To not be suprised AT ALL about Costa?

[AlexanderHalexander]

Couldn't see another thread on this, despite looking.

www.theguardian.com/business/2020/sep/03/costa-coffee-to-cut-1600-jobs-as-covid-19-takes-toll-on-cafes

I go for takeout coffee quite frequently. Since lockdown I've been in Costa twice, both times it was so stressful, rude staff barking orders, being shouted at across the store for standing 1 inch to close to someone in the queue (despite standing on the markers!). The staff were slow and made one order at a time, meaning loads of people left the queue. And you could only get somewhere to sit once you had your FULL order, really stressful with children.

I've been to Starbucks and it's really chilled, smiling staff and no stress despite loads of customers, people served quickly.

AIBU to think Costa has handled the post-covid return badly, and not to be surprised their revenue has plummeted?

Plus their coffee sucks

I haven't been to Costa for ages because their coffee is vile, so not surprised on that count either!

Yeah of the bigger chains Costa (and Starbucks) have the worst coffee.

That and the tired, dated decor, filthy tables and floors and insipid coffee..

We have 2 Costas in our relatively small town, both franchised by the same person I think. Neither have opened. The small independent cafes around it have all opened and are really busy plus managing well with the new routines. They serve better coffee too. . I can’t see the Costas reopening here now.

Their coffee is criminally foul. And once there was an article about inspectors finding fecal bacteria on their ice. Thankfully I hate iced coffee.

I was going to say when reading your post, Starbucks has been great, then I saw you mentioned Starbucks.

You’re not the first I’ve heard say this about Costa so I’m not surprised.

I had a poor experience in a Costa not long after they reopened again. My mum and I were told off because we apparently should have been putting our masks back on between sips of our coffees, and we weren’t doing so fast enough. It took an age to order, and they had the tables set up really weirdly so that even though half of them weren’t in use (presumably for social distancing purposes) the ones that were in use were really close together.

I put that down to teething troubles as things were only just opening up again after lockdown, but maybe it’s a more widespread issue with how they’ve responded. It’s a shame though - very hard to find a perfect balance between keeping staff safe and running a reasonable service.

I can’t bear those chains, the first thing I notice when I (rarely) go in is the smell of sour milk. It turns my stomach and they’re all the same. I go to the independent round the corner which has far better coffee and you’re in and out with a takeaway in a couple of minutes. I have no idea why Costa, Nero, Starbucks etc take so long to make a cup of coffee when the very busy independent can have it turned round in 2 mins.

I haven’t been to one since lockdown but they were awful beforehand anyway. Using one of their machines in a garage is a better experience than going in their shops.

Ours was always rammed before lockdown. Now it’s empty. The staff are now so rude it doesn’t surprise me. The little coffee shops are busier than ever with lovely staff and have even been hiring.

DH loves Costa but their tea tastes like piss so I won’t go.

Putting masks back on between sips of coffee is insanity. If you can be maskless while sipping, how is taking a mask on and off any benefit?

That's the sort of thing I was talking about, complete hysteria and no effort to make it a welcoming, friendly place.

I don't actually mind their coffee but you are right to say they are incredibly slow. There are three - three! - Costa outlets in my town within about three minutes walk from each other and the staff seem specifically trained to go as slowly as possible. I once (preCovid) had a sandwich taken off me to heat up when I was half way up the queue and by the time I paid it was cold again. There's a Costa in our cinema and I have missed the start of films a few times due to being stuck in their never-moving queue.

Cafe Nero in my home town is fab. Quick service, places to sit, no one nagging you to sit here, stand there, don't fucking breathe.
Costa OTOH has had staff barking orders and acting like they are doing you a favour selling you their overpriced swill.

They've just over expanded to ridiculous levels as well, the high street here has 2, both are barely used, what's the need? At a guess it's to stop competitiors pitching up, but it has to be a pricey tactic! Sad for everyone losing their jobs of course.

I have been to costa several times recently, I was a captive audience as it was based in a hospital when I was visiting a relative. They were incredibly slow, rather than the usual one person takes the orders and somebody else works the coffee machine, they would take the order and then that person did everything and the next order was not take until they were finished with the previous one.

There were no issues with tables and it was possible for one person in the party to get a table whilst someone else joined the queue. All staff perfectly pleasant, could have been a bit better at cleaning tables, I often used to get a napkin and hand sanitiser from the entrance and do it myself.

Starbucks are even worse than Costa in my opinion. Dark and dingy cafes, ignorant staff.

Their coffee is revolting so I won't go there before or after Covid.

I'm really not keen on Costa and avoid it unless there's no other option and we're desperately in need of hot drinks, and I'm really not a coffee snob. Will cheerfully enjoy coffee from Starbucks, Nero, Pret, etc.

Are they franchises?
It must vary by area. My local Costa has always been great. The staff are lovely and always very friendly. They're nice at the Starbucks too, so perhaps my area just does chain coffee shops well.

I attempted to visit costa once since lockdown, I’m quite relaxed about Covid but it did not feel safe, zero measures at all put in place, no distancing, I turned round and walked out.

We went to one the other day and it was awful. Staff incredibly rude and got our very simple order wrong three times then over charged us. Will try very hard not to go back...I need to resist their frostinos anyway!

There are four near me and they are all filthy. Sticky tables and floors and just generally depressing. At least Starbucks maintain a veneer of caring.

I have to say that my Costa experiences have been great. Friendly, clean, welcoming, comfortable, good hot drinks. No slower than other coffee shops I've visited.

And they were unbelievably kind and generous to the charity I work with at the start of lockdown so I always think good things about them.