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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to get milk as my Waitrose free hot drink?

118 replies

ElleDubloo · 28/09/2017 16:36

I normally don't want a tea or coffee when I go to Waitrose, but the toddler is partial to some cold milk in a takeaway cup that she can sip on the way home. AIBU to ask for a cup for a hot drink, but just pour some cold milk into it instead of actually getting a hot drink?

My logic is that, if I were to pay full price, a latte is much more expensive than a cup of cold milk. So surely the store won't be out of pocket?

But today I got a snarky comment from a fellow customer who saw me do it. Not sure anymore if what I'm doing is fine or not.

OP posts:
ShatnersBassoon · 28/09/2017 17:11

It's not really entering into the spirit of the offer they make. They would like to offer you a tea or a coffee; you can choose to accept that offer or not, not try to get something you'd prefer instead.

Haffiana · 28/09/2017 17:11

I always have black coffee OP. Consider yourself free to have my milk.

Sheesh, the uptight righteousness on this thread...

balsamicbarbara · 28/09/2017 17:11

I think it is more than acceptable to order a milky coffee but hold the coffee and sugar. People who are complaining otherwise are probably the saddos who think it's wrong to order a burger in McDonalds without the gherkin or whatever.

glitterlips1 · 28/09/2017 17:11

no.

CatkinToadflax · 28/09/2017 17:11

If the snarky customer was an elderly man wearing an anorak and a tweed cap it was probably my dad! He likes his free Waitrose coffee on a Thursday and he's a stickler for 'the rules'!

mrsRosaPimento · 28/09/2017 17:26

I thought the milk was in those tiny pots of uht. I'd like a herbal option because caffeine gives me migraines.

arethereanyleftatall · 28/09/2017 17:26

It isn't about the cost of the actual milk though is it?
For Waitrose this is a marketing gimmick, designed to encourage adults to come to their store to buy their shoppIng or possibly a cake with their free coffee.

Using it this way, is exploiting the offer, however sound your cost argument is.

If they don't think the free coffee is making them money, theY'll pull it.

Notevilstepmother · 28/09/2017 17:29

I don't see why your toddler can't have the milk your latte would have used. Just ignore the snarky types.

speakout · 28/09/2017 17:30

You are the cardholder, not the child.

BarbaraofSevillle · 28/09/2017 17:30

Well the drinks come from a takeaway machine, so there's no opportunity to buy cake even if you wanted it.

You have to buy something now anyway before they'll let you have a cup to put your drink in and I'm assuming that the OP has done her shopping anywhere there rather than gone in, bought a banana, bag of value pasta or whatever other cheap item the tightwads favourite is for getting their free coffees.

Because if you only want milk, there's little point buying a single banana, you might as well just get a small bottle of milk instead if the OP was only going to Waitrose for a trip out, rather than to do shopping.

JonSnowsWife · 28/09/2017 17:32

At our Waitrose the coffee machine was moved to behind the bakery when it was refurbished and now you have to ask for one.

I'd love to see their expression know what they'd say if asked for a simple drink of milk.

Also. Isn't it that UHT milk OP? The foul one?

Viviennemary · 28/09/2017 17:35

I wish they'd stop this free tea and coffee lark at Waitrose. I like to sit and relax in a café if I have a hot drink. Not stand like a spare part at a counter. But re asking for milk. Well there would have to be a policy. They couldn't have different rules in different stores. That would cause even more trouble.

emma6776 · 28/09/2017 17:41

In our Waitrose the machine dispenses lattes etc. The milk on the side is for the people who get black coffee or tea. If everyone just had loads of milk the staff would spend all day filling up the jugs.

RhiannonOHara · 28/09/2017 17:53

For Waitrose this is a marketing gimmick, designed to encourage adults to come to their store to buy their shoppIng or possibly a cake with their free coffee.

Adults like the OP do still come to the store. They just happen to come with their small children. They most likely come to buy things as well as to get their free coffee, or tea, or herbal tea, or milk. As long as people are still buying stuff, even if they're taking a cup of milk rather than a cup of coffee, Waitrose won't pull the free drinks offer.

God this thread is depressing.

claraschu · 28/09/2017 17:54

emma The thing is that everyone doesn't just have loads of milk. The OP is not going to start a trend here.

claraschu · 28/09/2017 17:57

I agree that this thread is depressing. A microcosm of what is wrong with our society in some ways.

No common sense, no seeing the bigger picture, no consideration for people who are a little bit different, lots of officious and sanctimonious opinions.

Waytroze · 28/09/2017 17:59

I work at Waitrose. I'll be asking my colleagues what theit thoughts are on it tonight.

I think the policy is a log the lines of the customer having to "be in the spirit" of the offer, so if it were my call and you were pouring the equivalent amount of milk as you'd have in a tea or coffee and you'd bought more than a token loose mushroom, I would let it go.

That said, I'm new and the drinks machines are not my jurisdiction so what I've said is definitely more my thoughts than store policy. If I can, I'll ask a partner who oversees one of our drinks machines as they'll know better. I'm interested to know!

Crispsheets · 28/09/2017 18:00

I have never had a free tea of coffee even though I shop there 2 or 3 times a week. Just don't see the pleasure in walking round drinking from.a cardboard container

Waytroze · 28/09/2017 18:01

*their
*along

Sorry about the typos!

Junglefowl · 28/09/2017 18:02

vivienne you do have a choice as don't have to have one Grin

I think it's a bit much to help toddlers to milk as the staff already seem quite fed up replenishing the coffee machines in our local one- that's another topic altogether as I feel they should do it willingly or not bother as I stopped having any as they look so grumpy. And I often just go to another supermarket now

ASDismynormality · 28/09/2017 18:02

+Waytroze*. In my Waitrose the drink has to contain tea (includes herbal) or coffee - so I can get a Mocha but not a hot chocolate with my card. I assume then just milk wouldn't be allowed.

Runaways01 · 28/09/2017 18:03

You also get a free newspaper if you spend over £10. Would you pick up a bottle of shampoo and say 'this is cheaper than the Sunday Times, so I'm going to take this instead'. Probably not. So no, you shouldn't take a cup of milk, unless the staff OK it.

ArcheryAnnie · 28/09/2017 18:05

I think if you take a full brimming cup of milk, then YABU, as then there will be very little cold milk left in the thermos jug for the tea-drinkers. (The milk for the coffee comes out of the machine.)

if you are just taking a couple of inches for your kid (like a third of a cup), then it's fine.

Wheresmytaco · 28/09/2017 18:07

"Exploiting the offer" ffs

I'm sure, in fact 100% sure, that Waitrose wants to promote itself as a family friendly brand and would never say "no milk" to a toddler. When they're happily offering free drinks.

arethereanyleftatall · 28/09/2017 18:14

So far in this thread we've had the following words to describe people who are honest enough to understand the spirit of the offer....Snarky/officious/uptight/saddos/sanctimonious/depressing.
Interesting.