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Post by jno on Jan 4, 2022 7:59:32 GMT
 Like a sit-down cup of coffee when you're out and about? If so, where do you go and most importantly where do you AVOID? Why's that? Pick your 2 least favourite UK coffee shop chains here! P.S. No Greggs included as they are primarily a bakery, doing mostly takeaway and have limited seating in selected places. |
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Post by Arch Stanton on Jan 4, 2022 8:33:39 GMT
I don’t go to any of them. I hate them all equally.
Good if you’re some old woman that is obsessed by faffy coffee festooned with marshmallows and sprinkles of shyte floating in it, accompanied with huge slabs of cake, but personally I prefer boozers.
And if I want a cup of tea I go into an independent.
I thought Patisserie Valerie went bust?
From my limited experience I voted Costa Coffee, as whenever I go in there it’s a sh**hole.
And…
I haven’t voted for the second yet. I’m going to seek expert advice from the birds at work…
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Post by jno on Jan 4, 2022 8:51:31 GMT
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Post by McCann on Jan 4, 2022 13:24:48 GMT
We have most, but not all of these in Ireland, but Costa and Starbucks are everywhere and I don't trouble them with my custom. Costa I find undrinkable, I'd make a far nicer cup at home with a jar of Maxwell House.
I visited Patisserie Valerie in Belfast on Donegal square once and it was a very nice, like a semi decent attempt to recreate a Viennese or Parisienne cafe.
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Post by jjmolloy on Jan 4, 2022 14:28:31 GMT
Just give me a mug of 'builder's tea' and that will do nicely thank you.  |
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Post by barrythebook on Jan 4, 2022 22:06:46 GMT
I voted Costa(fortune) and Starbucks merely because they're the only brands with outlets near where i live, oh there's a Caffenero in Truro i think.
Book junior has twisted my arm into buying her a Starbucks a couple of times but i refuse to do it anymore as the prices are completely unjustifiable.
There's an independent coffee shop in Truro called '108' that seems to do well, they have a couple of 'runners' that i see delivering coffees to offices, shops and other workplaces which is all very nice but you've got to be talking £2-50 a go minimum and I'm afraid I'm just too tight to be spending that when I can boil water and pour it on to some coffee granules myself.
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Post by McCann on Jan 4, 2022 22:08:54 GMT
Speaking of a proper builders tea, my favourite tea is Yorkshire tea, superior to anything else, and Ive pretty much tried them all.
Can't get that anywhere in the South now, have to stock up on boxes of it following the odd trip up the North.
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Post by Arch Stanton on Jan 5, 2022 0:59:47 GMT
Speaking of a proper builders tea, my favourite tea is Yorkshire tea, superior to anything else, and Ive pretty much tried them all. Can't get that anywhere in the South now, have to stock up on boxes of it following the odd trip up the North. I don’t drink that Yorkshire muck. I drink herbal tea. The one I’m drinking at the moment detoxifies with a rejuvenating herbal infusion. The ingredients are: Birch leaves, wild elderflower, ash tree leaves, burdock chimes, brushstrokes of nettle, Gaelic flax seed, green tea, selenium 2-10 and pink fig mint. Goes great with tequila |
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Post by jno on Jan 5, 2022 6:12:22 GMT
Costa - the shop in Cwmbran Town Centre, South Wales is a complete dump. The one in Bridgend, South Wales is just as bad. You queue up for ages to pay a ridiculous amount of money for a 'Barista prepared' coffee which is actually no better than one you can make at home with microwaved milk and most forms of coffee machine. Costa is the worst for me, so got my vote. Why? The bins are always overflowing, sticky tables, waiting times horrendous and rubbish all over the floor - hardly "an unbeatable coffee experience" that they pretend to be so they'd be top of my list. That said, one exception - there is a really really quiet Costa that no one ever goes in, in Wellington, nr J26 on M5 if you want peace and quiet travelling back and forth from Cornwall ( Costa Drive Thru maps.app.goo.gl/tuovczJxws18jmFc6 ) And as for the food offerrings, don't get me started, especially in Starbucks. Starbucks are also in Austria, all over the place and it's the same story there, stupidly expensive food offerings. Starbucks got my second vote. Caffé Nero is all over the place in South Wales, it's not perfect either but certainly better than the average Costa. I'll confess, I've never been in a Pret A Manger, I only realised realised recently that it was a soft 'g' in the last word too. Way too pretentious a name for a shop I'd want a cuppa tea and a bit of toast in. |
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Post by jno on Jan 5, 2022 6:18:19 GMT
