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

Coffee at Costa is much much much better than Starbucks. I understand that's not saying much but that could be why they do much better business. Also, their food is quite good and not knobby like the other chains. My order of preference for coffee is : Pret>McD's>Burger King>Costa>Service Station>Starbucks

Is macdonalds coffee nice? I'm too mean to buy coffee out except very occasionally.

Alternative milks. My local independent shops don't even tend to offer soy as an option. Costa/Starbucks/Nero/etc all tend to offer soy and other alternatives.

Milady

Yes, McDonald’s coffee is nice. It's often commented upon as being fairly decent and is usually around half the price of Costa etc.

However, tastes vary so I can only suggest that you try it for yourself.

We call it "Costa packet" i don't understand why people say it's cheap.

Used to like it but well, they are jyst everywhere. They are like the mc donalds of the coffee world.

We do use it but prefer a "naice" independent, preferably with a micro-roastery. Or if its a chain then Neros - although that may just reflect that our "local" neros is in a nicer building.

NB am not a middle-class twat. I just like decent rocket fuel coffee that comes in a cup nut a bucket

White bread put costa coffee into all its original locations when it started, so all it’s restaurants & hotels etc Marriott cafe rouge, pizza restaurants

Then it had cafes but also used garages/ petrol stations etc gyms

It flooded the market so if one arm isn’t doing great many other would prop it up

As for wther it’s better coffee than Starbucks or Nero- it will depend on taste

I dislike the coffee in one of the big chains and avoid that chain, the independents in town vary, and I have my favourites due to the taste of the coffee they use

I particularly like illy coffee

I don't like the coffee there, it's too bitter.
One of my favourite garden centres did a trial run of having Costa coffee instead of their usual coffee.
It failed. Everyone preferred the usual coffee. Hey ho!
We have a local Costa, but there are several independent places in the same parade of shops who have nicer coffee. My favourite place also does a whole range of coffees with coconut milk as well as soya. They also do lovely cheesecake.
We also have a Gregg's who seem to have cornered the takeaway market. I too was surprised how nice their coffee was (and I can't go in there as I just eat tonnes of sausage rolls).
To me, Costa is motorway coffee. I'll drink one in a service station if I need the caffeine hit. Apart from that, I'd rather have something else.
I don't like Starbucks coffee much either. Every time I've been in one the coffee has been lukewarm at best.

Horrible company.

I took ds to Morecambe on a blast from the past day last weekend. There they have a decades old cafe (( Brucianni )) which has been kept the same since the day it opened in the 30's I think.........It now has a massive Costa right next door to it. Do they really need the business so badly ?? On a day that Brucianni should have been very busy (( the retro fair was on )) it was sadly very quiet. Costa on the other hand were raking it in :/

Having a vanilla latte with coconut milk now... our local one is in Tesco (replaced a Starbucks that was in there before) and is absolutely rammed this morning with school run parents rejoicing in escaping the kids for the first day back.

Digsydinner

Whitebread have many other large restaurants and hotels

But people choose to spend their money where they want...

Sadly places often go under due to them

As a child there was 56 butchers in the town I live in unbelievable now but there are two - supermarkets took away their trade

Ooo a fucking tray ! Are these on sale ?

DigsysDiner, I just googled Brucianni and it looks glorious. How sad that a chain is taking its business away. I hope you went in there at least!

DarlingNikita it was the main reason we went !! The dc have been going since they were months old........ice cream from Bruci, walk on the prom and a couple of pounds for the penny pushers. Can't beat it

But sadly people gravitate to the obvious and a lot of people will automatically float towards an identikit Costa. It's sad.........there really was no need to put their cafe right next door to.it

Brucianni cafes are iconic. (( there's one in Preston too )) and when theyre gone that will be it. We just don't make places like that anymore. The owner is in her 80s and still working in the cafe that's been in her family for decades :/

I drink decaf black tea with non-dairy milk, and Costa is the only place (indies included!) I could ever find it.

It really is the convenience and consistency - I don't buy lunch from them but used to go to Nero lots just because it was next door to my work and they can make coffee with double cream when I'm keto.

My dad rates Costa coffee but I think he doesn't have much taste!

It's sad.........there really was no need to put their cafe right next door to.it

It was just where there was a suitable empty premises. I doubt very much that Costa were waiting in the wings, ignoring other potential empty premises, and then pouncing the moment that one next door to Brucci's came available!

That's wonderful, Digsys. I've never been to Morecambe but this sounds like just the excuse!