Page 5 | Drinkers in Spoons

TheDaringOliveNewt · 2026-02-14T09:40:46+00:00

I'm away and at spoons having breakfast. Every single table apart from mine has pints going, at 8.30. Aibu thinking it's weird?

Cherrytree86 · 15/02/2026 21:15

BauhausOfEliott · 14/02/2026 09:50

Not everyone is the same.

HTH.

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@TheDaringOliveNewt

shocking for most mumsnetters but some people actually like going outside and being around other people

Astra53 · 15/02/2026 21:14

I live near a large airport. The local Spoons is aways rammed when people come off their night shifts. They just live their lives round the other way to the traditional 9 to 5.

BiscoffCheesecakes · 15/02/2026 21:02

handsdownthebest · 15/02/2026 20:03

There’s your Spoons clientele just there
YABU joining them

I find that quite insulting and a very lazy, inaccurate generalisation. My OH & I often go to our local Spoons for a drink on a Saturday and I've never seen anything wrong with the clientele in there. In fact a couple we know are real wine snobs but love a drink in Spoons as it sells their favourite wine!

Catherinetheonethatlived · 15/02/2026 20:52

Our nearest spoons is full of bloody students (university town). But the food is good and order on app and unlimited coffee.
Also it isn’t icky and the toilets are the best I have ever been too!
Our village alcoholic is sitting in the bus stop with his can! He can’t steal from spoons, so just steals from the local shops. As is only!! £5 or so the police aren’t interested. He does buy until his money runs out!

samarrange · 15/02/2026 20:26

My Dad (born 1918) used to tell me stories of having a crafty 6am pint after a night shift at Smithfield market in Birmingham in the 1940s. ¯\(ツ)/¯

NotMeAtAll · 15/02/2026 20:23

TheDaringOliveNewt · 14/02/2026 09:44

Why would you go to a pub by yourself at 8am. Alcohol is expensive and the effort of going outside lol

Because you fancy a drink.

BudgetBuster · 15/02/2026 20:22

Itsmetheflamingo · 15/02/2026 19:34

I also don’t understand why Gloriias night shift work mates are so exhausted by a days work they go home and immediately take to bed. We don’t do that at 6pm after a day shift do we?!

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Gloriias friends are exhausted after listening to Gloriia preach for the entire shift

HelenaWilson · 15/02/2026 20:20

Which is fine if you're ok with sausages containing 5% meat, served by students just happy to top up their uni spends.

Why shouldn't I be ok with being served by students working their way through university? Most restaurants in summer are staffed by 18 yo school leavers or students, and they are very good at it.

I was most impressed with how hardworking the young staff at a seaside Spoons were one summer a few years ago. And how strong they must have been - very petite very young women toting trays loaded with pints.

It seemed a nice sociable place to work too - there'd be groups of them taking their breaks together out on the decking overlooking the beach.

DenizenOfAisleOfShame · 15/02/2026 20:13

Hereagain2 · 15/02/2026 20:09

How is it different from champagne in an airport lounge at 6am ?

Champagne? Pffft. In airport lounges at 6am it’s pour your own massive G&Ts, several times, and be careful on the escalators when you leave for the gate.

But that’s OK, because it’s not Wetherspoons.

Hereagain2 · 15/02/2026 20:09

How is it different from champagne in an airport lounge at 6am ?

XenoBitch · 15/02/2026 20:09

YABU
Have you been living under a rock?

BiscoffCheesecakes · 15/02/2026 20:03

Whatafustercluck · 15/02/2026 19:47

I think it's fairly well known that to keep prices that low and still make a decent margin it's the food quality (and staff pay and conditions) that is sacrificed. Which is fine if you're ok with sausages containing 5% meat, served by students just happy to top up their uni spends. But let's not pretend Spoons is anything other than low cost, low quality.

