I went to work again today. Twice in one week! I know: madness.
The place where I’m working has no facilities. Of any kind. It’s also small and cramped. And with five of us in there today, it felt even more so.
And so, mid-morning, I volunteered to go and get us some teas and coffees.
The nearest place was the local supermarket which, I was told, had a cafeteria in it.
My heart dropped though, when I walked in and saw the sign proclaiming that they were “Proud to serve Costa Coffee“.
I queued for ages, waiting for the disinterested barista (a somewhat grandiose title for a spotty seventeen year old who makes bad coffee) to serve me.
Two teas, two coffees and a small bottle of water came to a hundred pounds.
Nearly.
So many supermarkets have outsourced their cafè/restaurant areas to these noncy – and very expensive – coffee shops now. In our local Tesco’s cafè, you used to be able to get ham, egg and chips and a cup of tea, all for just £3.25
But then they changed it to a Costa, and so now, for lunch, you’ll pay about 8 quid for a bite-size panini, a pecan slice and a cup of tea that’s so bloody hot you can’t touch it for twenty minutes.
Tomorrow, I shall search out one of those side-of-the-road snack wagons. It’ll be cheaper and I’d rather give my money to an old boy trying to eek out an honest living in B&Q’s car park, than some mighty conglomerate… that may, or may not, pay any taxes. *
Tesco should change their sign: “Proud to sell over-priced, over-rated coffee“.
Because every little helps.
* other rip-off coffee houses are available
I bet the water cost as much, if not more than, the coffee. As you say, rip off.
At least at Tesco you can get a suprise gift with your purchase … blooded syringe anyone? .. ermm, no thanks.
( G4, G6, ‘fraid not, long story but been stuck as a 2E1 since ’91 or ’92.)
The standard of coffee, in Costa, is fairly consistent. The big inconsistency is the quality of the output of independent coffee shops/outlets. My mate Charlie (@charliecoffee on the Twitter or have a butchers hook at this amazing info http://www.justgiving.com/charliethecoffeeman) makes, frankly, the best brew (tea, coffee or hot chocolate) this side of Turkmenistan. And beyond. Probably. But can I find any local independent coffee outlets to rival his expertise? Can I buggery.
Anyway, it isn’t a coffee shoppe you need, it’s a kaff. Get out there and find one of them.
Toffeeapple – whoa there! Don’t get me started on the bottled water farce that we ALL a part of! They sell it, but we buy it. Idiots.
David – yes, that’s bloody disgusting. I’d hate to find a syringe in my horse burger. (No worries on the 2E1… I always had designs on going Class A, but it never happened.)
Bren – But that’s part of the problem, innit? These caffeine behemoths are killing off all the proper greasy spoons.
I’m quite partial to a costa as it happens (oops, sorry) I think they make good coffee BUT, I concur, it is stupidly expensive and I’d rather have a burger from the bloke in the B&Q car park than one of their lifeless paninis. However, the little gingerbread muffin they make with a cute little gingerbread man on top is DEAD NICE and worth every bit of the hundred pounds!
They do pay UK tax, hence the expense
Jules – Stupidly expensive, yes, and yet we still pay for it. And… you said “muffin” *snigger*
Abbo – Yeah, I know Costa do (being a UK company). I was trying to imply some others may not, but without mentioning any names for fear of American lawyers knocking on my blog. One that springs to mind, begins with S and ends in TARBUCKS.
That’s someone you don’t see on telly anymore, Jimmy Tarbuck. Is he dead? I’ve seen his daughter Lisa in a few things including some series where she drove a bus which was filmed nearby at Hounslow Bus Garage. Kenny Lynch, he used to be with Jimmy Tarbuck towards the latter end of JT’s career although both were established seperately in the sixties.
I don’t like coffee.