To serve guests instant coffee

[Drinkingpimmsinmygarden]

DH and I aren't really coffee drinkers (prefer tea)so we just have a jar of instant coffee such as Nescafé. No real ground coffee.

Are we being unreasonable not to have 'proper' coffee in for guests?

The only reason I have a jar of coffee is because my dad bought me douwe edberts.

People get offered tea or coffee never occurred to me they might think I'd be grinding coffee beans in the kitchen, its a jar of instant. Although at the moment I'm offering coffee from my tassimo machine only because I'd bought the pods thinking I might like the yucky coffee.

We have to buy salad cream when the inlaws come to stay. That makes me got a little bit I must say.

We either have Nescafe Alta Rica or Kenco Costa Rican, depending which is on offer, as they're both expensive. They're both instant, but have no resemblance to the cheapest Nescafe instant, which is undrinkable imo. People are just saying 'Nescafe', but since they make so many different instant coffees under that brand, I'm not sure we're all talking about the same thing. I have had 'real coffee' that tastes a lot worse than either of the instant brands I use.
As for the high street coffee shops, I hate Starbucks, Costa is tolerable but boring, but Cafe Nero is gorgeous. Just as not all fresh coffees are equal, nor are all instant.

So don't offer coffee, dammit. Coffee isn't compulsory. I don't usually offer coffee after dinner.

I'm just saying if you are going to offer coffee don't offer fake coffee and then act surprised when people can't drink it.

I could just as well argue that this is about race rather than class anyway. Maybe one reason I can't drink fake coffee is that my mother is from south India, where coffee is consumed in vast and delicious quantities.

Arf at salad cream. Bet they like Vienetta too

It's about taste, not class.

No, IMHO it's about manners.
Some people like 'proper' coffee, some prefer instant, some can't be bothered with the faff so instant is fine. Al well and good.
But to ask when a coffee is offered is it instant?, or to 'not be able to drink it' is just rude.

I am boggled at the people who are stunned that instant is still drunk by us peasants. Well, yes. At work I need caffeine FAST and I'm not pissing around with a cafetiere at work.

I haven't had a Vienetta in years. I quite fancy one now.

Ha! I do only stay in nice hotels when on business (hooray!) - so I was thinking of those. If I were with DH paying for ourselves we'd be in a B&B with a thermos.

viennetta isn't the same as it used to be!! Be warned!

YANBU.
I often prefer instant.

Oh god that toffs trying to ape the lower orders stuff really hacks me off.

I bought some real coffee today for some workmen who are coming over this week.

Yanbu. Depending on stuff.

I never say it's instant coffee. I don't drink the stuff (even the smell makes me heave) so whatever's in the cupboard is whatever was on offer.

Do people worry about the quality of tea bags? We only have supermarket own brand...

Lovely metaphor, Bluegrass

That reminds me, last month someone asked me to take a seat. I was too polite to ask, but I could tell that she had Next furniture. I feigned a bad case of piles of course, and remained standing.

Isn't it? I might buy one just to make certain though...

I do agree it is about manners. I mean, if something genuinely disagrees with you then you ask and decline, that's different. But if I am a guest in someone's house then it just seems to me to be pretty rude to expect a certain standard of something. You're a guest, you're getting it for free, be polite and accept what you are given with a smile.

YANBU
I think I actually prefer instant coffee. I drink quite naice "fresh" coffee (or whatever we call it) at home and when I feel the need do upload some money to the corporate giants of the high street, but I think I just like the extra caffeine in the ground stuff.
I can only drink coffee black if it's instant.
Everyone has their favourite coffee so you'll not be able to please them all.
However, for instant I would go with maybe Dowe Egberts. I think.

Fine, as long as you say that it's instant. I personally hate the taste and, though would drink it out of politeness if I had to, would prefer to avoid.

I also don't really like tea-but am very happy to drink water instead. I really like water.

Do keep various types of tea at home to offer those who like it, as well as having a coffee machine. Probably tend to make my coffee too strong because I drink it strong and black, but try to make it as close to guests' tastes as I can.

I'd be totally happy if someone asked me if it was instant and declined or changed their mind on finding out it was. I love tea but would prefer a different drink if, say, only whole milk was available.

The nescafe references are more to do with boycotting Nestle as a company rather than the quality of the coffee I think (mine was). The BabyMilkAction website explains why.

thurlow - the ice cream tastes plasticky and less flavoursome. or maybe it's just cos in the 80's we were less advanced in our ice cream tastes!!

the ice cream portion is really bland

Probably - I remember it used to feel special because it came as part of the KFC Bargain Bucket, that was rare treat growing up

This reminds me of the play date from hell.
Mother and son turn up as arranged,

Would you like a tea or coffee?
Is it instant?
Well, yes but I have a coffee machine, I could make one no problem.
That's okay, I've brought my own......

She then produced a fucking cafetiere. Then proceeded to be snide because I let the children watch cartoons.

It gets better, turns out she was casing the house and her junkie partner tried to break in a few days later!