Costa Coffee and Caffe Nero - grubby?

[JoanThursday1972]

Does anyone else think this? I just don't feel clean in these places. Stained seats and a scruffy feeling.

I was discussing my local Costa last night, it rapidly going down hill. Over the past few weeks they've run out of milk x 2, the frother has stopped working, no food was available, serving boiling hot hot chocolate to kids, never adding syrups to my online orders, closed early due to staff shortages. I ordered a bakewell tart yesterday which tasted vile (hence the discussion).

There's a lot of coffee shops in my suburb and Costa had the bulk of the business due to the loyalty scheme and app ordering but people are walking

Yes, I agree. Tables and chairs often feel sticky, especially if they're mock leather (I suppose the seats don't often get wiped down...). The loos, in particular, are always grim. I have yet to use a loo in Costa that didn't have a grimy floor/tiles and needed a thorough deep clean.

Yep. Local Costa been going downhill slowly.
Last time I went in there I walked straight back out - filthy, flies crawling over the cakes, staff having a rant / swearing at the top of their voice.

How do you know they’re gay 🤣

Yes most Costa’s are grubby round here can’t imagine sitting in one and feeing relaxed. My friend always want to meet in the one in our local Tesco it’s just such a depressing over priced experience on top of listening to the constant beep of the set service check outs next to you. Just why?

There used to be a costa in my local village that was the only place you could get a half decent (ie not instant) cup of coffee. It was a bit grimy sure but it was booming

Then a lovely little imdepent coffee shop opened up a few doors down, everyone saying they were brave competing against costa.

Within a week of opening the costa emptied

Within three months the costa had closed down

I marvel how they are still in business

Costa had no cups when I was there. Only paper ones! Why would you go to Costa when there are lovely independent cafes ?

I've always hated the toilets in our local Costa. There's 2 unisex but one always seems to be out of order. Was desperate so had to use and was queuing. Man came out who had obviously just had a shit from the state and the smell. Sink was completely dry though. So had obviously touched everything including door handle without washing his hands.

The one here is bizarre.. often temporarily shut (ie ten mins or so) with notes stuck to the door, our staff locking the door randomly. I’ll sit in the cafe opposite frequently and see potential customers looking confused and then they spot the one (local business) which is open and come here instead. The Costa is also grimy and sticky! Company needs to wake itself up a bit…maybe thinking they’re so big they can afford to scale back as they’ll always get customers?

Funny to see this thread as I was thinking exactly that about Cafe Nero this week. City center, early morning coffee takeaway and I was really shocked at the amount of dust and dirt piled up around the door and in the corners. It’s really put me off going again. They’re probably cutting back on contract cleaning but it’s revolting when they’re serving drinks and food.

Sounds like a classy joint😀 I recently went into a Tim Horton's fully intending to get a drink, and a doughnut. I needed to use the ladies first though, which is just as well I did. The state of them was so disgusting, and poor. I refused to buy anything from there, after seeing the state of the loos. If the staff are so lax about what the customer can see, I hate to think what is going on behind the scenes.

Our local Starbucks is worse. The crumbs/hair/dust under the tables and along the edge of the floor suggests it gets a cursory sweep once a week. You'd think these places would get a thorough clean at the end of each day but there's no way it does.

Agree, the Costa staff always seem over worked and fed up and the whole place feels very unloved. Not a huge fan of Pret A Manger but have to say their cafes have always been spotless and well run.

I believe they're franchises. So it's probably dependent on who runs and owns each store. One of the ones near me always looks grubby around the drink preparation area, another is spotless.

😂😂😂 where are you?

Quite lucky ours are clean and lovely!

No my costa is clean. Always short staffed though.

I’m so intrigued but all these weird Costa’s 😂

I only go to Café Nero now as I get a free coffee with my life insurance every week, otherwise I wouldn't bother.

They're connected to Vitality Life and I think Compare the Market as well. Not sure if that's relevant to the standards slipping?

There is one of each in the very “naice” London area near me. Both really grotty with the Costa having the slight edge of grottiness … They are busy. Mainly with people who CBA to pay the crazy prices at the Gail’s a few doors down. The Gail’s is very clean but the staff there and at another nearby branch are always slightly snotty.

As an aside the Blackheath Gail’s is filthy! Extortionate prices don’t always guarantee cleanliness. Pret seems to hit the balance of lovely staff, clean and ok prices IMO.

Yeah, they’re gross. I’ve stopped going in Costa now, they’re revolting.

The ones in supermarket services seem to be ok though.

The local independent cafes here are either greasy spoons with shit instant coffee or pretentious lounges with shit Cornish Coffee (it's truly dreadful).

I agree though both chains are grubby, poorly run and the food is atrocious and expensive.

I only use Costa now and again and always for take away. The drive through set up is utterly batshit. There's no bloody menu at all, so you have to ask what they can serve and they are always rude when you say you're not familiar with the menu....

Caffè Nero do the best hot chocolate on the high street though. Highly recommend that. Fewer calories than any other too if they make it with their coconut milk, it's fab.

These places will not start upping their game while they are still having enough customers who are tolerating their lack of cleanliness standards.

I think we might live near each other. Or there's more than one Costa like this.