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I regularly eat out at buffet style restaurants for around the same price as the one at LS and usually have an absolute good quality meal (starter, main and dessert).
I recently (Oct 2010) had the buffet meal at LS and I wouldn't say the food was terrible but just not up to the same standard as I have become used to for the same price when eating out.
The fact that the restaurant is out in the bush and that there's no serious competition might allow them to prepare a buffet that is "acceptable" rather than being of a high competitive standard that one should find at restaurants in urban areas, however I would eat there again if I had to.

Hi all, I have just come back from the park and had the most wonderful trip, everything besides the cafe's and restaurant that I ate at.
I found it very frustrating to eat from them for a number of reasons firstly the staff were very slow and generally not interested, secondly the cleanliness seemed below standard and then on a stop at lower Sabie it took 40 mins to get a toasted chicken mayo.
From what I saw people around me seemed to be having the same issues.
I enjoyed every other aspect about the park and love the curio/ food shops but in terms of restaurants it was not good at all for me.
I was wondering if this has only happened to me and they just had an off weekend or if other park users have felt the same frustrations in the past.

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It's such a shame especially at lower sabie with that great deck overlooking the sabie river, it must be the most beautiful restaurant locations in South Africa.

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Ate breakfast, lunch and dinners at various places last August - mainly Letaba, Shingwedzi, Mopani. Satara. Only one unsatisfactory meal which was at Mopani at lunch.
All the rest over 10 days were very good, tasty and well presented.
Staff were with that one exception very efficient and friendly.
I thought the meals reasonably priced (We are used to Australian prices!).

My sister and I had dinner at Lower Sabie restaurant for 3 nights in December 2010.
We didn't have high expectations because of what I've read on this forum but... we never waited more than 15 minutes for our meals (I've had much, much longer waits at good restaurants in Pretoria!).
The food was good, although not 'haute cuisine'.

We did not have the buffet.
Selected things like burgers or tramezzini with salad from the "kiosk?"-area.
The salad was basic (tomato, cucumber, some green leaves and onion) but freshly made every time.
The chicken and cheese tramezzini is excellent, and the burgers good (with a more "home-made" flair rather than "McD's" ).
I wouldn't recommend the "pasta with napolitana sauce" though - it's more like pasta with bland tomato and onion "braai-sauce".
I prefer my "braai-sauce" with pap and boerewors - and a bit more spicy!

The staff certainly are not overly energetic, but jeez, this is the Kruger!
And it was hot and humid.
Who wants to rush through anything?
And as I said, we never waited more than 15 minutes for our meals.
Maybe this is because we ate early - just after gates closing time (so as to still be able to enjoy the river view).
And that early the Barn owls that roosts in the restaurant's roof is active but have not yet left for their hunting excursions, so we also had some good views of them .

I would have liked a larger selection of dishes, but I assume they offer what sells - which would be burgers, toasted sandwiches and tramezzini's. And lasagne.

I think some "food snobs" may be moaning just a little bit too easily.

Why the price hike for the buffet from R109.90 to R169.90?
I guess being out in the bush means losing track of normal inflation.
And then we still had frozen vegetables and the cheapest meat (chicken and pork).

I wanted to take my so and friends to Selati tonight.
Was really looking forward to a steak.
First one at Selati in months.
Until i saw the prices!
For 4 people, one drink each, starter and mains roughly R1000.
Am i going crazy?
Or maybe i missed something.
We as staff have got nothing to enjoy in the park.
Sad hey?
Can compass explain. 2 cokes, 3 double Brandy's and a rump. R 190.
I decided to braai

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I dont think these excessive prices are only to be found in Kruger, we recently spent the day at Cape Point with some mates and 2 regular bottles water (500ml) and a coke cost R40.

I understand that it costs alot to get the goods brought in but we are being ripped off. Next time we will be taking our own.

Sorry mods, i know we are not supposed to discuss here but i am going to.
The catering company in Kruger is part of one of the biggest catering firms in the world.
They can surely get bulk discount.
The thing that's killing us in the park is their excessive rebates (commission to their head office ) and high rent payable to the land lord.
That's based on turn over.
Now work out the following.
A steak gets bought at the butcher for x amount.
He adds a rebate on that.
Up to 30 %.
He delivers.
You and I pay 5 times that original price.
Sad hey? You poor tourists

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Wacktazz - I agree!
This past week I was in Kruger (Lower Sabie and Satara)

Dinner - R169.95 p/p
Breakfast - R140.00 p/p (Buffet)

Daylight robbery is all I can say. The resturants were empty - I say boycot the eateries!!

The food was poor especially Lower Sabie.

wacktazz,

Maybe its not so expensive.
In most restaurant you will pay around R100 for a steak, starters around R40 and drink from R18 a beer or even a coke.
I am not talking about 5 star hotel restaurant but places like Dros and Spur.

As long as the food is good and the service fast one can not complain too much, but I must say R250 a head sound about 30 % too much.

Please do not get me wrong.
Every business has to make profit.
I was in the food and beverage industry for most part of my working life.
An average restaurant has to work on a gross profit of 64% or they do not make money.
Spurs run on that.
In the park that can be slightly higher.
But then i ask myself- they have a prime spot in the worlds most sought after destination and had to retrench people a few times the past couple of months.
Why?
Forgetting maybe that south Africans are also people who wants to spend money in restaurants but cannot afford it?
I have no problem paying.
But i have a problem when its not worth the money.
Go to a Spur or Dros and you pay R100 for a plate of food and it was more than enough.
Go to our restaurants in KNP and you leave feeling it was not worthwhile.
Never mind the service.
By the way R 90 for a 400g rib or R 110 for a baby chicken is too much.
I am now finished to discuss this and have decided that compass will never see me again

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I am in the lucky position to own my own business in the catering industry.
Do you know that a normal hamburger with a pure beef mince patty bought at the local butchery only cost me R4.87 to produce.
This includes all cost.
Overheads and other expenses included.
Now see what does a Hamburger cost you in Lower Sabie and the quality was very poor.
Think again, you are ripping us off.

As already mentioned it is not just the cost but the quality.
I gladly paid 700 Rand for a meal for 2 in the Cape as it was the best meal I have ever eaten yet I really begrudged the 150 Rand or so we paid for burgers at Satara as it tasted of nothing, looked like nothing and I wouldn't have served it to my dog.
We self catered for the rest of our stay.
One of the reasons we love to visit SA is because of the fantastic variety and quality of meals but unfortunately in this case the standard of food definitely reflects very poorly on the park.

Norms I agree 100%, since the "new" catering company took over everything went backwards -
I will rather "braai" then to eat in KNP restaurants - total rip off.

The food tastes of nothing, not to talk of the poor service - must say the best pie and chips we had was at Olifants - 4 weeks ago - maybe the 2 bottles of wine had something to do with it.

Nothing beats a lekker braai - nice decorated table, candle light, night sounds, nice bottle of red wine and the company of my lovely wife - her "bush" salad beats KNP salads any day - cost "priceless".