Chain food stops for Audax type rides

[telstarbox]

Some observations of chain offerings, for longer rides when you're in an unfamiliar town on a long ride - feel free to add your own.

BP M&S petrol station - good all rounder. Generally have toilets. Food pricey but range includes energy / cereal bars and hot drinks. Cashiers ask if you want any fuel despite wearing helmet

Sainsbury's Local - find their sandwich / wrap options a bit boring.

Tesco Express - ditto and tend not to have toilets when part of a petrol station.

[telstarbox]

Co-op - the classic Audax pit stop. Quality has improved in recent years and even the smaller ones tend to have something vegan or gluten-free.

Greggs - bakery items great but often a long queue.

Waitrose - despite pricey baseline, the "yellow label" reductions are great value if you're there any time after 3pm. Toilets in most branches. Sadly no longer offer free hot drinks.

Wetherspoons - not everyone's cup of tea for various reasons but food arrives quickly, quality is consistent, vegan and GF options, water refills on bar. (This may change with Covid 19.)

[telstarbox]

Second tier convenience stores (Costcutter, Premier, Londis) - generally these are franchises so hit and miss. Often run out of fridge snacks if you're there after lunchtime. Minimum spend on card may apply.

[Tomsk]

Most Co-ops seem to have Costa machines now. I still can't get my divi just over the Essex border into Suffolk, whereas my card always works everywhere in Scotland!

[Ajax Bay]

BP M&S petrol station - good all rounder. Generally have toilets. Food pricey but range includes energy / cereal bars and hot drinks.

BP filling stations often associate with Wild Bean Cafe (in-house brand? - at least two 'Wild Bean Cafes in BP 'UK HQ' in Sunbury) and their warm> hot offerings eg pasties/slices and pastries are good.

[Andy C]

Premier convenience stores often have bargains such as £1 big bars of chocolate or 50p bottles of sports drink (too sugary for normal but ideal on a long ride)

Premier Inns are a good place for breakfast as you can walk in and pay on day as a non staying guest.
2 options: breakfast bar or breakfast bar and full English.
Few quid more than 'spoons but quality and quantity worth every penny.
Unlike 'spoons its actually served hot...

[FifeingEejit]

Most Co-ops seem to have Costa machines now. I still can't get my divi just over the Essex border into Suffolk, whereas my card always works everywhere in Scotland!

Interesting, didn't think ScotMid (now using the linked O logo and also Lakes and Dales in England) took Co-Op group (using the Co over Op logo) divvy cards.

[Tomsk]

Most Co-ops seem to have Costa machines now. I still can't get my divi just over the Essex border into Suffolk, whereas my card always works everywhere in Scotland!

Interesting, didn't think ScotMid (now using the linked O logo and also Lakes and Dales in England) took Co-Op group (using the Co over Op logo) divvy cards.

Thinks, where have I use my card in recent time north of the Border? Paisley/Kilmarnock [in-laws], Edinburgh [cousin], Pitlochry [distant Rellies], Aberfeldy [Hogmanay holiday]. I recall using it on Lewis not long after we got plastic cards instead of divi stamps.

[cygnet]

Is it wrong that when Greggs published a list of their reopening shops I half-expected someone on here to create a gpi/gpx file of them? 

[bairn again]

Most Co-ops seem to have Costa machines now. I still can't get my divi just over the Essex border into Suffolk, whereas my card always works everywhere in Scotland!

Interesting, didn't think ScotMid (now using the linked O logo and also Lakes and Dales in England) took Co-Op group (using the Co over Op logo) divvy cards.

I believe thats because they are separate organisations.

From here https://scotmid.coop/about-us/

"Scotmid Co-operative is independent from The Co-operative Group, but we work together in the true spirit of co-operation as members of the Co-operative Retail Trading Group (CRTG)."

So ScotMid are "a" Co-op but they arent "the" Co-op.

Our local shop has gone through many iterations - when we first moved here it was a William Low and is now currently a Co-op (having been a Blockbuster and Sainsburys) and its fantastic.  There was some concern among the Corstorphine fur coat and nae knickers brigade that it was going to be a Scotmid (too downmarket for Corstorphine).  After the blow of missing out on the old Woolies becoming a Waitrose it may have proved too much for many!   

[jimmea]

Most Co-ops seem to have Costa machines now. I still can't get my divi just over the Essex border into Suffolk, whereas my card always works everywhere in Scotland!

Interesting, didn't think ScotMid (now using the linked O logo and also Lakes and Dales in England) took Co-Op group (using the Co over Op logo) divvy cards.

I believe thats because they are separate organisations.

From here https://scotmid.coop/about-us/

"Scotmid Co-operative is independent from The Co-operative Group, but we work together in the true spirit of co-operation as members of the Co-operative Retail Trading Group (CRTG)."

So ScotMid are "a" Co-op but they arent "the" Co-op.

Our local shop has gone through many iterations - when we first moved here it was a William Low and is now currently a Co-op (having been a Blockbuster and Sainsburys) and its fantastic.  There was some concern among the Corstorphine fur coat and nae knickers brigade that it was going to be a Scotmid (too downmarket for Corstorphine).  After the blow of missing out on the old Woolies becoming a Waitrose it may have proved too much for many!   

Have you stopped using Fortnum & Mason? I think you should put this on at one of your control's

https://www.fortnumandmason.com/products/the-6-person-reunion-picnic

[tonyh]

     !

[bairn again]

Most Co-ops seem to have Costa machines now. I still can't get my divi just over the Essex border into Suffolk, whereas my card always works everywhere in Scotland!

Interesting, didn't think ScotMid (now using the linked O logo and also Lakes and Dales in England) took Co-Op group (using the Co over Op logo) divvy cards.

I believe thats because they are separate organisations.

From here https://scotmid.coop/about-us/

"Scotmid Co-operative is independent from The Co-operative Group, but we work together in the true spirit of co-operation as members of the Co-operative Retail Trading Group (CRTG)."

So ScotMid are "a" Co-op but they arent "the" Co-op.

Our local shop has gone through many iterations - when we first moved here it was a William Low and is now currently a Co-op (having been a Blockbuster and Sainsburys) and its fantastic.  There was some concern among the Corstorphine fur coat and nae knickers brigade that it was going to be a Scotmid (too downmarket for Corstorphine).  After the blow of missing out on the old Woolies becoming a Waitrose it may have proved too much for many!   

Have you stopped using Fortnum & Mason? I think you should put this on at one of your control's

https://www.fortnumandmason.com/products/the-6-person-reunion-picnic

we’ll lash that on the back of Roberto’s bike for the next york arrow.