First Class passengers on TransPennine Express (TPE) trains between Liverpool and Newcastle have eaten more than 14,000 sausage rolls and 11,000 cheeseburgers over the past year.
Passengers have also consumed more than 10,560 litres of beer. That came in the form of more than 32,000 330ml cans of Northern Monk TransPennine Pale, which is brewed exclusively for the train operator.
TPE’s Coast to Coast menu brings locally sourced dishes to passengers using ingredients from suppliers along the route. Current dishes include a Rocket Scouse, Liverpool’s iconic dish consisting of a slow-cooked beef and root vegetable pie.
The popular hog roast sausage roll is handmade in Malton by The Original Baker.
During the festive period, more than 1,200 Original Baker Festive Rolls were eaten alongside around 5,100 mince pies.
TPE passengers can also opt for a Tex-Mex burger, complete with melted cheese, salsa, jalapeños, pickles and tortilla chips.
Andrew McClements, Customer Experience and Transformation Director at TransPennine Express, said: “We’re so proud that our Coast to Coast menu has proved so popular with passengers. With 95.5% of customers saying they would travel First Class again with TPE, we know we’ve been able to create an experience that stands out.”
The success of the menu has meant the creation of 25 new customer host jobs to serve First Class passengers.
“As part of our expansion of our catering services, we have been able to hire dozens of people, contributing to the economy of the region. The Coast to Coast First Class menu was introduced following the success of West Coast Kitchen, which operates on TPE services between the North West and Scotland,” explained McClements.
