Food Until the 25th November (which is the day this is being written), I don't think I've ever been inside an Upper Crust. Mostly a fixture at larger railway stations, there's always been a more familiar brand available so I've tended to go there for a train snack. Plus it has a reputation for being quite expensive, so the idea of paying a lot of money for what looks like through the window from the concourse outside a very basic baguette with some filling, it just seemed easier to go to Boots or where ever instead.
Opened in 1986 by Travellers Fair, the catering division of Travellers Fare, Upper Crust now has around a hundred outlets across the world in stations, airports and universities. It's currently owned by SSP Group, who're also the brand managers for the likes of Caffè Ritazza, Starbucks, Burger King, YO! Sushi, Millies Cookies and Whistlestop within travel locations. If I've discovered nothing else on this culinary journey, it's that there's a complex web of companies and business agreements hidden behind a number of facades.
How was my first Upper Crust baguette? Very nice indeed thank you. Lovely soft bread which made it easy to bite into which isn't always the case with baguettes. But what made it sing was the combination of this cranberry sauce with the brie, the former with its very juicy, sweet flavour complementing the creaminess of the latter. This must be what Booths were attempting when they included brie on their turkey sandwich but where that was a bit plastic and the sauce was non-existent, I didn't want to finish eating this. Well done Upper Crust, well done.
You get what you pay for, I suppose. The price was £5.29 which is by far the most expensive sandwich I've had so far but as we discussed in the entry about Cafe Express at Chester station, the economies of scale in running shops which exist completely in travel venues must work somewhat differently to the high street. Not to mention the pandemic hasn't been kind to the chain, which has had to restructure due to enforced closure for many months with many staff losing their jobs. Nevertheless if I wanted to treat myself and was feeling a bit flush, I'd certainly consider a return.
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