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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not return to Caffe Nero?

97 replies

dontrunwithscissors · 01/01/2016 11:36

I've generally preferred Caffe Nero over other chain coffee shops. I travel a lot for work so I've been in many stores across the country. They are looking in need of repair, the staff seem eternally pissed off, and for some reason the shops are often cold. Yesterday, I was in a Caffe Nero when the air conditioning started blowing out cold air like it was summer. I (politely) asked the staff twice to increase the temperature, but nothing happened. The tables were covered in dirty dishes. I left earlier than planned as I was sat shivering with my coat on. To top if off, a dog was in there (not a service animal) that kept trying to lick my hand and was nearly tripping other customers up.

Yes, this is a first world problem, but AIBU to think that Caffe Nero needs to pull its socks up?

OP posts:
Pipbin · 01/01/2016 12:10

I prefer independents but our favourite is shut over Christmas. We go to Nero when it is.
Go to www.mynerovisit.com and you can express your opinion there.

Goingtobeawesome · 01/01/2016 12:12

Why do you prefer them if you then go on to say they are in need of work?Confused

Crazypetlady · 01/01/2016 12:16

Our nearest is lovely.The chai lattes are amazing.Yanbu if yours are shit.

Jibberjabberjooo · 01/01/2016 12:17

We've got an independent coffee shop in the high street now and they seem to really care about their coffee which is great. Not that I drink it, I drink tea but still, they give me tea leaves which is nice.

ghostspirit · 01/01/2016 12:20

a dog in cafe nero seems odd :/

kaitlinktm · 01/01/2016 12:22

I don't understand about off milk making you ill either - what about yoghurt etc? My grandmother always used sour milk to make scones (can't remember why but it was supposed to be better in some way) and nobody was ever ill.

I wouldn't like it in any hot drink though.

2ndSopranosRule · 01/01/2016 12:23

I like the coffee in Nero, but generally dislike all the chain coffee shops. Hate the coffee at Costa. I only drink black coffee so all the lattes/cappuccinos/syrups are completely wasted on me in any case.

I work at a university and we have a lovely little coffee place. It's a 'chain' inasmuch as it's run by a catering company but the coffee is far superior and tons cheaper than the Costa over the road.

The main campus restaurant also does a simple filter coffee for 90p which is sometimes all one really wants!

Viviennemary · 01/01/2016 12:23

I can't recall having been in a cafe Nero but probably have been. It doesn't sound very satisfactory. The staff are probably miserable because they are on poor wages and the place is most likely understaffed. And they are working in the cold which can't be any fun. I think Costa is the best coffee shop.

TheChimpParadox · 01/01/2016 12:23

Cafe Nero are dog friendly. We take ours. I would rather a dog in a cafe lying quietly than noisey children. As a dog owner I would have kept my dog away from licking anyone though so not cafes fault for that but the dog owner.

Twowrongsdontmakearight · 01/01/2016 12:24

Our Nero is lovely and being able to take our dog in is one of the reasons we go. But he'd be on a lead, under the table and unnoticeable. Certainly not licking anyone!

Like Goldilocks I find that Starbucks is too weak/bland, Costa too strong/bitter but Nero is just right. Hope your local one take your comments on board.

ghostspirit · 01/01/2016 12:24

ah i only know of one and thats in a shopping centre so maybe why i have never seen dogs in there

peggyundercrackers · 01/01/2016 12:25

Maybe they were pissed off at the amount of people occupying tables but not buying anything as a lot of people tend, for some unknown reason, to sit for hours in these places taking up space

SuperFlyHigh · 01/01/2016 12:28

My local Caffe Nero is fine, not been in our new Costa yet as we have lots of independents.

I always fournd the Costa where I worked to be scruffy, crowded and not a great ambience. I also think their points system isn't as good as caffe Nero.

Starbucks tea is vile had some the other day and regretted it.

LaurieMarlow · 01/01/2016 12:28

Of the chains, they perform best overall iyam. Costa is awful. Starbucks much slower than Nero with worse coffee.

Independents all well and good, but eyewateringly expensive near me. £4.50 for a brownie in my local. Are they having a fucking laugh?

abbsismyhero · 01/01/2016 12:39

the one in my town is lovely the small independant is not so much because they are small i can't take the pushchair in i can go in when ds is in nursery but the service is dreadful i ask for hot chocolate i get brown milk and water nothing chocolaty about it what makes it worse is people love it and will berate me for not going and supporting our local high street so i tried again this time i asked them if they did decaff coffee or tea they got pretty pissed at me when i said i didnt want herbal tea i wanted decaffeinated tea or coffee we do CHAMOMILE TEA she sniped its DECAFF! technically true but not what i wanted

i went back to caffe nero

MoMoTy · 01/01/2016 12:46

Yanbu I haven't been In one which had a decent cup of coffee. The staff are super slow as well.

multivac · 01/01/2016 12:46

Actually, it's not even technically true - chamomile tea is naturally caffeine-free; no decaffeination required.

