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?

Our Costa is great, my friend manages it and they are a real part of our small community.
I really feel for her today, she's so worried.

I go to costa a lot. Never had any of this in my local (4) branches. Everyone is really nice and doing their best.

I do think giving everyone £3 worth of points to encourage them back to store may have been a bit of a mistake though. The money was obviously needed elsewhere

I think YABU because likely it's due to footfall being lower post covid, as across all eateries/coffee shops as opposed to specific anecdotes of bad treatment in individual stores.

Expect more chains and more independents to announce job cuts or go bust soon.

Also this comes across slightly gloating at lost jobs, because of your personal bad experience.

I hate Costa. Crap and expensive.

I much prefer Costa, both for the coffee and the general experience.
Starbucks coffee is not nice and the staff all seem to think they're in New York c1995.

The coffee is so shite too, how are they getting away with it?. It’s the emperors new clothes of coffee.

There’s a little Indy coffee shop in Dartmouth where the coffee is just fantastic but never seems busy. The Costa is further out and packed.

Given it's a franchise you can't really tarnish the whole business with experience of one.

I'm not a major fan of any chain coffee shop, I much prefer local ones. But no, I don't think Costa will go out of business. Every company is making cut backs.

I don't mind their drinks but out of the many Costas where I live only 1 has reopened but still looks from the outside that it is closed so I don't think they actually want any customers.

I actually miss buying overpriced coffee and would be happy to continue doing so if they would bother opening.

YABU Sheffield has lovely Costas with friendly staff

It's hard for those losing their jobs, but beyond that I'd happily see all the big coffee chains go under. They've killed off most of the lovely local businesses in most high streets I've ever been to.
One high street locally has THREE Starbucks outlets .

Not surprised because the coffee is appalling.

I know loads of people who suddenly woke up to the idea that their cute Instaworthy independent little artisan coffee shop may go under and have therefore been making lots of efforts to support smaller local businesses rather than large chains, which they see as having more "in the bank" to weather the economic storms. (Or tax dodgers like Starbucks). I don't think many people realise some are franchises and therefore more like a small business in their own right.
Have to say all the local indies have much nicer coffee anyway!

Well if it's anything like my local costa, they're being pressured to do lone working so thats till, coffee, sandwiches and clear tables as well as making everything covid clean every half hour! Plus all staff members in assistant manager role were told today they were being made redundant by mass video message

I can't tell the difference between going for a Costa coffee and going for a McDonald's coffee these days. Actually I can McDonald's are cheaper and cater well to kids. Also McDonald's is cleaner and the staff are friendlier.

DP won't touch Costa coffee, he says it's nasty.
They do seem to be a magnet for grumpy and sullen staff.

To be fair, I buy a lot of chain store coffee as I'm permanently exhausted and a large black Americano gets me going, I'll drink any old shite as long as it is heavily caffeinated.

But I can't stand being told off like a naughty child for daring to come in and buy a coffee. Both times (different Costas in different cities) I felt that the staff liked the drama of it all, rather than being genuinely scared, but maybe that's me projecting.

I don't want anyone to lose their jobs. I'd like them to continue selling to the people who like their stuff. It's just that personally I haven't been impressed by their attitude since reopening.

I don’t go to Costa anymore as their coffee is grim (I remember my turn-partner proudly bringing me a Costa at a service station when we were mid-long drive - we hadn’t been going out long and he was pleased he’d remembered how I liked my coffee. I hadn’t the heart to tell him that I’d rather consume the cup than the drink within it, and quietly tipped it into a hedge at the next stop) but this does rather prove the point about service in The Times of Covid. Things are difficult for everyone but the companies that will do well will be those who still managed to treat their customers well. Those who’ve taken to shouting instructions for accidentally going the wrong way, standing on a dot incorrectly or not putting a mask back on between sips of a drink (I mean, WTF is that?) will struggle and, while I don’t want to see anyone out of a job, it will be of their own doing.

I really like Costa. I like the ones inside Waterstones. The toasted sandwiches are good.

I'm not a fan of Costa because I think their coffee is average and they don't seem to have any grasp of how to make a cup of tea. I'm not surprised they are cutting jobs because their customer numbers must be massively down on pre-lockdown numbers. But I've been in 3 or 4 branches in the last month and not had any problems - no rudeness or long queues or restrictions on finding a seat. I found it a bit difficult to explain my order with a mask on, that's all. Otherwise all was fine.

I don’t go to either. I’ve got nicer coffee at home, and a cleaner toilet.

Then-partner, not turn-partner.

Absolutely agree! I‘Ve always found Costa a stressful atmosphere. Always found their coffee machines really loud meaning everyone in the queue barking their orders.