The Grain Loft — Restaurant in Manchester

We visited the Grain Loft as we wanted some toast and jam ahead of our flight. The menu at the entrance showed toast and jam as did the, very dirty, printed menu on the table. When I tried to place my order using the app (a terrible system that I can’t believe anyone prefers to an interaction with a human) there was no sign of jam, either as an extra or as part of a toast and jam combo. I asked a passing member of staff who told me jam was in the extras before wandering off. It wasn’t so I asked the staff member at the entrance. They told me that toast with jam was no longer available but couldn’t explain why it was still shown on the menu. Being very hungry I decided to stay and force my toast down without jam. When a staff member who appeared to be a supervisor cleared our plates I asked about the lack of jam. He explained that the supplier hadn’t delivered any ramekins so they had to keep the ones they had for customers buying croissants. This so unbelievable that it’s almost funny. I appreciate that suppliers can let you down but there are many alternative ways to serve jam including, putting a blob on the side of the plate. Our orange juice consisted of an 8oz glass filled with ice, but no slice of orange, which of course leaves very little space for the cheap-tasting juice. At £2.70, incredibly poor value for money. Needless to say I very much doubt we’ll be returning on our next early morning trip through the...

Disgraceful service. Discussing food. Average beer.

The barman refused to take a food order at the bar, despite their online booking service not working at that point; like many at an airport, I was pushed for time, whilst he had no other customers at the bar.

Eventually, and in the nick of time, the tech work, and I ordered a pint of beer and sausage and mash…

The pint came; I barely saw the person who brought it, as the just plonked it at my elbow. When the food came, my first thought was that it was a kid’s portion. But no, that was my meal… small, over cooked sausages, dried out peas, that were greying and hard, and mashed potatoes that tasted of very little.

After a few mouthfuls, I gave in; there being no waiting staff in sight, I took it to the bar. I pointed out my disgust at the food to the same obstinate barman. His response: “take it to the kitchen”. No apologies. No attempt to find a waiter. So I told him to get his manager, which he did.

I first told Tim, the manager, my misgivings with the food. Then I told him his barman’s response… said barman came straight in, calling me “pal” and arguing that he doesn’t serve food.

What a pathetic young man he is! He clearly has no sense of responsibility, to his customers or his employers, and no understanding of customer service… he continued to argue his point, despite my pointing out that he could simply have asked a food serving...

Very disappointed with our recent visit to The Grain Loft in Manchester Airport T1. My husband has allergies to egg and dairy, and we specifically chose this venue expecting staff to be knowledgeable and confident in handling allergens—especially as it’s run by SSP, a major operator in travel catering. Unfortunately, the experience was stressful and poorly handled.

When I asked about allergens for something as simple as toast, I was shuffled between staff who clearly didn’t understand the basics. One staff member claimed a vegan bun might contain egg or milk, and repeatedly brought up gluten—despite me clearly stating gluten was not the issue. The so-called manager was equally dismissive and uneducated about allergens, showing no understanding that someone allergic to egg and dairy can still eat gluten. Absolutely unacceptable in 2024.

In the end, I had to buy a vegan sausage bap with bacon just to get something safe—because they couldn’t serve the vegan bap on its own. On top of this:

Burnt toast No decaf coffee No glasses served with tonic No option to order tap water on the app

All for £48.49, which included a breakfast that didn’t meet our needs.

Airport meals come at a premium, but there should at least be a basic level of service, care, and allergen knowledge. This was a stressful and disappointing start to our holiday, and we won’t...