#missesthepoint

Original poster
dontrunwithscissors · 01/01/2016 12:48

I do a lot of my writing in coffee shops (J.K. Rowling-esque) & they really make their money from me. Caffe Nero used to be nice and friendly. It was my favourite place to write. Something has certainly gone wrong with my local store. (Having talked to a number of members of staff in my local Caffe Nero, it seems they've always been treated badly by the company.) For some unknown reason, the Caffe Nero in my nearest city was placed in a really scruffy area. I've spoken to the manager--apparently people coming in, grabbing a sandwich and running out is a daily occurrence. I go to one of the independents if I'm in the city.

I also work at a university, but the coffee is utter shite and I want to get the heck away from blabbering students.

I'm currently safely ensconced in a Costa.

OP posts:
CakeMountain · 01/01/2016 12:50

I would use tripadvisor, I they are on there, as a tweet will not be seen by many people.

unlucky83 · 01/01/2016 12:53

I don't go to coffee shop chains...really hate the 'must have a Costa' attitude - and the wandering around with a disposable cup (or indeed a plastic water bottle) - especially when people dump their empty cups on shelves in shops - but mainly I hate the waste, environmental impact etc.
I have a caffeine addiction... and I can survive without walking around drinking it .
Don't think the coffee is that great...not worth going to any effort to get - in any of them. (I know some people who one day a week a have a Costa as a 'treat' before they start work - it is brought from a machine in a shop by someone who makes a slight detour on the the way in - a 5-10 min drive away, have to get in earlier...I just think Hmm -why?)
But I wonder if it is anything to do with this? I have found supermarkets etc tend to be cooler and dimer recently too...
I know someone who is responsible for managing a shared hall and a year or so ago they said 'businesses' had to reduce their energy usage or face being fined or something. They were complaining that they had already done everything practical to reduce usage anyway - (new boiler, low energy bulbs, draught proofing and insulation etc) to save money on their bills and really there wasn't anything else they could do...except turn the heating down a bit - and people already complained sometimes that it was cold anyway...

MuttonDressedAsMutton · 01/01/2016 12:56

I agree with you OP - something's gone wrong with Nero and I used to love it there until I started to realise the coffee was tasting a bit shit. Couldn't work out why until one day I saw that they were using semi-skimmed in my latte. I queried it and was told they only ever use semi and that full fat milk is not available! Not bloody available even if you want it. Despite the fact that you can get soy milk and heaven knows what other substitutes you can't have plain old fashioned full fat milk which in my opinion is the only possible one to have in a proper latte. You certainly wouldn't get a semi-skimmed milk latte in Italy - they'd think you were fucking crazy.

Actually thinking about it I once had an issue with an exceedingly rude staff member in Nero and I did get in touch with their customer service people - they were very nice, very helpful and send me a wad of vouchers. I'd write again except they'd probably think me some loony stalker from hell! I just go to EAT now for my coffee which is superb and made with full fat milk!

Lurkedforever1 · 01/01/2016 12:57

Same as a pp, can't blame the staff for being miserable. If I was on what's probably a zero hours minimum wage contract I'd hardly be full of joy and putting 100% effort into serving people spending half my days wages on a couple of drinks and cakes. Doubt the branch managers look at it as a well paid fulfilling career either. Why put a lot of effort in for absolutely no benefit?

Original poster
dontrunwithscissors · 01/01/2016 13:02

It could be down to cutting costs, although the one I was in yesterday actually had the air conditioning on. I could feel the cold air blowing into my face. Confused I'm not one to complain generally & would have been OK if the staff had adjusted it, but they didn't and they weren't rushed off their feet. I don't generally complain, but it really bugged me that I'd spent £4 to shiver. I must get a life....

OP posts:
nauticant · 01/01/2016 13:03

In my view the order of coffee tastiness (the tastiest first) is:
a local place that does delicious coffee
Caffè Nero
Costa
Harris + Hoole (what do they put in their coffee to make it taste so rank?)
Starbucks

By coincidence the last time I was in a Caffè Nero I needed to hunt around for a table what wasn't exposed to cold air being blown out of one of several air-conditioning units.

musicposy · 01/01/2016 13:03

Well I'm really liking Starbucks at the moment after I took a friend for a long walk in Greenwich park, he spent hours photographing everything and we finally found ourselves, freezing cold, with my dog, down at Starbucks. DH went in first and asked and they said small dogs welcome. She's borderline medium but we took that as a yes Grin and I've never been so grateful for a place allowing dogs.

However, we sat her in the corner Under the table tucked away from all the other customers. To let your dog lick someone else is downright rude and means coffee shops ban dogs for the rest of us. It's a shame, OP, that you blamed that on Caffe Nero (meaning they will say no dogs at all) rather than complaining at the time to the inconsiderate owner.