tommy]

There were occasional bargains to be had. The mexican wrap stall at Leeds on the way to main stage did a cracking wrap and chips for a fiver, and the Pizza to the People stall were whacking out some awesome looking pizzas for 7 quid. We were going to sample one after Kings of Leon, but having found out at 10pm on Sunday that Lynne's house got burgled while we were away, it inda slipped our mind.

[5co77ie]

Bought all the food I ate for under a fiver each time - sought out the high star rated caterers - like the sweetcorn place (4 stars I think) and stayed off the booze, as it was too expensive. Rather jealous of Paul TM rubbing in the WBC village bar - mainly because i don't know where it is anymore.

[Paul ™]

Bought all the food I ate for under a fiver each time - sought out the high star rated caterers - like the sweetcorn place (4 stars I think) and stayed off the booze, as it was too expensive. Rather jealous of Paul TM rubbing in the WBC village bar - mainly because i don't know where it is anymore.

[Dropkick Murphy]

The prices are crazy. The caterers must make an absolute killing. I bought a tray of chips for £2 and saw another van selling them for £4! Also, one of the noodle vans charged £5 last year at Leeds, £7 this year.

[sidthecat]

Three words - Bring Your Own

Seriously, if you do nothing but eat food from the rip-off merchants on site then you will end up spending a fortune.... and will probably spend more time in the crapper then is necessary.

cook a shed load of pasta and feed off that all weekend - Hell, you'll probably be too drunk to taste it anyway )

[Paul ™]

Aye agreed, Tesco is 10 min walk away too.. no excuse for Reading punters

[beLIEveR]

Exactly. This year Tesco were really well stocked. Cider aside, they even had most alcohol most of the time.

[Dropkick Murphy]

Nowhere near for the Leeds goer. Plus, if you're in the arena from 12pm-11pm its pretty hard not to succumb to the terrible prices.

[5co77ie]

Aye agreed, Tesco is 10 min walk away too.. no excuse for Reading punters

[Paul ™]

...and pubs, restaurants, and fast food just as close.

[benissright]

Nandos!

[getupkid83]

I always find the key is to actually spend a little more on food. I don't understand people who fork out £4 for some chips 4 times a day plus a couple of crap burgers from the dodgy burger van in between.

Fine fish co did awesome fish and chips for £7 i think. Yeah, £7 is expensive but the portion was huuuuge so it was pretty much the only thing i ate each day (bar snacks and stuff). The giant yorkshire puds also did the trick, although the chicken did seem like the last mortal remains! :s

The less you spend the less you get - and consequently the more you'll have to spend!

The village supermarket was awesome too. Block of cheese for £2 and four bread rolls for £1!

Edited September 4, 2009 by getupkid83

[eFestivals]

After downloading the food price list on the reading website, it all looked pretty reasonable this year. I, being skint and a lover of mexican food, saw the 4.50 burrito and jazzed myself. However, when i got there, it was more like 7 quid. This was pretty much across the board.

Cider will hit the 4 quid mark next year too methinks!

are you 100% sure that the stall you saw at £4.50 in the price list guide was the same stall you saw selling them at £7? Not all food stalls are the same, or providing food of the same quality - so prices vary.

Anyhow, I've been told by someone very much in the know about the workings of the markets that the list is not and never will be an absolute. It wasn't last year, and you're saying it wasn't this year so it probably wasn't this year.

I've had people tell me that Melvin has told them that the list should always be adhered to, but I've also had a person tell me who very much knows about these things that Melvin knows the list will not be adhered to; knowing and trusting my source and knowing that there is no reason to lie, I very much go with that version.

[eFestivals]

The prices are crazy. The caterers must make an absolute killing. I bought a tray of chips for £2 and saw another van selling them for £4! Also, one of the noodle vans charged £5 last year at Leeds, £7 this year.

while I agree that the prices are crazy and that stall holders can make a huge wedge, the main factor affecting the prices they set is the price they're charged for their stall. You'd call their stall prices no less crazy than the price they charge for their products.

[mblackhouse]

I am 100% that the prices weren't adhered to for things like chinese and mexican especially they were charging whatever the f**k they wanted! I get that its probably massively expensive for the traders but what is the point of producing a price list if its not going to be stuck to...

On a positive note tho the supermarket tent near the arena was awesome this year - not much in the way of queuing, well stocked and did cashback - lets hope that continues next year.

[eFestivals]

... but what is the point of producing a price list if its not going to be stuck to...

like so many useless things in life: marketing.

Just remember rule one of marketing: all marketing is bullshit!

[gooner1990]

Was really dissapointed to see "Bagel Dude" missing this year...last year he was over by the R1 tent area. Saw him down at Glastonbury this year (we were camped right by it so went over each morning) and he said he'd be there this year. Alas not

As a veggie I seem to struggle more at Reading (in the arena at least) than elsewhere....esp if at lunchtime your not wanting mexian wraps or something.

As such I just ate minimally and got food when I was in Caversham (went to a proper chippie and had a big bag for £1.20! ) and had cornish pasties in the morning.

Like most say the key is to take your own stuff. I usually stock up on crisps & cereal bars for the campsite and then buy once or twice in the day in the arena.

Meat eating mates were loving the pie and mash stall right next to the R1 tent, and I had a pastie from there that was lovely. Just a shame about the £3.50 price tag!