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I am a bit miffed at Costa. We do not go in that often but when I do I get my loyalty card points added at the till. The other day Mrs D wanted to go in while we out and I thought I would use some of my points to buy out coffee. Last time I looked on my till receipt there was over £8 which was accumulated over the last few years. The assistant tells me there is only 25p on the card, which I naturally ask them to check but they are useless and advise me to get in touch with Customer Services.

I seethe over this a bit and write an email to them. The reply comes back that the card is not registered and there is no balance. I reply why is that the till receipts have shown an ascending points balance then each time I use Costa? A reply hinting it was my fault for not registering the card. I finish by saying that I feel cheated and I will never use Costa again. I await the reply but somehow I think it will end there.

Bloody useless just like Starbucks cold drinks they are all now on my sh*t list.

DWD

I've been into my local Costa a couple of times when a friend has asked to meet there - honestly, I make better coffee at home.

I've also bought the odd pack of Costa coffee if it's been on offer in the shops, my usual coffee is better, which explains why I make better coffee myself at home.

I worked on a job not so long ago - a woman across the road used to drive out in the morning and come back ten minutes later clutching just a cup of coffee - why can't people make coffee at home - it ain't rocket science?.........and I worked out a while ago that it's 25p per half pint mug made at home.

I really don't think much to the coffee at any coffee house, I do like the hot chocolate though, but I never go in there unless the person I happen to be with suggests it.
I can understand its a good meeting place, but I prefer not to, I have to admit McDonald's coffee is nicer and cheaper, but I don't go there often either.

I only go into these places as a last resort - I don't understand poncey coffee - leave it for the hipsters with their Venti Iced Skinny Hazelnut Macchiato, Sugar-Free Syrup, Extra Shot, Light Ice, No Whip - If not, how about a Grande Chai Tea Latte, 3 Pump, Skim Milk, Lite Water, No Foam, Extra Hot

Yes, McDonalds make very good hot chocolate and coffee. I do not go into these poncey coffee shops that often, it is usually when Mrs D wants a drink when we are out. Unfortunately, McDonalds are usually full of chavs and oiks which detracts from having a peaceful drink on our travels. I too never understand people buying a paper cup of coffee and walk along drinking it, it is so stupid.

It is all people living to a style rather than just being normal.

DWD

As a product don't particularly like the taste and it can give me the squits if I drink too much, not sure I believe all the health benefits claimed
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide ... its-coffee.

Costa was bought by Coca Cola from Whitbreads for £3.9B!!!! they might need your credit given they have twice the number of outlets as Starbucks in an already saturated market

I mostly drink lidls/aldi coffee black, on the allotment in a mucky mug, with a complementary midge

boxedin wrote:I mostly drink lidls/aldi coffee black, on the allotment in a mucky mug, with a complementary midge

ahh, I wonder is that where the biscuit "squashed flies" comes from?

Your right someone-else, a bloke called Gary Baldi makes them. Me and Gary are ahead of our time, we'll all be eating insects in future

ayjay wrote:I've been into my local Costa a couple of times when a friend has asked to meet there - honestly, I make better coffee at home.

I've also bought the odd pack of Costa coffee if it's been on offer in the shops, my usual coffee is better, which explains why I make better coffee myself at home.

I worked on a job not so long ago - a woman across the road used to drive out in the morning and come back ten minutes later clutching just a cup of coffee - why can't people make coffee at home - it ain't rocket science?.........and I worked out a while ago that it's 25p per half pint mug made at home.

a jar off asda gold costs £2.24 last about 3 weeks at 3mugs a day so about 60 cups or 4p a cup plus milk at5p so 9p a mug

We called those biscuits fly cemeteries as kids

I think having a cup of coffee out is very much dependant on where it is. When we are in Mallorca a coffee in a cafe/bar by the water is 3 euros whereas around the corner, no view it is half that. Quite frankly paying extra is worth it to have the gentle lapping waters of the Med in front of you. St Marks square in Venice would cost a ridiculous 20 euros for two with the bloody service charge. Very rarely is a coffee shop situated anywhere decent with a view in this country.

It is nice to sit and have a hot drink and rest while you are out and this has focused my mind to seek different venues and stuff Costa cheating me out of my loyalty points.

DWD

I've never been in any of the chains.
Never been in a MacDonalds either.
I went in one burger place, can't remember what it was but one of the chains, and was disappointed by the burger.
So I go to one of the caravan type places if I'm looking for a burger when I'm out.
TBH, I can feel my pockets getting deeper and my arms getting shorter every time I walk past those coffee places.

The only 'bought' coffee I've had on any occasion has been via Wetherspoons. There are free refills (all day) and I usually put an espresso in then top it with a capuchino to get a decent strength brew. At £1.99 it's cheap in comparison to the coffee houses and the free refills make it cheaper still as I can easily do three cups on a visit!

More recently we've been experimenting with making our own versions of takeaways (we don't have a McDonalds in Argyll - anywhere - and their breakfast muffins used to be a favourite of ours) and have got their sausage/egg muffin quite 'close'.

Brioche bun, Tesco's own sausage patties, slice of 'plastic' cheese and an egg microwaved in a little pot (gives shape and texture) and you can hardly tell the difference. Just need a decent hash brown to finish it off!

big-all wrote: a jar off asda gold costs £2.24 last about 3 weeks at 3mugs a day so about 60 cups or 4p a cup plus milk at5p so 9p a mug

I wouldn't drink instant coffee even it if it was free.

Try one of these below, they're a completely different animal to anything that comes as granules.

https://www.cafedirect.co.uk/products/machu-picchu/

https://www.cafedirect.co.uk/products/lively/

dont like perculated coffee
my mate kept giving me perculated dow egbert and couldnt wait to get home for a decent cup off coffee

big-all wrote:dont like perculated coffee
my mate kept giving me perculated dow egbert and couldnt wait to get home for a decent cup off coffee

Neither do I, it's too stewed, use a Cafetiere, and use the correct amount of coffee, three level dessert-spoons for a three cup (one half pint mug) cafetiere.

You've got too accustomed to brown water that tastes vaguely like crap coffee.