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 find the town centre costas are as you described. Maybe the stress of all the changes. The ones located in Next stores have actually been OK. Never struggled to find a seat and am able to place my coat on a table to reserve it while I queue (or get someone with me to sit and wait there).

I am finding Starbucks awful at the moment, I cant deal with itand always find their staff much ruder than anywhere else
Just my experiences obvs

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

Yes. The lack of empathy on this thread is really sad to see. I really feel for everyone losing their jobs in the deepest recession we've seen for many years.

I work 2 doors away from a costa and live literally 3 minutes from one
The diffference Is vast
The one where I live , the staff are always smiling and friendly , the one where I work are surely and rude , many many different faces so I'm assuming staff don't hang around for more than a few shifts , it seems like they are doing ME a favour when I ask for their overpriced products
SO sick of their attitude I've ditched the one where I work , need to lay off the frostinis anyway

I stopped using Costa and use independant/local coffee shops. There are some fabulous ones in town. Also I don't like the toilets in Costa-awful.

Independent always.

Always find Costa’s really dirty. Awful toilets, often with broken fittings and chairs with stains on. Awful.

And once there was an article about inspectors finding fecal bacteria on their ice

This is a feature of ice machines. Best steer clear generally.

My SiL worked in Costa but got let go just before lockdown.

Not Costa specific, but rude staff have put me off going back to some of the places I’ve been to post-reopening . I understand it’s particularly stressful at the moment but it doesn’t seem worth dealing with that as a customer. I went back to my customer facing job in July and it’s made me extra conscious that I can’t just expect people to know the rules as soon as they enter the building. Some understanding is needed on both sides.

Never go to Costa apart from at Chrismas do the Xmas hot choc....their coffee is certainly rank, as is Starbucks unless you switch up to the more expensive one.

I bought a Nespresso machine in lockdown. One of the best things I’ve ever bought! I’m buying one for my office when I go back!

I've found most chain coffee shops to be really dirty places. The toilets are usually unisex which makes them even more filthy, the furniture feels sticky and the menu choice is extremely unhealthy. McDonald's whilst not having the most healthiest of menus is at least kept clean with a cleaner on duty all day and their coffee is surprisingly good.

Are they franchises?
It’s a mixture. Some stores are run by Costa and some are franchises. The branding is identical, so you can’t really tell them apart. Whether or not the franchise stores lay off staff is nothing to do with Costa.

I suspect the real problem is that their parent company (Coca Cola) has taken a hit due to Covid. Their first half results weren’t great.

Visited costa for the first time today since February. Very disappointing. I wasn’t aware of having to order before sitting down so was barked out to not skip the queue by member of staff and when I nicely explained My disabled mother in law was desperate for a seat they explained there are less tables now and they need to be sanitised between each visit. I apologised to the customer being served and made sure she got the first available table. Was then barked at again when I put an empty tray on a table next to me with a big sign saying ‘Not in use’. I didn’t realise I was contaminating anyone by using a table not in use! A few minutes later my annoyance grew when another customer found herself an empty table, sat down without it being clean and just moved the dirty cups to another table. At least be consistent and treat all customers the same! No need to be so rude. Not going back, didn’t realise being a paying customer is a crime.

I dont drink coffee so very rarely go in Costa.(I can buy a soft drink and a cake or bag of crisps cheaper in a million other places) I think the last time was over a year ago when my Ddad was in hospital and there was one in the hospital.
Our town has 2 costas a few min walk from each other. The largest hasnt opened since lockdown and I noticed one I pass on my way to work in central london has only just opened this week.

Costa is rank. Their big coffee mugs are like soup bowls. Not a fan

It's the Little Chef of coffee shops.

Perfectly put!

It's really difficult. I think, in part, that having several months of closure has made people realise that they are paying a lot of money for a not fantastic product. I took my children into Costa yesterday and I ended up having a glass of water while they had food and drink. It still cost me £24.

My local one only opened last week

Out of Starbucks, Costa and Nero Costa is the worst.

I used to go to a coffee shop daily, but since locked probably less than 5 times.

We got shouted at in Costa last week because we seated our 2 year old on a chair, the ‘helpful’ assistant told us she should be in a high chair as she’s a health and safety risk 🙄 this was after it took them 15 minutes to serve Us and insisted there wasn’t a table for 4 even though we could see one. We won’t be returning

I really don't understand the attraction. Occasionally on a long drive at night, I've stopped at a petrol station to get a hot coffee from the Costa machine, cursing myself for not taking enough in a flask. Expensive, nothing special, yet there are people that are happy to buy the stuff every single day?? Not suggesting any of the other coffee chains are any better, I've only used the petrol station one.

PP is so right about ten bring the Little Chef of coffee shops. They expanded much too quickly, they are like a virus and their coffee is rank.

I don’t think you can judge based on one shop, staff are different wherever you go.

Treat their staff terribly, the time the staff spend opening up or closing down is not paid for, all assistant managers have been made redundant, meaning the staff below that level will have to do that work without the pay rise. Like slot of big corporations your a number not a name.

@Pixxie7

I don’t think you can judge based on one shop, staff are different wherever you go.

I think most people on this thread will have experience of more than one branch of Costa.

And, in any case, actually you can make a judgement about a chain based on one shop. If that shop is dirty, gloomy, staffed by slow, grumpy people selling poor-quality products, you can definitely make a judgement about the wider chain.

Starbucks tea resembles dishwater.

At my local costa, they give me two tea bags because I like strong tea. I like them for that.

We also have some really lovely local coffee shops who really care about their products. I would always chose them over the chains.