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What are your canteens like?

I think I may have mentioned before my oft-tested theory that you can judge a hospital by its canteen (restaurant, whatever). Especially, I would say, an NHS hospital. I have visited a fair number in my time, and could probably give a pretty accurate "marks out of ten" for a good sized list straight off the top of my head.

After all (compared with "outside") the price is always right. But (to be honest) it may depend rather on the type of grub that (I think the idiom may be) "floats your boat". If, like me, you can handle "hospital stodge", then only the one truly awful mess (in both senses of the word) comes to mind from recent times. "No names, no pack-drill" but it was in the basement of a large NHS hospital on the A4020 within the dreaded M25 circle!

They privatized ours so now you get less for more. The quality is OK but I miss the Thursday roast and in summer they had bbqs on the balcony. I prefer to go to the cafe round the corner now.

Wednesdays was always "roast day" at Taunton ... and people used to come in from town just for that! First class (and big helpings if you were able to charm - I guess I really mean "flatter" - the chef)!

As I have no doubt mentioned before, the best hospital grub, day in, day out, I have ever encountered was at the King Khalid National Guard Hospital out in Jeddah (yes, where Eddie is now) when it first opened back in the early '80's. But then, the contractor was Grand Met!

And the worst? See my earlier moan.

Which is better NHS canteens or PFI canteens?

You know me, Tony ... I generally prefer the more traditional way of doing things.

For instance, I try to avoid buying my sustenance from machines ... and frankly, have probably never used a "vend-o-mat" (or whatever they are called) in my life, and even baulk at so-called "hot beverage" machines. Why can't these places just employ staff! Gawd knows there are enough folk around who need to be working (that is, whether they want to or not)!

Sorry to come in late, sorrier still to go marginally off topic and also to repeat something I vaguely recall being mentioned elsewhere in here but.....

Best breakfast and hangover cure combined was the fried eggs in pitta from KHMC, Jordan, way back in the late eighties. Still do them for myself occasionally just for old times sake. Sad. Life was so simple then..... even though it seemed madly complicated at the time. Hey-ho. Happy days.

I seem to recall glasses of warm milk and small bits of cold toast with blackcurrant jam as well (or am I getting confused with another of my Previous Lives).

Meanwhile ... life can still be simple if you so choose - just ask anyone who knows me.

I remember way back in the 70s being able to get a good fry up in the wee small hours after crawling out of theatre following a difficult case.
I also seem to remember superb salmon salads in the summer time!!

Our canteen quite good, a full meal for about 2 quid, and if you are called out the meal is free!