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.

My local independent coffee shop is excellent it was voted one of the top ten in the UK several years ago. Yet Costa is always so much busier. The best coffee I have ever tasted was from Rwanda it was amazing.

Like others I'd like to support independent coffee shops more but they are so variable - even if they serve a good coffee of a brand you normally like they can still get it very wrong strength, (ratio of coffee/milk, temperature etc)

Also I find that independents aften don't have skimmed milk to make a 'skinny' which is my drink of choice.

In the summer when we were in Cornwall there was a really nice looking independent coffee shop that we went to ...great decor/feel but the coffee was shit (and expensive shit at that).

I was just thinking about this thread. I’m in a Portuguese coffee shop. Lovely coffee but the cups are too small for an Americano.

People like them because it's mediocre but consitant! Independents are a risk, but a risk that often pays off, and at least you are giving money to small businesses if you take the risk!

I agree that Nero is the best of the chains & McDonalds is surprisingly good. We have two independent coffee shops where I live, one is the usual hipster type place which does good & the other is a really old fashioned cafe but does a great takeaway coffee for £1.

I’m now in Morrissons and the coffee is cheap and not bad at all

All the big chains dark roast their coffee, which in my opinion, tastes a bit shitty. Light roast is much nicer (citrusy), but it’s harder to get it consistent which is why the bigger chains prefer dark roast.

Thank the lord for hipsters coffee shops and their cheap double espressos !! All hail free wifi and comfy chairs!
Praise him for nice loos and nice smelling handsoap!
Todays sermon will be looking at the lavazza artwork while listening to chillax volume three.

I don't drink coffee but DH says the coffee from most chains is shite. He says the coffee in McDonald's and ikea is not bad! And Bar Italia

I can't stand Costa coffee, it's really bitter
LOVE starbucks though and also use the beans at home. Def going against the MN herd with that.
Generally hate independent cafe coffees, usually too strong and bitter for me

I quite like pret coffee, though the sweetest I can be arsed with is a cappuccino. I rather like their filter coffee when I want inexpensive warm caffeine. Nero is OK, but their shops and cups are always filthy. Costa is vile but not as bad as subway, which tastes like really bad instant and gives me the rotten guts that I get from instant.

I go for Pret filter coffee too. 99p in London (49p if you take your own cup).

OlderThanAverage

I agree with your tastes , a while ago I went to a Starbucks , I do not like there coffee at all but it was the only place open so early
The conversation went;
can I have a black americano please to stay in ,
would like milk with that ?

• nope black please ,

would you like ( reels of half a dozen syrups ) ? No thank you just black please , Would you like a tea or hot chocolate ? No just coffee please ( i was on my own , no one else at the counter near me ) how many people would order two different drinks for themselves .? Is it to go ? No to stay in please , Would you like any pastry's or crisps with that ? ( for god sake just give me a black coffee muttered under my breath ) No thank you JUST a black coffee . I get my coffee go and sit down with in two minuets another member of staff came over and said Is everything ok for you today ? Argh I just wanted a coffee and somewhere to sit while I was waiting for a friend to show up.

I found out later that day that there was a Neros about a 5 min walk from the Starbucks , god I wish I'd of known !

For those of you (like me) who drink their coffee black (and therefore are usually fussier!) try Costa’s flat black and ask for whatever special edition character roast they have on. And make sure they actually use it. It’s much nicer than an americano. Although still not perfect.

The best coffee I have ever tasted was in Venice.
After that, randomly - there was a national trust near me that had a themed event on. I think it was called gentleman’s coffee house or something. It was supposed to be an homage of original coffee shops in Britain centuries ago... anyway, they roasted beans there and then on the fire and brewed the smoothest coffee I have ever tasted. I didn’t even have it with sugar (usually have one) as it didn’t need it!