To wonder why Costa is so popular?

[Pumpkinsspiceandallthingsnice]

I don't go in all that often but it always looks so cosy through the window.

Every time I do go in I can never get a clean table let alone a decent seat. There never seem to be enough staff to clear the tables. The cakes are always quite dry and not worth the money at all.

Yet it's always so busy.

Pret Chai latte is my fave. They have the best Frappe and milkshakes you can taste the quality. I never feel like I'm wasting money in Pret. It's worth it.

They do more cookies than cakes though! So probably some things are cheaper but that's only on some cakes.

The only cakes I’ve tried are the tray bake type of ones and they’ve been delicious. I enjoy trying the seasonal drinks. I like all the chain coffee shops.

Costa's coffee is horrible. I now prefer to go without than pay for what tastes like dishwater.

"but selling coffee is surely the primary purpose of a coffee shop."

That doesn't mean that all the people who go there want coffee. I usually have hot chocolate. There are other options too.

The one I go to is in a convenient place.
The staff are friendly and welcoming.
The coffee is fine. The paninis are good. The seasonal drinks are tempting.
The seating is comfortable.
The WiFi is strong
The tables are well spaced and generally clear.
The toilets are clean.

I don't know why other people go to other costas but that's why I go to this one.

I don’t drink coffee so definitely not their target audience but I agree, every one I’ve ever been in has never had a clean table. The same goes for Starbucks and Nero.

If I’m out in town and need a drink and a snack I’ll choose Pret. At least their food is all fresh and made on the premises and much nicer than any of the other chains.

All the people I know who like Costa and Starbucks don't actually like coffee.

The 'coffees' they buy are essentially hot milkshakes filled with so much syrup that the taste of coffee is almost entirely masked. As such they love the sugar, syrup and cream filled frappacappawhatevercinos the chains produce and independent places don't tend to sell.

For those of us who drink our coffee black, good quality matters because there's nothing to mask the taste of the actual coffee. None of the big chains use or make good quality coffee, I'm afraid. Most of the time the coffee has been burned because they're churning out too many to pay attention to the process (I know that makes me sound like a coffee w*nker). Independents are the only option if you want black coffee that's a pleasure to drink, as they put time and love into the grinding, the heating, etc, which the big chains just don't.

All the staff at our Costa are lovely, nothing too much trouble!

The Costa local to me is clean and the staff are friendly, it has outside seating which is nice. The coffee is ok and I rarely eat cake so can’t comment on the quality.
I generally go once a month or so on Sunday morning when I have a 9.30 start.
Apart from the pleasant location and the fact it’s open early on a Sunday before I start work it’s also much less expensive than the independent coffee shop in the town centre.
We don’t have any other chain coffee outlet and I’ve never been in a Pret or Starbucks and I haven’t heard of the other companies mentioned.

At least Costa is a British company, not like Starbucks.
Their coffees are just same as any other coffee, but I love their fruit coolers (one of my pregnancy cravings!) and they used to do the most amazing caramel muffins. I also like their comfy sofas and chairs.
I try and go to independent coffee shops, but the chains do more deals and have reward cards.

Costa Packet and Megabucks - avoid like the plague.

I have had so many bad experiences with costa coffee tasting so bitter/burnt that I can't drink it.
I no longer go there and will go other places. Usually independent coffee shops but Starbucks and cafe Nero are much nicer than costa in my opinion so I will go to those if I get coffee out

They're based in the UK and pay taxes, they're very allergy friendly, they generally have very helpful, friendly staff who are nice to my shy ASD kids, the cake isn't dry here, I can order refills etc on the app without queuing again, and we can stay a couple of hours doing work (we home educate) and they're always happy with that.

Pret is rubbish for gluten free cake, and costa usually has a choice of 2 or 3, which is nice. Leon is the best for gf though!

I use an independent whenever that's an option, but I do find that the physical size of the chain shops around me makes them easier with children. All but one of the independents in my town are tiny, cute little places with only a handful of tables and that makes them lovely when it's just me, but difficult with a buggy. I also feel a lot more self-conscious about normal child noise (I don't allow shouting or getting down from the table) in the little independents. There is one that's quite big and I go there as my first choice if I have my DC with me but if it's full we do normally end up in a chain.

Because they're everywhere and the WiFi is decent 👌

The mint choc frappe is a nice treat for me every now and again but otherwise I don't bother

I don't mind Costa, I live in the back of beyond and its the only one we actually have. There is a couple of Tim Hortons opened recently which are absolutely rank, every single thing tastes like maple syrup- yuk!

Costa coffee is rank. So is Starbucks. Cafe Nero is the best of the chains, but I would always choose a nice independent cafe if there is an option. The independents tend to have much shorter opening hours though.

You probably have to pick your time to go in.

If you go at a quiet time when you can actually get a clean table it's probably a much nicer experience.

We don't have Costa here. Is it on par with Starbucks?. I took a trip back home recently & I could not get a basic coffee with cream anywhere, one place did offer up squirty cream😀 is that just not a thing there?. Give me a Timmy's double double any day over Starbucks

The person who says they can work there for a couple of hours also has a good point - when I was doing my PhD I spent hours working in a caffe Nero and didn't feel bad about it (I didn't choose busy times) but I wouldn't have done it in an independent.

Yes at least you know what you're getting and they have a loyalty app I think. We have a few indépendants near one is good two are dire! Long waits, crap service and Luke warm coffee.

I live somewhere where there aren't any so only go at airports and stations. The expresso is absolutely vile.

I think the problem with chains (be it coffee shops, restaurants, supermarkets etc) people expect/think they're all the same but there is always a vast difference between them all. It greatly depends on the staff, and area manager. For example, we have 2 big Tesco's in our city, there's one in refuse to go to as the shelves are always empty, massive queues for the toll as there's never enough open ones, but the other is the complete opposite! Always plenty of staff and constantly restocking the shelves! If I only even went to the first, I'd say Tesco was crap, but if I'd only been to the second, Tesco is marvellous! You have to take the good with the bad, as with anything in life.