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I'm not sure where you're getting that 5% from but it's highly inaccurate. The sausages are supplied by Loughnanes & are a minimum of 57% pork

handsdownthebest · 15/02/2026 20:03

There’s your Spoons clientele just there
YABU joining them

DenizenOfAisleOfShame · 15/02/2026 20:00

99pwithaflake · 15/02/2026 19:54

Well, quite.

I don't know where some posters live, but in many towns, there is no choice!

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Oh, the bijou café run by Antoine and Francesca is just the best! I always have smashed avocado and free range egg on wholemeal toast - a snip at £15!

HaveANiceFuckingDay · 15/02/2026 19:58

Sometimes on an 7am shift to 7pm shift is one man's work ?
No different to 7pm to 7am shift of which its his " evening " and wants to go to the pub. Eat , an "evening meal " and go to bed ... no ?
I fucking hate MN sometimes and being so judgemental

BiscoffCheesecakes · 15/02/2026 19:58

pouletvous · 15/02/2026 19:19

Who eats breakfast at Spoons! Is that all you could find

I do, and I'm very fussy about where I eat breakfast. Why would you think the quality isn't as good as other places just because it's cheaper than some?

Buttercup1954 · 15/02/2026 19:58

Nightshift workers possibly?

99pwithaflake · 15/02/2026 19:54

DenizenOfAisleOfShame · 15/02/2026 19:53

Yeah, like there are super, good, ethical places to eat breakfast everywhere. 🙄

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Well, quite.

I don't know where some posters live, but in many towns, there is no choice!

HaveANiceFuckingDay · 15/02/2026 19:53

Clefable · 14/02/2026 10:11

Classic Wetherspoons. They often have a line of (almost exclusively) men of a certain age queued up before opening time.

Well that's a lie.. I worked there for 6 years and apart from airports they actually dont have a licence before 9am. So... the queue , of which ive never seen in the 6 years will not be of an alcohol policy.

DenizenOfAisleOfShame · 15/02/2026 19:53

99pwithaflake · 15/02/2026 19:50

Not everyone can afford high cost, high quality.

But also, one of the reasons Spoons is cheap is because there are hundreds of them and they have buying power. The same reason Tesco can sell things for half the price of your local independent corner shop.

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Yeah, like there are super, good, ethical places to eat breakfast everywhere. 🙄

99pwithaflake · 15/02/2026 19:50

Whatafustercluck · 15/02/2026 19:47

I think it's fairly well known that to keep prices that low and still make a decent margin it's the food quality (and staff pay and conditions) that is sacrificed. Which is fine if you're ok with sausages containing 5% meat, served by students just happy to top up their uni spends. But let's not pretend Spoons is anything other than low cost, low quality.

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Not everyone can afford high cost, high quality.

But also, one of the reasons Spoons is cheap is because there are hundreds of them and they have buying power. The same reason Tesco can sell things for half the price of your local independent corner shop.

Whatafustercluck · 15/02/2026 19:47

99pwithaflake · 15/02/2026 19:40

Have you ever been and tried it?

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I think it's fairly well known that to keep prices that low and still make a decent margin it's the food quality (and staff pay and conditions) that is sacrificed. Which is fine if you're ok with sausages containing 5% meat, served by students just happy to top up their uni spends. But let's not pretend Spoons is anything other than low cost, low quality.

Jaxinabox · 15/02/2026 19:44

imakomododragon · 15/02/2026 18:43

My healthcare colleagues who work 12 hour nights often go for a drink on the way home from work around 8.30am.

Don’t tell @Gloriia 😂

Itsmetheflamingo · 15/02/2026 19:43

Gloriia · 15/02/2026 19:37

You've obviously never worked nights. We don't do that at 6pm though, correct.

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my sister works nights in a&e. I often meet her for breakfast, sometimes she goes to the gym after work, or food shopping. She doesn’t run to bed, no.

99pwithaflake · 15/02/2026 19:40

pouletvous · 15/02/2026 19:24

nowhere because the quality of produce is gruesome

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Have you ever been and tried it?