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?

I went to our local one today and they had no sandwiches. If you cant get a darn sandwich in a cafe then what is the point ? Because I sure as hell dont go in there for their sour coffee

I'm sure all chain places will have job losses whether their coffee is the best or the worst

I must admit shopping/coffee shops are a pretty dire experience at the moment. Went to Ikea today - if you think being barked at for coffee is bad, wait till you try and buy some stuff for your kids at university! Couldn't even go to the sodding toilet as most were shut off and then you had to travel back to go to the one by the front door but you weren't allowed! And there was a queue to get in....

it's ludicrous. They are rushing forward the death of real shops

I used to buy a coffee every day when I went to the office and since 23rd March I have bought one! Don't think I will go back to it either

The costas I have been to since lockdown have been great. Very helpful, clean and organised

@Indecisivelurcher

Plus their coffee sucks

This.

Starbucks coffee is much better and they are one of the biggest purchasers of free trade coffee in the world. But now they're associated with starbucks, I wont go.

So Nero it is, which is great as their coffee is nice and strong.

Costa-lotta-money

Sorry. Bad joke out the way. They were way overpriced anyway

Ours are fine - staff are pleasant enough, although one of them is a school mum and I have heard her slagging off the customer base to her mates while waiting for school pickup but she's OK enough to my face so I just ignore it.

Ours is always rammed - especially after school drop off where lots of parents go around for a cuppa and catch up with friends and end up there drinking coffee and eating toast all morning - I think the loss of that business of being able to put a couple of tables together for a biggish group must be hurting them financially.

I once made the mistake of ordering a large latte in Costa - it was like a soup bowl full of warm and slightly coffee tinged milk. Not surprised.

Costa is shit, I don’t understand why they have such a monopoly in the U.K? Even pre Covid it took ages to get served with loads of staff seemingly faffing about, living up loads of trays on the counters even if you were only buying one coffee meaning no room etc.

Weak, nasty coffee. Would never patronise them in a million years. And don't get me started on Pret - total rip off, rude staff, disgusting food.

Support independent coffee shops/cafes, those are the ones that’s salted during lockdown and served their community.
My pet hate about Costa is that their staff clearly have had little training and think it’s ok to say pet, love, darling very 2 minutes, and in manner to suggest you’re a moron.

That's a shame. I quite like their hot chocolate

@BlueberryDream

I'm sure all chain places will have job losses whether their coffee is the best or the worst

I must admit shopping/coffee shops are a pretty dire experience at the moment. Went to Ikea today - if you think being barked at for coffee is bad, wait till you try and buy some stuff for your kids at university! Couldn't even go to the sodding toilet as most were shut off and then you had to travel back to go to the one by the front door but you weren't allowed! And there was a queue to get in....

it's ludicrous. They are rushing forward the death of real shops

I used to buy a coffee every day when I went to the office and since 23rd March I have bought one! Don't think I will go back to it either

Yeah, we took two trips into cities and that was enough to send me back to ordering everything online again.

I loathe Costa. Of all the crappy coffee chains it's by far the worst. The coffee is crap and the food is over-priced pap. The tables in our local one are always sticky and it generally has a slightly depressing, grubby vibe. The staff are also rude, properly rude.

We also have a gorgeous independent coffee shop which sells fab cakes, breakfasts, savoury snacks etc in a lovely, friendly atmosphere. Both it and Costa are on the same road in the same village, 50 yards apart.

Costa was always packed while the independent really struggled pre-Covid. I'm pleased to see the reverse is true now.

The ones local to me have been heaving since they reopened but there's obviously problems - limited or no sandwiches, no breakfast menu, limited soft drinks. The main problem is that they are so incredibly slow at making drinks that it just makes the queues worse - I can't see how it can take so long to make one coffee.

I like Costa. The one in my town is always busy. I use both Costa and local independent coffee shops. Can't bear Starbucks.

I've always liked Costa - I don't drink coffee though. Ours is run by friendly staff who gets to know regulars and their order, like the independent I also use. I've only been back to Costa once when they were take away only and it worked fine.

A shame for people to lose their jobs regardless of your opinion on the stuff they sell.

I thought they were all franchises, but agree the coffee is universally awful. I only ever use them if I'm desperate and there are no other options (as in hospital cafes.) Shame about people losing their jobs, obviously, but otherwise not a great loss.

I think Greggs is killing costa, and rightly so. I’d rather have a flat white from a machine that tastes of coffee (and is fair trade) and a freshly baked vegan sausage roll as a treat than a bucketful of tepid milk and some manky defrosted cake.

I haven't had any bad Costa experiences. I think their coffee is vastly preferable to Starbucks.

1600 people about to lose their jobs and a 4 page thread babbling about which chain coffee is the nicest. Class.

I've been in one since they reopened, it wasn't nice. I don't know why... Maybe the way they had put but crosses in yellow hazard tape on every other table so that you knew not to sit there, instead of just moving them put of the way? I found it very stressful anyway. Like I was having a drink in the middle of a crime scene.

We have at least six Costa coffee shops locally, in a not particularly big town. With two in town and four out of town, they completely dominate the market. I'm not surprised they will be making closures, they seemed to expand very quickly.

I like Costa but I don't drink coffee, I go for their mint choc chip frostino in the summer and bonfire spice/black forest hot chocolate in the winter. The staff in my local are fine but I did have a bad experience in a different town when I went shopping with a friend recently, the woman behind the counter was rude and snappy.

Plus their coffee sucks

Still streets ahead of Starbucks though.

I don’t drink coffee but the first time I went into a Costa I bought two sandwiches and two cold drinks and it cost me £16. Costa alright, it Costa bloody fortune.