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Original poster

To expect coffee?!?!

463 replies

ReplacementBusService · 13/04/2025 07:36

I've never posted a thread before. Please be kind to me as this is extremely serious and I might cry. Well, moderately serious

A couple of us have come to stay with friends who have recently moved away. I woke up early, as is normal for me. We've been told to help ourselves to breakfast etc if we want.

They do not have any coffee in their house. None. Zero. Nothing 😱

These are old friends of mine and wonderful people, and they used to drink the odd coffee but more tea drinkers really - but I was expecting some sort of coffee available. They're probably gonna have a lot of "down from London" visitors to stay now they've moved.

I have spent half an hour googling where I can get coffee on a Sunday morning round here. The options are limited or not early morning enough. I am beside myself. Or I would be if I had enough caffeine in my system to get a head of steam on.

YABU: bring your own coffee next time. These guys are now living a simple coffee free life in the country, get away with your high and mighty big city ways and bring your own

YANBU: it's normal to expect a bit of coffee in a house in this day and age. You'll be doing your hosts a favour if you mention this, or they're going to face hordes of desperate visitors with a dreadful level of unmet need in this new, country living phase of their lives, and the local community will be ravaged by coffee starved londoners desperately roaming the streets early doors like a host of annoying affluent zombies in nice trainers

OP posts:
FeedTheRoses · 13/04/2025 08:22

We often don’t have sugar, that’s sometimes awkward for visitors. I only ever buy it, if I’m thinking of making a cake

Anonymouseposter · 13/04/2025 08:22

I never drink tea but I do have some tea bags. I also have some of those horrible herbal teas for visitors. I have been in OP’s distressing situation it’s particularly unpleasant if staying in a rural location with no shops. No option but to drink tea and carry sachets in future!

SharpenerHarpenden · 13/04/2025 08:21

Whaleandsnail6 · 13/04/2025 08:17

I can imagine your pain op...I have always presumed people have coffee in (like I presume people to have salt, sugar, vinegar, tea in...) and I struggle without a cup of black coffee in a morning, pretty much the first thing I do when I'm up is make a cup.

I'm taking advice from this thread and buying some little sachets of coffee to keep on me at all times in case I'm ever in this situation.

Vinegar seems odd in this list. I have lots of vinegars for cooking but not malt vinegar.

bumblingbovine49 · 13/04/2025 08:20

Bjorkdidit · 13/04/2025 07:55

Sounds like the best solution. You can't expect people who don't drink coffee to keep it in because even if they did, it would be the wrong kind or constantly be going out of date.

After all, they might be the kind of person who couldn't possibly drink instant coffee or insisted on freshly ground beans for every cup.

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To be fair most coffee drinkers will drink instant if it is all there is, unless they are not really addicted in which case there is no good reason to inwardly groan about the lack of coffee.

For most of us coffee drinkers , it is that morning cup ( or 3) that is so essential to our day so having no coffee available in the morning, not even instant, is a particular ( admittedly very first world ) problem

Alwaystired2023 · 13/04/2025 08:20

Agree with PP who suggested waking your 'hosts' (can't really call themselves that in the circumstances ) crawl into bed with them crying until they hear you saying coffee between sobs, then just lay there until they bring you some. Proper coffee mind

SoSoLong · 13/04/2025 08:20

Horrible situation to be in. The moment supermarkets open, go and buy a coffee press as a present for your hosts (and some decent cofee, obviously).

Kbroughton · 13/04/2025 08:20

If you're addicted to coffee that much that it may make you cry of you dont have any, always take it with you. I am. My best friend doesn't drink coffee and I always take it with me. One time she was really proud that she had bought some and it was decaff! I shoved two teaspoons of mine in when she wasn't looking. I'm also a coffee snob so take my own brand with me! It's a genuine addiction and not good for me but not everyone is the same and you can't just expect them to be.

alwaysdeleteyourcookies · 13/04/2025 08:20

If this thread is lighthearted, fine whatever. But if you can't go without something for a few hours, there's a problem IMO. And if you know that you can't do without coffee, you should bring some yourself.

erinaceus · 13/04/2025 08:19

I am presuming you have scoured Deliveroo, Uber Eats and similar for a coffee delivered to you?

murraymcgill · 13/04/2025 08:19

Knowing friends were coming to stay I'd have coffee in for them simple

CurlewKate · 13/04/2025 08:19

I have woken up in my own home to no coffee! I thought I had a packet in the cupboard….My routine is early morning tea and Wordle and Connections-then coffee.😥😥😥The nearest place is Morrisons which is 8 miles away and doesn’t open til 10…

Whaleandsnail6 · 13/04/2025 08:17

I can imagine your pain op...I have always presumed people have coffee in (like I presume people to have salt, sugar, vinegar, tea in...) and I struggle without a cup of black coffee in a morning, pretty much the first thing I do when I'm up is make a cup.