Speaking of a proper builders tea, my favourite tea is Yorkshire tea, superior to anything else, and Ive pretty much tried them all. Can't get that anywhere in the South now, have to stock up on boxes of it following the odd trip up the North. I don't drink that Yorkshire Tea either, it's too strong. Interesting you head to Norn Iron for your tea though. What's next, Come on Arlene Brew?  One of the most interesting drinks related stories I have about Norn Iron is that none of my extended family there had ever heard of 'Dandelion & Burdock'. I thought "eh? No Dandelion & Burdock in Norn Iron?!"  WTF?!  Is that available anywhere in ROI? |
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Post by McCann on Jan 5, 2022 12:53:59 GMT
Only seen it in recent years here. Not that the original ingredients should be in particularly short supply. link |
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Post by Arch Stanton on Jan 5, 2022 15:37:33 GMT
Only seen it in recent years here. Not that the original ingredients should be in particularly short supply. linkI haven’t read the link yet but my thoughts are on Dandelion and Burdock being one of those temperance drinks originally, I suspect. Like sarsaparilla and other tonics. The temperance movement though busy in many different christian factions tended to be Wesleyan Methodists and popular with Protestant faiths, not catholics. Hence herbal cordials and tonics traditionally unlikely in the mainly catholic ROI. At least that is my guess. I could be wrong though (albeit that’s highly unlikely given how awesome I am  ). |
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Post by Arch Stanton on Jan 5, 2022 15:42:31 GMT
I'll confess, I've never been in a Pret A Manger, I only realised realised recently that it was a soft 'g' in the last word too. Way too pretentious a name for a shop I'd want a cuppa tea and a bit of toast in.  It means ‘ready to eat’ (as in fast food) in French. 🤦🏼♂️ |
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Post by jno on Jan 5, 2022 15:53:27 GMT
I'll confess, I've never been in a Pret A Manger, I only realised realised recently that it was a soft 'g' in the last word too. Way too pretentious a name for a shop I'd want a cuppa tea and a bit of toast in.  It means ‘ready to eat’ (as in fast food) in French. 🤦🏼♂️ Polyglot! How many Brits do you think actually know what Pret A Manger means?! |
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Post by ontheslate on Jan 5, 2022 21:29:04 GMT
If I’m out and need a hot drink I will go into a proper caff you can get a hot drink and a roll for the price of some coffees in the poncey coffee shops which are just steam and hot milk. I don’t drink huge amounts of tea or coffee will have a Turkish coffee in some cafes a bit like an espresso very strong and small cups, used to drink Yorkshire tea but found that not as good as it was at home I usually use tea leaves as flavour lot stronger
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Post by ontheslate on Jan 5, 2022 21:33:04 GMT
Only seen it in recent years here. Not that the original ingredients should be in particularly short supply. linkI haven’t read the link yet but my thoughts are on Dandelion and Burdock being one of those temperance drinks originally, I suspect. Like sarsaparilla and other tonics. The temperance movement though busy in many different christian factions tended to be Wesleyan Methodists and popular with Protestant faiths, not catholics. Hence herbal cordials and tonics traditionally unlikely in the mainly catholic ROI. At least that is my guess. I could be wrong though (albeit that’s highly unlikely given how awesome I am ). Dandelion and burdock was a temperance drink.In Ireland you had the pioneers who swore off drink but didn’t have their own non alcoholic bars, although you had Irish made soft drinks known as minerals |
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Post by Arch Stanton on Jan 5, 2022 23:56:20 GMT
It means ‘ready to eat’ (as in fast food) in French. 🤦🏼♂️ Polyglot! How many Brits do you think actually know what Pret A Manger means?! probablement environ quatre vingt dix neuf pour cent? |
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Post by jjmolloy on Jan 6, 2022 1:40:00 GMT
I haven’t read the link yet but my thoughts are on Dandelion and Burdock being one of those temperance drinks originally, I suspect. Like sarsaparilla and other tonics. The temperance movement though busy in many different christian factions tended to be Wesleyan Methodists and popular with Protestant faiths, not catholics. Hence herbal cordials and tonics traditionally unlikely in the mainly catholic ROI. At least that is my guess. I could be wrong though (albeit that’s highly unlikely given how awesome I am  ). Dandelion and burdock was a temperance drink.In Ireland you had the pioneers who swore off drink but didn’t have their own non alcoholic bars, although you had Irish made soft drinks known as minerals Yes, although if I said ''do you want a mineral?'' to anyone in Ireland aged under 40 they would probably look crooked at me. But to me and anyone older than me then minerals always meant a soft drink, not necessarily Irish made though, Coca-Cola, Fanta, and 7up etc were all included as minerals. |
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Post by jno on Jan 6, 2022 5:21:04 GMT
