York. Food quality

There's a Burger King 3 minutes from the fairgrounds.  Or bring a cooler and purchase a cold sandwich off-site. Either works.

-Greg

Problem is I come on the Bus from LI.   Eat breakfast  at Round the clock diner and  Dinner at Old Country Diner. But thanks for the info.

"Perhaps because I am from NY  and demand better food than what is offered"

Huh?

I've been to New York some and I've been to York (and am from nowhere near either of them, or even the Northeast) and can testify that good and bad food exists in both places. Indeed, everywhere.

I like New York City, I really do - but it's still just a place. 

personally the food at the orange hall it pretty good except its extremely expensive and as Greg said there is a burger king close by. as far as McDonalds is I would not eat there if it were FREE!

bring your own sandwiches and just buy a drink !  

It's a fairground, what do you expect? I've always brought my own lunch to eat. What else can we complain about? We haven't complained about tipping the restroom attendants in a while........

everyone has their hand out, york is no execption 

CJ Meyers posted:

We haven't complained about tipping the restroom attendants in a while........

OK, let's get that going as well.

Driving out Pa Rt 30, I always stop at the WAWA just past Dutch Wonderland and pick up a great hoagie, yogurt ,  beverage & a pretzel or two for lunch and the ride home.  Concession food just does not do it for me.

Food from the outdoor venders seems better than in Orange. However a good breakfast and an afternoon snack or ice cream always gets me through to after show supper.

Perhaps the food vendors set their prices and quality in line with many of the train vendors?

The dining hall used to have very good food. No more. It has never been the same since they changed vendors a couple of years ago. Both the quality of the food and the size of the portions went way downhill.

irish rifle posted:

The dining hall used to have very good food. No more. It has never been the same since they changed vendors a couple of years ago. Both the quality of the food and the size of the portions went way downhill.

I agree 100%. 

I agree with the good breakfast, at several places, and the ice cream getting me through the day. Then there are all kinds of Amish and other restaurants  over in Lancaster for breakfast or evening, but you need wheels.

Jim 1939 posted:

Food from the outdoor venders seems better than in Orange.

Agreed. My usual used to be an Italian sausage and lemonade from one of the outside stands. Pretty tasty.

I get so stuffed at the Round the clock diner, I can’t wait to get to the fairgrounds and walk it off.....my wife loves the Amish tourist traps, so we have to venture there too....I don’t think I even eat at the fairgrounds....maybe a pretzel and a drink......Pat

The crab cakes are great! and Sheetz is right up the street. Of course there are many fine restaurants in the area but they  take more time to get served and eat. 

As far as tipping in the restroom is concerned PA is the only state i've seen doing this (I know NY fairs and Edison NJ and Springfield Mass. shows don't require tipping.) I swear these guys make more money than I do on Social Security.lol

I have certainly seen restrooms in large cities here, and in Europe charge, including that St. Andrews golf course. Driving around Europe, one "takes to the trees", not practical on the fairgrounds.

"Pardon me, do you have any Grey Poupon?" 

More seriously, I'll second Dave's endorsement of the crab cakes. 

They are normally pretty good (IMO).  My only complaint is the hours they sometimes run.  I seem to recall them not setting up until after the meet starts on Thursday, even though there have been people there all morning setting up their tables/booths(presumably getting hungry/thirsty while doing so?).   I wandered over there in hopes of snagging one after setting up my table one meet - denied!  We all know about the Saturday situation, including the food vendors .    Well maybe I'd slightly complain that the price goes up a buck every few years(think it was last $8 for the crab cake and if you wanted the large Iced Tea or Lemonade, add $5). 

But it's still better than eating a regular slice of pizza or a hot dog in my book.  And I don't eat those crab cakes for lunch every day, just a few days twice a year at York.

-Dave

A hot dog is a hot dog.  Grab two in the Orange Hall, slather them with dark mustard, get yourself a big fountain drink, sit down with a friend, be glad you're off your feet, and blab about trains.  Food-wise, you'll be no better or worse off from getting the same thing from any street side vendor in NYC or from a roving vendor at Yankee Stadium.  I lived in Manhattan for many years, so I speak from first-hand experience.

