Would you sit in a cafe after ordering coffee to take away?

[Peopleplease]

It was a Costa with no price difference between sit down and take away prices.

DH and I popped in with DD2 in the buggy. She's 10 weeks old. We ordered coffee to take away but by the time we'd been served DD had fallen asleep and we sat down to have our coffee in peace and have a chat. Even if we'd know she'd sleep we still would have wanted take away cups in case she cried.

A friend thinks I was unreasonable and shouldn't have sat down.

So just wondering - as there was no price difference - would you sit down??

I dont understand why your friend is objecting. At Costs, the difference in order is so you get a cup suitable to take out.

And I didn't realise coffee/tea was exempt from VAT but I see now cakes and snacks/sandwiches are charged that.

user to be quite honest that's a bit stingy of the Subway man, his shop his rules, but maybe she won't go again as he was stingy.

Of course she can. they ask as a matter of course as food to take away is VAT free but food to eat in they will need to pay over an element of VAT so they have to record this via a button on the till..

Hijack but if you have your own reusable cup (a lifestyle I aspire to) how do you carry it around? Do you have a regular handbag or are we talking backpack/change bag? What do you do once you've drunk out of it and want to put it back in your bag?

his shop his rules Not the countries rules, he didn't want to give the woman a discount and really complicate his VAT calculations!

Nope, YANBU if there is no difference in the price.

I do this ALL THE TIME! I never have time to sit for long so I get a take away cup so I can leave when I need to and take my drink with me. I usually say when I order, I'm drinking in but I'll have a take away cup. never been an issue.

As many pp have said - I ask for a takeaway cup but tell them I want to eat in (incase if tax issues - which I know I don't fully understand).

I know environmentally it's not great - but I'm a bit of a stresshead. My 5m/o likes grabbing things and has on occasion stuck her hand into soft drinks & I really don't want getting burnt!

Superfly - tea/coffee is not exempt from VAT.

drspouse yep I just put my reusable cup in my handbag, baby's changing bag or bottom of the pushchair. Once you've done it a few times it just becomes habit!

punjana I have been wondering about reusable cup discount when drinking in - do you use your cup when sitting in, and do you still get the money off?

Trundle does it fit in your handbag? Do you wash it out first?

(We are just about getting to the stage where we can venture out without a pushchair - haven't needed a change bag for a while!)

OP, you don't say why your friend thought you were unreasonable and shouldn't have sat down?

I work in the City & at lunchtimes everybody is given a to go cup, regardless of whether they sit indoors or not.

I was in Costa yesterday and saw a mum have to abandon her hot chocolate and cake as her DD started screaming at full volume and she needed to make a swift exit - I thought at the time what a shame it wasn't in a takeaway container. YANBU.

I know you've told us, but does your friend know there was no price difference?

Hersetta I thought it wasn't exempt... But then got confused.

drspouse yes it does (which I suppose says more about the size of my handbags...!). Once I've drunk the coffee, I tend to give the cup a quick rinse in the sink if I'm near somewhere with a loo (obv give it a proper clean/dishwasher when back at home!! ), or a quick wipe with a tissue or something - or store in a plastic bag to stop any spillage of dregs until I can do one of the first two things!!

Hmm maybe I will give it a go!
I could fit one in my work bag but I often pop to the coffee shop near work without actually carrying that bag (purse in pocket).

The other main time I get coffee is in town with the DCs (or in a rare outing on my own, but then I can usually linger), or on a journey - the handbag size might be a problem then.

I started order in take away cups after ds was born, was much easier as 1) could take with me if he woke up and started screaming, 2) if he woke up and was happy etc. it felt safer drinking out of a take away cup if he was on my lap, in case cup was knocked etc.

drspouse buy the Costa takeaway cup or another branded make (check as some of them leak).

I bought a snazzy colour and white collapsible travel mug (like a bendy plastic) for about £15, it's eco friendly etc the materials. Anyway it leaked, badly. I keep meaning to leave reviews but bought it at an Independent coffee shop in town that I rarely go to.

No one cares

Super was it a Stojo? I was just thinking about putting one in my Ebay basket...

The cafe owners probably called the Police. Twenty five years for you.

You are only unreasonable if you are doing
It to avoid a "sit in"'charge.

I ask for my coffee to sit in but in a takeaway cup as it keeps the coffee longer for warmer. I'm surprised though there's not a price difference as there is in the places I go

yes, i do this all the time. Shot happens, people change their minds, perfectly reasonable imo. I ask for all my drinks to take away because I prefer the tast of them out of paper cups, but, more importantly, you often dont know until you get there whether there will be any tables free to sit down at, and its much easier to carry your bags and juggle a closed takeaway cup when standing around, going up and down stairs etc looking for a table, thanan unsteady, unbalance open cup, overflowing and wobbling. And once you ascertain that there's no space, you can simply go outside with your takeaway cup and find a bench to sit and drink it on, rather than hanging around by the milk getting elbowed and spilling your drink.