If I’m out and need a hot drink I will go into a proper caff you can get a hot drink and a roll for the price of some coffees in the poncey coffee shops which are just steam and hot milk. I don’t drink huge amounts of tea or coffee will have a Turkish coffee in some cafes a bit like an espresso very strong and small cups, used to drink Yorkshire tea but found that not as good as it was at home I usually use tea leaves as flavour lot stronger Nothing beats Italian coffee shops for me, the coffee in there is a whole different league to what these frothy shops turf out and to be honest, most of what's on offer here in the Austrian Kaffeehausen too (though the Austrians would never agree). Ginseng Coffee in Rome - I had a few of these when in Rome to watch the rugby, superb. I have an Italian friend here who brings me Ginseng Nespresso capsules when she's back at home. Love 'em.  |
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Post by ontheslate on Jan 6, 2022 7:56:50 GMT
Last time I was In Ireland I noticed you still have the word minerals on shop and pub signs, didn’t know younger people don’t use the word the only soft drink I had In Ireland was always Nash’s red lemonade was made about 8 miles from my dads village
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Post by barrythebook on Jan 8, 2022 18:46:41 GMT
Last time I was In Ireland I noticed you still have the word minerals on shop and pub signs, didn’t know younger people don’t use the word the only soft drink I had In Ireland was always Nash’s red lemonade was made about 8 miles from my dads village The fish & chip shop that my family used when I was a child advertised soft drinks on its price board as minerals and although I knew what the word referred to, I never understood the reference. What is the connection between Coca Cola, Lemonade, Tango etc. etc. and the word minerals? |
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Post by ontheslate on Jan 8, 2022 19:14:40 GMT
Never knew why myself and anyone I asked never knew why minerals referred to drinks
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Post by jno on Jan 9, 2022 6:08:36 GMT
linkNever knew why myself and anyone I asked never knew why minerals referred to drinks I googlied and found this answer on Reddit:  Also a whole page from Nigeria: link
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Post by ontheslate on Jan 9, 2022 7:16:36 GMT
I suppose it’s why American know soft drink as soda as they used to use soda water to make drinks fizzy.
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Post by McCann on Jan 9, 2022 12:11:31 GMT
The soda thing in America is everyday language. People in Ireland referring to Minerals is rare these days, but I think it is something people remember fondly from their youth.
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Post by steve99 on May 13, 2022 18:54:53 GMT
There are several coffee shops a matter of minutes from me, one of the big chain's outlets and the rest the smaller type. I've no idea how the latter stay in business, as you couldn't fit a ferret into them and there aren't a lot of workplaces nearby to generate additional custom. I've never been in any of them, as although I would visit a local pub I'd find it a bit silly going down the road for a cup of coffee, particularly when you factor in the high quotient of posers who seem to think hanging around a coffee shop makes them cerebral or hip.
Like the word iconic, which must have been mentioned in the media a trillion times in the past few months alone, the coffee shop mindset has spread over our culture like a mutant and ever-growing Richard the Third. To continue with Minderesque slang, it surely behoves all decent people to say that when they hear someone mention they're going for a coffee, they ask the frothy funsters if they're sure they don't mean they're going for a Barclays. It's essentially the same thing, being a touch high-handed in one way or another.
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Post by bensonrad on May 31, 2023 22:46:45 GMT
If I ever go to a cafe, it for me has to be a local independent one, I just would not go into any of those commercial chains, plus I only drink tea and will just have a brew at home or work.
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Post by jjmolloy on Jun 1, 2023 12:14:14 GMT
Had to meet a client in a Costa recently  We both chose a 500ml bottle of water, 'nuff said.. |
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Post by barrythebook on Jun 1, 2023 17:20:46 GMT
Had to meet a client in a Costa recently We both chose a 500ml bottle of water, 'nuff said.. Still 'Costa' fortune though i'll bet? |
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Post by westminster on Jun 2, 2023 12:34:37 GMT
Speaking of a proper builders tea, my favourite tea is Yorkshire tea, superior to anything else, and Ive pretty much tried them all. Can't get that anywhere in the South now, have to stock up on boxes of it following the odd trip up the North. I don’t drink that Yorkshire muck. I drink herbal tea. The one I’m drinking at the moment detoxifies with a rejuvenating herbal infusion. The ingredients are: Birch leaves, wild elderflower, ash tree leaves, burdock chimes, brushstrokes of nettle, Gaelic flax seed, green tea, selenium 2-10 and pink fig mint. Goes great with tequila Herbal tea? Have you got something to tell us, Arch? |
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WTF?!
).
).
We both chose a 500ml bottle of water, 'nuff said.. 