And, yes, I am a foodie in general.  If you know of them, I have eaten at Lutece, and Daniel, and, back in the day at the Quilted Giraffe … all places in Manhattan that, for dinner for 2, would set you back a half-month's mortgage or rent payment.  My wife and I used to do that twice a year...on her birthday and for our anniversary.

Kontext is King, my friend.

Enjoy it all, including the dogs.

Steven J. Serenska

Crab cakes are good but we have a lot better down in DC and the south jersey shore( Wildwood NJ) everything else is fair. Wawa is good.

The crab Cakes would be great if they just put some crab meat in them. . The food overall is usually fair but hey it is a fair in the middle of nowhere. 

I bring a Sandwhich and normally buy sodas there. 

As far as tipping the bathroom attendants, look your spending hundreds if not thousands on trains so open your wallet and make a silent donation every time you have to go. Don't be cheap.

Please take a bath, everyday, use deodorant, comb your hair if you have it, wear clean cloths each day your there and brush your teeth if you have them, if not use mouth wash.

Dave

Although expensive, I've found the barbecue place in front of blue/silver to have decent food.  The food at the other vendors doesn't look particularly appetizing.

The price reflects the fact that people are somewhat of a captive audience.  And given the choice between getting in the car, going off-site, then finding a new parking spot vs. spending a few extra bucks, I'll spend a few bucks.

My usual plan is to stop at Sheetz on the way and grab a pre-made sandwich and some fruit. 

And although I've never seen tipping in a restroom anywhere else, those folks work hard doing a crappy job (pun intended) - imagine what the place would look and smell like without them.  I'm fortunate to have money to spend on expensive toys - I don't mind spreading a little bit of it around.

John Pignatelli JR. posted:

Crab cakes are good but we have a lot better down in DC and the south jersey shore( Wildwood NJ) everything else is fair. Wawa is good.

Well, I don't suspect any of us were suggesting that they are the best crab cakes for 50 miles or anything like that, just that they are a decent bet whilst confined to York Fairgrounds property if one doesn't bring a car with them. (which was what started the whole thread - what/where to eat on the grounds, or why one doesn't like what's available on the grounds)

I had some sort of pulled pork over near Red/White, possibly the time I couldn't get a crab cake.  That was OK, but it's more of a mess than I normally care to deal with for lunch at the meet.

-Dave

I heard the restaurant on the fair grounds is under new management. The food is supposed to be better. I sure hope so!

It would HAVE to be better. It could not be any worse. 

I hope that "new management" took over since the spring York Meet, otherwise I'm not impressed.

As CJ Meyers pointed out, "It's a fairground, what do you expect ?".   The food at fairgrounds and sports stadiums, throughout the country should be condemned.  Not so much for it's lack of quality, but for it cost !   

They know they have a captive audience and they take enormous advantage of tat fact.  Of course, the stadium and fairground owners are not blameless either.  The food vendors are probably getting raked over the coals paying rent.

Let me add that a few years ago I attended a Greenberg meet in Wilmington, Delaware.  I was pleasantly surprised at the somewhat reasonable cost of the food as well as the slightly better quality.  

Local 19 Tinknockers hall where the Atlantic division of the TCA has their meets, also has decent food but it ain't cheap.   

I first came to York in 2011 and was appalled at the food quality at the fair grounds and York in general, I ate at the Round the Clock Diner and choked on the food. Thank god our hotel Marriott had breakfast to survive on.Now I eat at The waterfront in Baltimore when we land on Tuesday.

Mikey

I've been to and thru York on motorcycle (BMW) trips and not found the food unusually poor. Of course I did not try the scraple...

After my first York food "culinary" experience back in 2010, I decided to bring my own food.  I pack some healthy snacks, bottled water, etc and keep it all in a cooler in the trunk of my car.  Going to the car to grab some eats is also a way to get myself outdoors for fresh air  ( not that I don't love being in the halls with all those trains ) 

I usually stop at a Starbucks for some good coffee ( at least IMHO ) before going to the fair grounds.  I order their largest coffee, drink some as I drive to the fairgrounds and leave what I don't drink in the  cup and sit it  on my dashboard ... the sun keeps it warm enough.  If I need a hit of caffeine later I just come to the car and get what I need.  No need for me to patronize poor food establishments at York.  LOL!! 

