To think coffee from the chain coffee shops is poor quality?

[abacucat]

I don't really get the love of coffee from chain coffee shops. Fine if you like sugared drinks and go for all those flavourings. But in terms of actual coffee, the coffee from chain coffee shops isn't that great quality.

It's not bad though either, and at least you know what you're getting.

I've had some awful coffees from little independent cafés.

Agreed. I prefere independents. They usually have lovely coffee blends

They vary. I've not tried the frothy or surupy but the standard Americano is good sometimes and barely drinkable at other times.

I am old enough to remember cafes serving instant coffee when you asked for coffee, so I understand they are better than that. But they are pretty over priced for the actual quality of coffee.

You know what you’re getting though. There is no guarantee of quality with an independent cafe anyway.

Costa is delicious coffee I think
Starbucks not so much
I don’t go for all the syrup crap though! Far too sweet

Starbucks coffee is absolutely vile. I can never quite understand why it tastes like it does. It either tastes burnt or sort of stale. I have tried quite a few different branches, thinking they can't all be the same, but they are.

Costa is better although I think Pret is probably the best of the chains. I usually try and use an independent if I want a coffee when out

Yes I think starbucks coffee is not nice. But somebody must like it surely? So why do they like it? I really don't understand.

I have a costa almost every work day, just a white Americano and a flavoured one at the weekend, I love them but wtf is their xmas drinks menu this year??? orange coffee just no, and a vile praline latte that tastes like hot chocolate not coffee. I had been looking forward to honeycomb latte since January!!!! I don't pass any Starbucks regularly but I bet the festive offerings are better!!

Cafe Nero is quite nice, Costa is ok, Starbucks is horrible.

McDonalds is surprisingly nice.

Don’t like the syrups at all, too sickly

I do like Starbucks eggnog latte at Christmas though...

Starbucks is awful. I've never understood the appeal. There are many independent coffee shops who serve amazing coffee.

Many of the independent coffee shops where I work don't open until 9. The chains open at 7/7:30 or earlier.

YANBU. I have never had a cup from a chain that actually tasted of coffee!

I only drink them when I have to stop for a drink on a long drive, and I prefer Costa of all of them, it I had to have one out of a machine recently, and it was vile.

Nero is probably the best of the chains, we have a few independents near us and one the coffee is awful always tastes burnt, the other is really insipid and weak, the third is amazing, rich, dark, smooth coffee heaven. The Costa machines should be banned they are vile. I think a lot of people who drink Starbucks, Costa etc don't actually like coffee, they like sweet milky drinks do that's what they sell. I just like a good flat white, according to a friend who used to work in a coffee shop the mark of a good barista is a good flat white, similarly to mojitos and bar tenders

Agree about McDonald’s! Top class coffee which is a bit of a surprise teally

My first English coffee after returning from holiday in Italy was at Carluccio's and I was shocked how weak and tasteless it was.

Starbucks is terrible. I don't know how they manage to make coffee taste so bad. Even with extra shots it doesn't taste like coffee. I like Cafe Nero.

I like Costa, hate Starbucks. Best coffee I had was definitely Italy. I prefer the smaller servings there too.

Coldilox
We should go for a coffee together we have the same tastes . I like a black americano or double espresso how about you ?

I agree Starbuck's coffee is poor. It's an American brand though and a lot of the coffee I've had in the US has been lousy. European coffee is much better imo. Can't stand UHT milk though!

I go to Starbucks every Christmas for an eggnog latte.

My favourite coffee is McDonald's cappuccino (along with a bacon roll and hash brown)

Also probably the cheapest and like their loyalty card

Each to their own, although I know MN has the hive mind to sneer at coffee chains, but I like my midweek Costa trip (there's no obliging local artisan hand knitted coffee bean coffee shop near the kids' activities) and quite like the odd Macdonalds latte too.

Forgot about McDonalds coffee. I agree it is actually not bad. Certainly far better than Starbucks.

The strange thing is though every Starbucks where I live (and there are 3 in my town) is always packed.

I do agree though that it is likely that people who like Starbucks don't actually like real coffee much. So many people drink lattes and they only really taste of milk.

I like black coffee or an espresso