What is so special about it? i went into ours today, only the second time since it opened about 3 years back, I do not see why some people think it is so great. I know ours is only a small one and not that large, but the prices of their own products are way over the top. like a more expensive version of Marks and Spencer but without the clothes.

i did not buy anything in there, I only went for a nose as I was early for my bus. i doubt i will ever go in there again.

Maybe you should try eating the food rather than just looking at it.

It's the new diet - look at it but don't eat it It'll never catch on

I don't use Waitrose direct but I get quite a few of their products from Ocado. I'm a huge fan of their essential range. Their essential baked beans are the my favourite, even over the branded beans.

What is so special about it?
I don't know myself really, apart from few cake & bakery items they have, I prefer M&S food hall over Waitrose.

Waitrose do sell some nice biscuits from the Duchy range, but M&S have some lovely ones too.

I love Waitrose and would do all my shopping there if I could afford it. The quality is excellent. But yes, it is more expensive.

My local Waitrose is a bit smaller than the Tesco & Sainsburys. So it is more convenient, I think. I tend to go there when I just want a few bits rather than the bigger weekly shop for basics.

I wouldn't say they are more expensive like for like, just different products which may be at a premium compared with economy stuff.
For example, they will stock a range of virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars. But if you look and taste some, the difference in quality is obvious for more expensive ones.

Me I like it as it is not too big and I know a number of staff now who look after me and even put items aside for me !

Each to their own. I like it, it is a more pleasant shopping experience even on a Saturday. I like the bakery, they have Duchy Cropwell Bishop Stilton and Wookey Hole Cheddar. I like their selection of fruit and veg (they do a certain type of new potatoes that you can't get elsewhere). They give me a free newspaper and discount off certain items that I can choose. They are about the same price as Sainsbury's.

I find it a bit chavvy, I prefer getting my grub from Harrods and Fortnums

I like Waitrose, some items are overpriced but the cod fishcakes were tasty.

Great if you want a wide choice of similar things. Some good offers which compete well on price and some ordinary things way more expensive than other supermarkets.

So I go there if I want something very particular, buy stuff that's a good deal (it's not all expensive) but don't buy much everyday stuff.
Horses for courses.

agreed. Its very common.

For me, it's mainly the quality of service. The staff are always so happy to help. They are more upmarket and sell mid to high range items. It's not a cheap supermarket (like Netto, Lidl etc.) and they're not trying to be. However, they do price match with the other main supermarkets.

Their tins of skinless and boneless sardines are wonderful

I traipse about a mile to my nearest Waitrose just to buy them

I can't be doing with bones in tinned fish

Don't go to Booth's noise, - don't think you would like that either!
Although their bakery section is awesome, especially the bread.

My nearest Waitrose are dead clever .........the bakery and coffee shop are right by the front door so you get all the best smells as soon as you walk in and it makes you feel hungry

they could fry up some bacon as well if they really 'on the ball'

I've only ever been in one once and found products identical to ones found elsewhere, only far more expensive. I was tempted to buy some of their so-called luxury drinking chocolate. It was horrible.

Boneless sardines. Thanks for the tip.

If nothing else their existence is justified by their Baking/Greaseproof Paper. Nothing compares.

serious LOL

A FACT INDEED.

If you feel you have not been looked after well, or you feel one staff may be looking down their nose at you - report them and this keeps your local store as a 10/10 - the management are 101%

One has to agree with you here, what with all the chavs congregating in there to get their free coffee in a paper cup!

I think I prefer to sit & drink my coffee in a china cup opposite Waitrose in Costa Coffee.

Well, you didn't look very hard then. Many of their products are more expensive because they are much better quality and usually cannot be obtained elsewhere. Excellent French mayonnaise in jars (utterly different to the insipid Hellmans) and other bottled sauces, Moma porridge, Jacksons bread, Quince paste (brilliant with cheese), top quality chocolate, unusual range of tinned fish, excellent cheeses on the deli counter especially the cheddars, etc., etc. Oh and a free coffee and newspaper.!

I bet Waitrose wished they never started the free coffee scheme with a purchase. The queues for the machine are ridiculous, well in my local one. I've never bothered...

Same here. I've sampled much of the Waitrose range via Ocado for nearly two years now. I have often found myself agreeing with the other posters who consider them overrated. They even have a few products that are totally appalling, such as scampi with the poo tracts left in.

I haven't found any Waitrose premium products that are anything but equivalents of Tesco Finest, Sainsbury Taste the Difference, or Morrisons Best.

But the one thing I do rate them highly on is their own brand basics/essential range that seem to be a cut above the rest. I haven't tried their beans, will do