As for the bathroom attendants ... I'm OK with it.  

heaven help us!

And, let me add, the buildings are too far apart.

I eat a decent breakfast at the hotel, but once I get to the meet the last thing I am thinking about is food. As for bringing a cooler, every cubic inch of space is valuable in the SUV.  I usually get hungry after the meet closes and then I will try someplace new. I have had very good luck but I usually rely on the locals for inside tips. To me York is not about the food, it's about trains and friends.  If I need a good meal, there are plenty of good restaurants waiting for me back in St.Louis.  As for tipping the restroom attendants, these people work hard for those tips and if I can't afford that one dollar bill than I don't belong at York. By the way, sometimes I hand them a 10 spot just to see them smile and it always comes right back when I make the next big score.

I guess I'm easy to please. Last month I went to my first regional train meet in 15+ years or so. They had on site concessions. A little hot dog on a bun for 2 bucks plus a small a bag of chips and a Diet Coke. They had the condiments alongside and I had me a surprisingly tasty hot dog with sweet relish, mustard, ketchup and chopped white onions.

It would be a hard pill to swallow seeing some of the prices mentioned up above. I would be tempted to bring a good sized bottle of water and have a couple of my favorite protein bars in my shirt pocket and make do until after the show.

Andre

Anything else folks would like to complain about? We sure don't want to overlook anything when it comes to knocking York, do we? Little wonder things are changing. Geez!

Allan Miller posted:

Anything else folks would like to complain about? We sure don't want to overlook anything when it comes to knocking York, do we? Little wonder things are changing. Geez!

Allan I'm with you.  The food is fine.  After all it's a fairgrounds not polo grounds.  Tipping the attendants is fine.  Guys will spend $1000 on a locomotive can barely lift a dollar for the attendants.  If York is such a terrible experience maybe it's not for you.  Maybe while you are at it you could complain the parking lot has too much grass on it.

A bad York (if there is such a thing) is 1000 times better than a good day at work.

MartyE posted:

Allan Miller posted:

Anything else folks would like to complain about? We sure don't want to overlook anything when it comes to knocking York, do we? Little wonder things are changing. Geez!

Allan I'm with you.  The food is fine.  After all it's a fairgrounds not polo grounds.  Tipping the attendants is fine.  Guys will spend $1000 on a locomotive can barely lift a dollar for the attendants.  If York is such a terrible experience maybe it's not for you.  Maybe while you are at it you could complain the parking lot has too much grass on it.

A bad York (if there is such a thing) is 1000 times better than a good day at work.

That always cracks me up - there were always some in our group that refused to spend $10-$15 on a decent lunch or breakfast or whatever but within 10 minutes of the doors opening in the morning, spent well over a $1,000 on a steam locomotive in the Orange Hall!

FWIW, I always found the Crab Cakes to be great. Been having those every York for years and I'm still alive. We also don't eat at the local Olive Garden or related chain restaurant. 

Any fairground or event will have food good and bad. I go to york with a buddy and for years we have packed coolers. Fortunately I have a pick up truck and space is not a problem. We have a routine where the menu is sandwiches, beverage, pepperoni, cheese, crackers, pretzels, shrimp with hot sauce, and either cannolis or lately those snow cones which are cannoli cheese packed in a delicious cone. First stop is Dunkin’ Donuts before getting to the grounds. Arriving early gives time for coffee and muffins. I pack two folding chairs and use the tailgate as a table. Park  so all halls are within fair distance. When we hit the halls we then can stop in-between to snack and discuss what items are of interest. Been working great for years, and yes we tip the restroom attendants.

Anyone who buys a crab cake outside of Maryland is a idiot. My wife makes great ones, but she is a native of the Baltimore area.

Speaking of wives...I pity the ones married to some of you "dining elites". York food...waaaaaaaa!

CJ Meyers posted:

We haven't complained about tipping the restroom attendants in a while........

Anyone able to spend $$$$$$ on "toys" should not begrudge a person keeping a restroom clean a dollar.