I'm taking advice from this thread and buying some little sachets of coffee to keep on me at all times in case I'm ever in this situation.

Flutterbyby · 13/04/2025 08:16

PeopleTalkingWithoutSpeaking · 13/04/2025 08:03

I'd be the same without a morning cuppa op, my sympathies. I'd definitely let the friends know in as light-hearted a way as I could muster!

As an aside, we are not a coffee house. (I like the smell, it's the kind of thing I'd usually like, but I've never got on with it.) I've had various different jars of instant in, usually along the lines of the preferences of visiting parents, but I get the impression this is "wrong" with the occasional visiting friend or surprise visitor. I do have a cafetiere and have bought fresh occasionally when organised but it's either been turned down as "don't go to the trouble" or it doesn't stay fresh for weeks and months until the next guest. Is there actually an answer here? I obviously don't speak coffee, so can someone translate and tell me what to actual brand and type to keep in my house to offer occasional guests which won't scandalise anyone!?

Keep it in the freezer and it stays fresh.

user272181030 · 13/04/2025 08:16

alwaysdeleteyourcookies · 13/04/2025 08:12

It's not on other people to facilitate an addiction. The OP seems extreme and should bring her own coffee in this case.

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Facilitate an addiction? its polite/basic manners to provide tea/coffee for your guests. The OP isnt asking for a line of coke or a gram of smack

Santasbigredbobblehat · 13/04/2025 08:16

It’s one of life’s little pleasures isn’t it, I take my own tea bags everywhere and I also take a mini hand whisk, coffee sachets and packet of chocolate powder so I can make a cappuccino in the morning.
(Incase of dire emergencies when there are no cafes).
It is actually unusual to not have coffee to offer people I think, I keep stuff in just for guests.

Hope you get your coffee soon.

ScarlettSunset · 13/04/2025 08:15

alwaysdeleteyourcookies · 13/04/2025 08:12

It's not on other people to facilitate an addiction. The OP seems extreme and should bring her own coffee in this case.

Show quote history

I never suggested it was. I was replying to the post that people should be able to go without it for a day.

BountifulPantry · 13/04/2025 08:15

Go to a service station and get a pot of Nescafé!

TwistedWonder · 13/04/2025 08:15

I haven’t say I never have tea in the house because I’ve never had a cup in my life and also I dint have any friends who stay who only drink tea, not coffee.

Last time I bought a box of 40 teabags just in case, 1 was used before they went out of date.

I have a Tassimo and I’ve not had anyone stay who hadn’t more than happy with a latte

springintoaction321 · 13/04/2025 08:14

@alwaysdeleteyourcookies

😂😂😂

Have you ever heard the phrase - 'light hearted'? You might want to try it some time.

Anonymouseposter · 13/04/2025 08:13

DeskJotter · 13/04/2025 07:42

There will be local grocery stores open from 7. Just buy some? In fact, every convenience store will have a coffee machine, too.

You clearly don’t live near me!

TinySaltLick · 13/04/2025 08:13

It's impossible to come back from this, it's an irrecoverable diplomatic incident - all you can do is block them and leave

What savages, better to leave them a speck in the distance, the uncultured, tasteless swines

Needtosoundoffandbreathe · 13/04/2025 08:13

Doggymummar · 13/04/2025 07:41

I always travel with those Nescafé three in one sticks in my handbag, I know how you feel tho. Sneak out and get some.

That ain't coffee.

I know how you feel OP. When we stay at my sibling's I sometimes go for a walk just to get a decent coffee from a coffee shop.

I take a small cafetiere on holiday so we can make coffee if there's no coffee machine.

Enthusiasticcarrotgrower · 13/04/2025 08:13

We are a bit unreliable when it comes to coffee in our house.

SaladSandwichesForTea · 13/04/2025 08:13

I carry coffee bags for just this sort of emergency 🤣