to think serving instant coffee in a cafe is not on?

[KatyTheCleaningLady]

My Greggs is closed for remodeling all week, so I have to go elsewhere for my bacon roll and coffee.

I went into a nice looking independent cafe and ordered a bacon roll and a white coffee.

I then paid and popped over to the newsagents to pick something up while they prepared my order.

When I came back, she was making the coffee.

It was instant! She said unless someone orders a cappuccino or something like that, they serve instant coffee.

I had already paid and didn't see the point of making a fuss, so I just took it and left.

It's dreadful.

I know a lot of British people drink instant, but don't you think a cafe should have proper coffee?

Go ahead and give me a biscuit to dunk in it. I'm ready.

no I agree. I would much prefer to use independents to starbucks etc but at the moment I'm drinking decaf (pregnant) and they all seem to serve instant (and for more expensive) whereas the chains manage proper coffee

No, dunking a biscuit in instant coffee would ruin the biscuit.

YANBU - I hate it, I rarely drink instant coffee at home or work (unless I have run out of proper coffee).

Instant is disgusting and doesn't smell like coffee, although Kenco Milicano is the closest thing I have found to 'proper' coffee.

I agree. If you go out and spend £1.50+ on a coffee then you expect it to be 'real'. Instant coffee is rank anyway

I would rather pay £2.80 in Costa than pay £1/£1.50 for instant coffee for sure.

Urghhh I'd be disapointed with that

Mmm I prefer instant to 'proper' coffee. But still wouldnt expect to pay more than 20p for it! Would be horrrified tk pay cafe prices for an instant coffee

So is this common?

But you spend more than £1.50 on a cup of tea and it's usually just a generic teabag so I don't know why people are so snobby about coffee. I would assume instant unless they had a board of coffee options. I hate coffee. I hate coffee shops... rant rant rant...

I'm very surprised Gregg's don't serve instant to be honest.

YANBU. I would never pay for instant, I'd have tea instead.

Instant coffee does not taste or smell remotely like proper coffee IMO. I am not snobby it is just 2 totally different things.

Millicano is the only coffee I like. Can't bear 'properl' coffee. To be fair, I'm just not that keen on coffee at all. Give me a good strong cup of tea,or mint tea any day!

We serve both posh (machine more expensive) and instant (cheaper) and give customers a choice, some people won't drink instant (me ) and some won't pay for posh coffee

Instant coffee is minging. It depends on how much I they charged for it. Over a pound, and they're taking the piss.

Greggs has good coffee. It all comes out of the same machine, push a button. Maybe it is instant and I don't know. But this tastes bad and at Greggs it's good.

Not even the greasiest spoon diner in America would serve instant. But the way tea is usually served is another matter.

I agree with stealth. I only have one cup a day first thing but I much prefer instant, 'proper' coffee is too strong tasting for my liking. We have a coffee maker and DH uses it but I still prefer a good quality instant.

I would expect instant in a cafe tbh depending on how upmarket the cafe was. If it's a greasy spoon sort of affair definitely instant, if it's a classy modern sort of place definitely real coffee .

You're right mrsm they are differnet things! So why will no kne believe that I prefer instant!

Its not snobbery, it's just that instant is just worlds away from proper coffee.

Your usual eatery is Greggs - for this reason YABU

I dont mind strong coffee but I hate the sludgey, gritty texture of real coffee

I only drink instant coffee...I can't stand the real stuff.

But most of the cafes around here sell instant, not sure about Greggs though.

Yanbu. Instant coffee is foul.
Shudders at biscuit dunking...

I can't bear to drink instant. I've tried really hard, as its all we have in the office but I can't. It's just nothing like coffee, I'd rather go without.

So YANBU!! I have a great independent near me, but my backup is Pret a Manger who do a filter coffee for 99p - if they can do it for less than a pound, why can't everyone? There's no excuse for instant!

Naice cafes should never serve instant but in a more 'rustic' greasy spoon establishment I would always check first.

This reminds me of a thread where people were saying that McDonald's do great coffee