London North Eastern Railway (LNER) is facing backlash from disgruntled passengers after a customer shared a photo and complaint about a £4.60 bacon roll served onboard—featuring no butter or margarine, a single small rasher, and a stale, hard roll.

The image, widely circulated on social media, has prompted a flurry of criticism, with many calling it a “poor show” and questioning the value for money on the operator’s food menu.

Disappointed Diner Goes Viral

The original post, simply captioned “LNER Bacon Roll £4.60 – No butter or margarine. One small piece of bacon. Stale, hard roll. Poor show, LNER!”, quickly gained traction on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), where users echoed frustrations over high prices and low standards.

“That’s not a bacon roll, that’s a bacon suggestion,” one user quipped.
Another added: “You’d expect better from a service that’s supposed to offer premium intercity travel.”

Passenger Expectations Not Met

Many rail users say the incident reflects a broader decline in onboard catering quality across UK train services, particularly given rising ticket prices and expectations for better customer experience.

One commuter told UKNIP:

“For nearly five pounds, you’d expect at least a couple of rashers and a fresh roll. The bare minimum, really.”

LNER Responds

In a brief response, an LNER spokesperson acknowledged the complaint:

“We are sorry to hear this customer was disappointed with their bacon roll. We will be reviewing the matter with our catering team to ensure our food offering continues to meet the expectations of our passengers.”

The company has not confirmed whether changes will be made to the recipe or pricing.

Food Quality on UK Rail Under Scrutiny

The incident has reignited debate over food quality and affordability on public transport,