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

......and the limited edition Pride cups are amazing too!

When I lived in Rotherhithe we used to frequent the BHS in the local shopping centre.

Coffee and cake was ok but the best bit was the teenage staff having regular slanging matches in the kitchen. This was usually accompanied by the despatch of various kitchen implements.
Twas better than street theatre. And cheaper.

....and the only blend they use is Arabica and Robusta. Apparently.

Do you work for costa SupplyChain?

I don't, no.
Someone who lives in my house does!
And we have another outcast who works for Starbucks. It's slightly awkward at times.

Entschuldigung, aber ich verstehe nichts was 'Die Antwort' sind.
Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof!

I quite like Costa. You know what you’re going to get which is good if you’re travelling in an unfamiliar area. I’ve spent too much money in independent coffee shops where the coffee is rancid.

I think the coffee is fine although I tend to just have lattes and I don’t think it tastes much different to the lattes I make at home from my bean to cup machine. Certainly not like instant.

@glintandglide "I can’t believe anyone would compare costa with instant grin fuck me, you really don’t know your coffee

Coffee snobbery is like wine snobbery- most people haven’t got a clue what they’re on about

"Fuck me" (charming) I actually do know about coffee. I despise instant coffee however in my opinion Nescafe Alta Rica instant is far superior than any of the dishwater they serve in Costa.

I don't drink either. I have in the past.

moonbells .. I always get a Nero on the way to work... the loyalty stamps thing is an app now .. which gives away free drinks too !!

Disgusting coffee and food. The very worst of all the chains, and I'm including Starbucks in that.

The Costa in my parents' town is the only adequate cafe in town if you want to take fussy children who don't want wierd flavours in their cake, and has an accessible toilet.

The ones in stations tend to be cleaner and better than alternatives, but otherwise I will go to local indies (we now have a Costa but there's at least 6 better places within 5 min walk). There's a Costa in my office which is nice for offering visitors rather than instant - it's not the best but if I really want I can walk to a stall that sells obsessively good coffee - for twice the price.

The Costa in my parents' town is the only adequate cafe in town if you want to take fussy children who don't want wierd flavours in their cake, and has an accessible toilet.

This and countless other posts highlight to me that people who like Costa don't like it primarily for the coffee (or even at all for the coffee!). Ok, so that explains quite a lot to me.

Decaf with skimmed milk Loonoon!

Genuine question: why do you bother?

I can't stand Costa. They're coffee really is dire. Everyone I've had latte there it just tastes like warm milk
I tried a flavoured latte once, salted caramel & again it just tasted like warm milk. Really irked me, as I begrudge paying nearly £4 got a 'treat' drink which tastes so bland.
The only time I go there now is when I'm forced to, as we have work meetings there.
On the uni campus where I work there's 4 Costas, as well as around 6 uni run cafes. The uni run cafes serve great coffee for a lot less.

Someone else mentioned Greggs coffee being good. It is & so much cheaper than Costa. If I'm just grabbing a coffee to go, I go there.

No I don't think all independents or the coffee bars in Soho all serve wonderful coffee but a lot do. A lot of them serve coffee a million times better than Costa's.

I think the reason why a lot of people find Starbucks and Costa's coffee fine is because they drink it so milky. Most people I know seem to drink latte which really only tastes of milk to me.

I often drink espresso so I can taste the coffee. I would drink espresso in Costa or Starbucks because it would taste revolting.

It's not being a coffee snob to know what decent coffee should taste like and think neither Starbucks or Costa serve decent coffee

Apparently the mark-up on a 6 oz cup of coffee is around 92%:
www.howtostartacoffeeshop.co.uk/milk-and-coffee-cost-example.html,
no wonder Coca-Cola were keen to buy Costa.

I went right off lattes after I had a Costa one. If you smell it before drinking it the milk froth smells rank. They are expensive, those stupid glass mug things with the tiny handle are crap and the actual coffee is minging.

I actually like the coffee in Costa and there is plenty of space. The Indies near me aren't much bigger than a living room and seating is communal benches. I hate the coffee in Nero but much prefer their sweet/cake offerings.

I love their gingerbread latte with cream , this year though I made myself promise only over the Xmas period ( last year I had it sometime 3 times a week 😢) also they have lovely hot chocolate much better than Starbucks my little girl loves costa toast ( I don't know why)

where else can I get a mint choc chip frostino? Best drink ever invented.

Can't bear Costa. It's overpriced and not a relaxing experience. The staff in our local are on a permanent go slow.

But they have a pokestop AND a Pokemon gym.

I go to costa if I'm shopping at our local retail park as it's the only cafe there apart from instore ones at John Lewis (always a massive queue and slow service) and Asda (vile coffee).

In town I go to one of the decent independents as the coffee and home made cake is much nicer than costa and I want to support the indie shops.

Off topic but babyccinos aren’t free at my local costa. They’re not very expensive but definitely not free.

Some high streets are so dead only main coffee chains exist.

Starbucks all the way 🙌🏻 The food is way better, and the coffee is nice and strong (if you drink it the proper way - black Americano!)

Costa round here (Yorkshire) seems to be full of middle aged Brexit types. I’m surprised they don’t fully commit to their fan base and hang up a few England flags, and have Enoch Powell on a TV in the corner...