How have I upset my friend?

jellyhead

I think Dee only made the remark about coffee out of embarrassment over the whole issue. Most places would charge £1.99 or more even if they were just pressing a button for a machine to add water to a plastic cup filled with powder. They charge that much for water and a teabag anyhow.

The waitress should have been able to suggest a coffee. If I don't know what to choose I just ask for water. Coffee is a mystery to me - I know what to ask for in mcdonalds or places with a bog standard vending machine, but Starbucks would be bewildering. I don't even know what the words for small, medium or large are.

BugglyB

jellyhead wrote: »

I think Dee only made the remark about coffee out of embarrassment over the whole issue. Most places would charge £1.99 or more even if they were just pressing a button for a machine to add water to a plastic cup filled with powder. They charge that much for water and a teabag anyhow.

The waitress should have been able to suggest a coffee. If I don't know what to choose I just ask for water. Coffee is a mystery to me - I know what to ask for in mcdonalds or places with a bog standard vending machine, but Starbucks would be bewildering. I don't even know what the words for small, medium or large are.

I just say small black coffee. If they want to correct me and say grande whatever macchacio or whatever I just smile and say 'sure if you like'

euronorris

elvis86 wrote: »

To be fair, any barista (ie. coffee-server ) worth their salt should be able to recommend a beverage if a customer can describe what they want. I've worked in Costa and Starbucks and never had a problem when (frequently) asked for a "normal coffee". Sounds like the waitress the OP encountered was a bit of an unhelpful b!tch.

Bemoaning the choice and cost of coffee "nowadays" is just another thing for miserable old g*ts to uneccesarily get their sani-pads in a twist about.:cool:

Dude! I'm only 29! Crikey, I have enough stuff in my life to make me feel old before my time, don't you join in too! :rotfl: I just don't like coffee, so if anyone asked me to get them a 'regular coffee' and I came to the counter and found so many options, I'd be stumped.

I do agree though, the waitress should've been more helpful.

My 70 year old father is a bit of a coffee monster though. Now he's retired, he loves nothing better than going out to Costa (that seems to be his favourite), with my Mum. It's quite often where he sits and waits, with a paper, whilst she goes off to choose some clothes or whatever. He recognises that it's expensive, but he goes because a) he enjoys it, and b) it's his 'luxury' after scrimping and saving all his life.

elvis86

euronorris wrote: »

Dude! I'm only 29! Crikey, I have enough stuff in my life to make me feel old before my time, don't you join in too! :rotfl: I just don't like coffee, so if anyone asked me to get them a 'regular coffee' and I came to the counter and found so many options, I'd be stumped.

I do agree though, the waitress should've been more helpful.

I wasn't referring specifically to you!:D

I just meant that it's something that a lot of old people seem to complain about. I appreciate that Starbucks etc may seem (or even be) a bit expensive, but seriously, some people expect Coffee Shops to rent, staff and heat a shop, and sell them a cup of tea at the cost price of the teabag!

POPPYOSCAR

Does not sound very much like a friend to me. Why should you even have to 'know about coffee', how pretentious is that!

Some people like to make others feel bad about themselves as it makes them feel superior.

I personally prefer not to have people like this around me.

poet123

elvis86 wrote: »

I wasn't referring specifically to you!:D

I just meant that it's something that a lot of old people seem to complain about. I appreciate that Starbucks etc may seem (or even be) a bit expensive, but seriously, some people expect Coffee Shops to rent, staff and heat a shop, and sell them a cup of tea at the cost price of the teabag!

The sale of coffee seems to have been elevated to an art form now though. I don't drink it ( unless it's decaff) as it gives me heart palpitations so I am no expert. The names and permutations are beyond ridiculous imo.

I went into Starbucks with DH the other day though he is a coffee freak and the names people were ordering was amazing skinny latte machiato with an extra shot? The funniest was when I ordered and said (under instruction) Americano, the chap said what name and I repeated it, twice;)...then I realised it was progressed down the line as it was a service station and he was asking what was our name so he could write it on the cup!!:o I did feel a bit of a fool, so the OP is not alone.

Who cares though, it is really pretentious to expect everyone to be an expert on coffee or wine, but most of us know what we like.

POPPYOSCAR

I like to go to Ikea myself.

They do a nice cup of coffee(and tea) and it is free to family card holders mon-fri!!!

euronorris

elvis86 wrote: »

I wasn't referring specifically to you!:D

I just meant that it's something that a lot of old people seem to complain about. I appreciate that Starbucks etc may seem (or even be) a bit expensive, but seriously, some people expect Coffee Shops to rent, staff and heat a shop, and sell them a cup of tea at the cost price of the teabag!

Thank God for that. I already have a 12 year old neice (going on 16), who inadvertedly manages to make me feel ancient at times. Her: 'You know One Direction.' Me: 'Who?' Her: 'Oh, Aunty Euro, come on!!'. :rotfl:(In my defence, I've lived outside of the UK for over 3 years now!).

Well, it's not just old people that moan about it. And it IS expensive. Even when the overheads are factored in, they are making quite a profit on each cup of coffee due to the markup on that, their tea, cakes, biscuits, hot chocolate, crisps (and whatever else they sell - some do sandwiches now, right?).

But that's not the real issue with it. As Poet has pointed out, it's because it's been elevated to an art form, and had quite a snobby attitude attached to it. After all, there have always been places that sold coffee/tea, with slices of cake etc, and they were a LOT cheaper. It's a keeping up with the Jones' type thing though. People tend to assume that a Costa or Starbucks coffee is better than anywhere else, even though they most likely haven't tasted the coffee from other places.

*shrugs* Each to their own. I'm just upset that they didn't do something similar with crisps! :rotfl:

jellyhead

oooh yes, imagine being able to order hand-cooked crisps, parsnip only

euronorris

S&V Salty Dog crisps. How I miss them.

I know they are bad for me, but.....they're so yummy! *sigh*