To get my FREE Waitrose Coffee BEFORE I pay for my shopping & BEFORE I leave the shop?

[RighteousSista]

Often of a morning i like to fill up my refillable Waitrose cup with the free coffee which I drink when wandering around the shop and picking up shopping that qualifies said free drink.
It has recently been raised by the veh naice security guard that I need to prove i have paid for it before getting it. I always thought that so long as I had paid for my shopping (ergo accounting for free coffee which would also be in the receipt) & I had not left premises without paying nor intentionally depriving them. first world problem i know! but AIBU?

I think you need to abide by whatever terms and conditions Waitrose set, if you want to take advantage of their free coffee offer.

Do people really wander around waitrose with hot coffee? I'm surprised that hasn't been squashed by health and safety..
Anyway YABU not to follow whatever rules they have in place. It's free after all..

At our stores here they won’t hive you the cup until you’ve paid for your shopping at the till.

Two main reasons- people just going in and getting free coffee and nothing else and people wandering round the shop with coffee has been a health and safety nightmare. A child got coffee spilled on them.

Well, you are technically consuming an item that you haven't paid for yet.
No different from eating a pack of their biscuits while browsing

You're supposed to buy something first, that's what entitles you to the free coffee.

I think YABU to drink coffee while walking about a shop. If you really can’t wait to have a drink you should have water, which won’t hurt or stain if spilled.

You need to add the coffee to your shopping (and receipt) when you pay. If you have your Waitrose card on you then it’s free. Otherwise you pay for it. There are exceptions. Many Waitrose branches in London, in the interest of expediency, don’t care; but they usually have a footfall of thousands and so don’t want to closely monitor their coffee machine.

Sorry I'm confused. The security guard has explained the conditions of the FREE coffee but you think you should be allowed to make an exception for yourself? Riiiiiiiggghht.

first world problem i know!

Oh OP, this goes beyond first world problem. This is like....I don’t even know what to call this...

I've never understood the huge attraction of one free coffee

This is an OP problem, not a first world problem.

The twats wandering round Waitrose with their coffee get right on my tits. Like they are on some scenic stroll along a beautiful river; when actually they are getting in everyone's way who are is trying to get the chore they are there for done.

Honest to god, can't you just go shopping without a bloody drink in your hand?

I hate this wondering round supping on a cup of coffee in Waitrose, I hate never felt the desperate need for a hot or cold beverage whilst doing the food shop, any way you are being unreasonable because you know you have to purchase things before claiming your coffee as it's been the rule for the last year at least as you only get given your cup upon paying at the check out, and if you are using a reusable cup then I'm sure there are signs telling you of the free coffee policy by the coffee station, but I'm guessing you are one of those people to whom signs and rules do not apply.

I no longer get the free coffee. Once I’ve done my shopping I no longer have a free hand to hold the coffee! A better system would be to pay for the coffee and then get the price refunded when you pay for your shopping.

It's always been the rule.

Never crossed my mind to wander around a shop with hot drink in my hand.
Some mentioned Elf and Safety- ppl, grow up, this isn't how this works- if it was, there would be warning signs and god knows what else in every Costa, Starbucks and so on.

Waitrose's T&C are plain and simple (below) and I'm sure whoever approached you in store, did it in the nicest possible manner.

Free hot drink

1. myWaitrose members are no longer be able to redeem a free hot drink from the café or served area. myWaitrose members are still be able to enjoy a regular free tea or coffee from one of our self-serve machines when they bring a reuseable cup.

1. myWaitrose members who wish to enjoy a regular free tea or coffee from one of our self-serve machines will need to make a purchase in branch prior to qualifying for a free hot drink and bring a reuseable cup. Restrictions apply (please see below). Exclusions apply see clause 10.

1. myWaitrose members who wish to enjoy a regular free tea or coffee in Hazelmere, Battersea, Bagshot Road, Roehampton, Burgh Heath, Burnt Common, Petts Wood, Sceptre, Ealing, Horley, Ken Gardens, Broxbourne, Tubs Hill, Headington, Guildford, will need to make a minimum of £30 spend on fuel. Exclusions apply see clause 10.

1. Offer available to all myWaitrose members on presentation of a myWaitrose card in store. Cardholder must be present.

1. One per myWaitrose member per day. Free drink must be claimed at the same time of qualifying purchase.

1. Only Americano, Cappuccino, Latte, Tea qualify as a free hot drink.

1. Selected stores only, excludes online, petrol filling stations, Shell and Welcome Break.

1. Subject to availability.

1. At any till the myWaitrose card must be scanned to activate the offer. Quick Check customers must scan their myWaitrose card at any point during their shop.

10. ‘Excluded Items’, Waitrose & Partners Food, Health and Drinks magazines, infant milk formula (0-6 months), single use carrier bags, tobacco, stamps, mobile top ups, e-Top up vouchers, lottery tickets, gift vouchers, cash back, car park charges, fuel* and delivery charges. Prepaid newspaper coupons cannot be used in conjunction with the myWaitrose newspaper offer when purchasing only alcohol in Scotland.

*Stores listed in Clause 3 are not applicable to this exclusion.

I think it's quite dangerous all these folk wandering round Waitrose sipping their free coffee as they go.
Much prefer the new system of get it on the way out - and they now handily provide a breakfast bar to sit at, and an outside sitting area.

Well its free. How about being grateful instead of seeing it as your entitlement?

YABU for saying "veh naice" and for drinking coffee whilst walking around a supermarket.

I honestly thought that this free tea and coffee thing finished ages ago.

What makes you think you’re exempt from the rules of the promotion OP?

Because you sound horribly entitled.

You were told very politely that it wasn’t on by a member of staff, instead of accepting that you were wrong, you run to MN hoping to be validated!

As pp said, this is not a first world problem, it’s a you problem.

They have already explained to you so I don't understand why you're contesting it?! You pay for your shop then claim a free hot drink.

So long as the OP is actually shopping in Waitrose and not just getting a free coffee, then I can't see why it's a problem. Waitrose only changed the t&c because so many people were taking the piss and just going in for the free coffee or cluttering up all the tables on the cafe without actually buying anything.
If this hadn't happened then Waitrose would have continued to allow people to get their coffee first and then shop.

Unless all coffee shops are going to ban take away hot drinks and no one is allowed to drink coffee in the street, then it's ridiculous to claim health and safety as a reason not to drink coffee while shopping in Waitrose!

How entitled!

Did you know the rules before? If not - acquaint yourself with them.

Do you pick up a packet of biscuits from the shelf and eat those on the way around as well?

YABU pay for your shopping then go get your coffee.