Can we talk about Costa?

[Twitteratti]

I just don't understand why it appears to be so successful. Is it because in too many places there just aren't enough decent alternatives?

Someone on Coco Cola's board obviously thinks it serves decent coffee

My choices within walking distance are a Costa, a Morrisons Cafe or most recently a Starbucks. None of them serve good coffee, but I’ve been in all of them frequently whilst on maternity leave. Pram access/ high chair makes a difference, and the chains do tend to have more space.

You can pay a bit more to have less crap coffee, and I just drink something with steamed milk to mask the bitter aftertaste of inferior coffee :)

I like Costa. Their Coffee is fine. Cakes are nice and their breakfast things are good too. The staff in mine are absolutely lovely and always have a chat.

How does the visitor/traveller know it is very good?

See post above - Google maps, or Google (there is an Edinburgh coffee website/blog guide and app) plus the fact that it's popular with locals, or ask someone local. In any case it would only have to be quite good to already be better than Starbucks. And in a city like Edinburgh there is so much competition that an indie place that was no good would not last long...

I accept the facts (that it seems to be popular), but I just don't understand, if you see what I mean

You dont understand that people like different things so wont necessarily share your opinion that the coffee is rotten?

You dont understand that people like different things so wont necessarily share your opinion that the coffee is rotten? Well, obviously not with all things...it's just that I think Costa's coffee is sooooooo yuk that I struggle to believe that so many could like it.

Maybe I should've asked: if Costa only existed in London/Edinburgh, would it be so successful? (I mean because there are so many great independents around as an alternative)

I’ve never liked coffee, but Costa decaf lattes hit the spot for me, like a previous poster.

I am annoyed thought that they have changed their default milk choice from full fat milk to semi-skimmed. My local Costa now often doesn’t even have full fat in stock as they reckon there isn’t enough demand. Same as they don’t stock the chocolate twists due to no demand (bunch of weirdos where I live obviously). If I’m having a milky treat, I want to taste the milk and enjoy the foaminess. To quote Prue, it’s got to be worth the calories!

I like Costa. I don't drink coffee but love their hot chocolate and their cakes are lovely too. I like that you get the same wherever you go and that they have a loyalty card.

I am not fond of Costa. I really prefer Cafe Nero.

Maybe I should've asked: if Costa only existed in London/Edinburgh, would it be so successful? (I mean because there are so many great independents around as an alternative)

Some people are risk-averse and don't like gambling with their coffee. I don't go to independent chains (despite living in London) because I always have the sugar-free version of flavoured syrup, and I've never known an independent to carry it. Sort of like McDonalds - it's reassuringly the same.

I don't particularly like Costa, it is convenience as others have said.

Was disturbed to see this though.

healingroomsatcostacoffee.co.uk

I don't mind meetup groups, and I don't mind religion, but I find the idea of faith healing irresponsible and couldn't believe the massive sign they had in the entrance. It turned me off more than the coffee ever could.

They do a much better cup of tea than Starbucks, the tea at Starbucks makes me fee queasy. My local costa is very family friendly and the toast is nice.

I hate coffee and don't even like the smell of it so it's rare we go in coffee shops but when we do it would be costa over starbucks.

There's some weird inverse snobbery here. Costa business plan played out brilliantly because it isn't shit.

Also I think the Costa/Starbucks model have pushed the high street forward nicely and trimmed Away dull tea rooms nicely

My friends son has a dairy, soy and coconut allergy, Costa cater for him much better than any local indie cafes so it's our place of choice for a meet up.

I actually prefer starbucks but I think all these chains succeed due to the consistency effect.

I travel a lot, I know what a Costa Cortado will look like and taste like in any of their many outlets. My morning coffee is important to me, without it I cannot function. This morning I had breakfast at an independent cafe and also had a coffee, it was shit I asked for a macchiato and they initially brought out a cappucino and then a cup of half coffee half cream so it was cold, then they finally gave me a double expresso and let me pour the cream in myself. Which is not a macchiato even though that's what it was supposed to be.

I'm sticking with Costa in future

I can't bear them. We have about 13 in our local town, and they are all equally filthy inside. DD wanted a fruit cooler from there a few weeks ago, and standing in the queue, we both expressed utter horror at the state of the floor, tables and kitchen area. It was a Saturday, yes it was busy but there is no excuse for filth when you are selling food and drinks. We walked out without buying anything.

Utterly vile. Thankfully we have a few independents that offer far better service and cleanliness.

I live in the middle of nowhere, however in villages and towns there are loads of independents near and fantastic etc. But Costas are everywhere, they're like a blight on the landscape and their coffee is rank. They're service station prices are horrendous. Mc Donalds in the same locations are half price and much nicer.

I walk past several indies to a Costa because:

1. I know I’ll get a table
2. I know I’ll get change from a fiver
3. You can get a mini cake for less than 200 cals
4. I have an addiction to their toasties
5. They have decent kid drink options
6. I prefer a milder roast

I quite like their charity for the coffee growing communities, and they pay more tax than Starbucks etc, but I usually only go in when I have a free Wuntu voucher, as who can resist a free Friday coffee?

Lovely staff and we dont have many indi coffee shops here in rural area.

I think the success is down to the consistency of the product wherever you go and the prices are not too bad either. I like the toast at the airport when I have early flights and the sausage baps are good too.

DarlingNikita I’ve personally never shared a table at any of the chains. My only issue is that I don’t really feel comfortable eating/drinking in front of strangers and when I used to live in this particular town, I’d have either family or DP visiting and I wanted to sit and talk to them - without forcing others to endure us at close quarters and I didn’t particularly want to listen to the conversation of random strangers who’d been forced to accept me as an extra, uninvited dining companion. One of the indies was quite bad for this - they were a bit of a victim of their own success; lovely staff, great food and drink but only about five tables.

I prefer chain to Indy simply because I fee faceless in them and that's what I like. I'm the same when I go on holiday, chain hotel over cost family run place any day. It's probably to do with my Autism, I don't want to get involved.

Costa is the only place around here that doesn't let random dogs in (I don't like dogs, and I don't think they should be in a food place either, although according to MIL coffee shops don't count.) Guide dogs I tolerate because they're doing a job.

Oh, and last year I found Costa very useful around the time of Chester Bennington's death. I spent a lot of time sitting in there writing, our Starbucks had closed and Nero's hadn't opened yet, and I just needed somewhere to go after work to just sit and be quiet.

"They make the best hot chocolates"

I beg to differ. Even Pret a Manger's hot chocolate drink tastes better than the tasteless bilge water that passes for hot chocolate in Costa's!.

I do not like their chocolate twist thingies either; who puts lemon like curd paste stuff in a chocolate pastry?. They do so never again.

I FAR prefer a decent coffee from an independent. However, those things are mutually exclusive around here. The independents all make coffee that’s not even as ‘barely acceptable’ as Costa’s.

I need to move.

@CatLadyToddlerMother the dairy free is a very good point