[heiker]

I really do like Costa coffee but I'm finding it increasingly difficult to get a decent cup of coffee in any of their outlets.

I've lost count of the number of times I've interrupted staff to tell them how to make an acceptable Espresso or Americano. The Espresso is usually dumped unceremoniously in a stone cold cup whilst the Americano is drowned with too much hot water killing any flavour.

I haven't got a problem with them staffing outlets entirely with Eastern Europeans but giving them a few days training and then handing them a shirt with Barista printed on it is no guarantee the customer is going to get an acceptable product.

[postit]

Can't help you there. They've managed to expand without one penny from me

[noise747]

I do not go into Costa that often, in fact I went into ours a couple of weeks ago, for the first time for over 12 months.
I think the coffee have changed for the worse, it is certainly not the same from when I remember it. I did not really take much notice who staffed it, I know it is a new bar, it was around the corner a few months back, but they have gone into larger premises more into the centre of the town.

So now in about 200 yards if that , we now have, a starbucks, a nero, a Costa, a couple of local outside coffee bars, a couple of local cafes that sell coffee.
If you go another 200 yards or so to the new shopping centre, you have another Costa, and a local based company, plus Waitrose, Debenhams, they all sell coffee.

[mimicole]

Quote:

Originally Posted by noise747

I do not go into Costa that often, in fact I went into ours a couple of weeks ago, for the first time for over 12 months.
I think the coffee have changed for the worse, it is certainly not the same from when I remember it. I did not really take much notice who staffed it, I know it is a new bar, it was around the corner a few months back, but they have gone into larger premises more into the centre of the town.

So now in about 200 yards if that , we now have, a starbucks, a nero, a Costa, a couple of local outside coffee bars, a couple of local cafes that sell coffee.
If you go another 200 yards or so to the new shopping centre, you have another Costa, and a local based company, plus Waitrose, Debenhams, they all sell coffee.

We have so many coffee shops now. Every shop that is closing is being replaced by a coffee shop.

Surely people don't like coffee that much!?

[walterwhite]

I've always thought that if you want a really good coffee then Costa and the like aren't the places to go to. It's like going to McDonalds for a top class burger.

[LostFool]

What this country needs is a good chain of tea shops. It's hard to get a decent cuppa on the High Street.

In terms of the major coffee chains I'd say Nero >> Starbucks >> Costa.

[Mark in Essex]

Quote:

Originally Posted by walterwhite

I've always thought that if you want a really good coffee then Costa and the like aren't the places to go to. It's like going to McDonalds for a top class burger.

Saying that I've had a few decent cups of coffee from McDonalds although it can be a bit hit and miss.

Don't usually eat their food though unless it's desperation (like 3am on a Monday morning when I've been called out and nothing else is open).

[ImperfectPearls]

We've just had a local Costa start up and it's fab. The staff are all English (not that it would be a problem if they weren't) and one of them told me how they went to another Costa to train for 6 weeks. They all seem to be very good and unlike some other costa stores they're very consistent!

[callmediva]

Our local Tesco used to have a nice little cafe that did a decent full English breakfast but they closed it so Costa could have a place in there. I used to pop in a couple of times a month, but since it's been a Costa I've only ever walked past it

[heiker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImperfectPearls

We've just had a local Costa start up and it's fab. The staff are all English (not that it would be a problem if they weren't) and one of them told me how they went to another Costa to train for 6 weeks. They all seem to be very good and unlike some other costa stores they're very consistent!

I can't fault the Costa staff over the attitude to customers.....they are always extremely friendly and make a habit of remembering your preferences when it comes to ordering coffee. However, when you've drunk Costa coffee made carefully by a true barista then anything else is regretably just second rate.

[noise747]

Quote:

Originally Posted by heiker

I can't fault the Costa staff over the attitude to customers.....they are always extremely friendly and make a habit of remembering your preferences when it comes to ordering coffee. However, when you've drunk Costa coffee made carefully by a true barista then anything else is regretably just second rate.

Disagree with that, Costa is awful coffee, Nero is better, but if I want to get a great coffee then I got to a local place, just a shame it is a bit out of the way.

[heiker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by noise747

Disagree with that, Costa is awful coffee, Nero is better, but if I want to get a great coffee then I got to a local place, just a shame it is a bit out of the way.

Tried Nero once quite a while ago.....I'll have to give them another try.

When it comes to awful coffee I think that Starbucks wins that accolade above all others.