Coffee Rip Off Britain

vikingaero

stamford wrote: »

I've always viewed these places like Starbucks, Costa Coffee etc with extreme cynicism and amazement that the mug British punter is happy to shell out two and three pounds for a mediocre cup of coffee.

This was born out by a weekend trip to Rotterdam - the Dutch have always provided good quality reasonably priced coffee. I did not see a single branch of Starbucks or Costa Coffee but we had nice cup of waitress served tea & coffee on a rooftop terrace in Central Rotterdam for a grand total of 3.50 euros

http://www.engels.nl/pages/main_restaurants.htm

A lot of Starbucks and Costas are in prime retail sites so they need to charge top dollar to cover their overheads.

In England coffee tends to be either Nescafe or the American chains whereas Europe has always had more of a traditional coffee culture.

Sarahsaver

It annoys a friend and I when we meet sometimes for a coffee and they ask 'do you want chocolate on it' when we order a capuccino. It is like asking if you want bread with your sandwich :eek:

sinking_2

stamford wrote: »

I've always viewed these places like Starbucks, Costa Coffee etc with extreme cynicism and amazement that the mug British punter is happy to shell out two and three pounds for a mediocre cup of coffee.

This was born out by a weekend trip to Rotterdam - the Dutch have always provided good quality reasonably priced coffee. I did not see a single branch of Starbucks or Costa Coffee but we had nice cup of waitress served tea & coffee on a rooftop terrace in Central Rotterdam for a grand total of 3.50 euros

http://www.engels.nl/pages/main_restaurants.htm

Honey they are not a rip, only a business trying to make profit. I run a 1.2 m pound restaurant business and our bottom line profit is only 13 -15 % if we have a good year. Massive rents, insane taxation and increasing min wage ( not a bad thing) are the reasons for your the price of your coffee. These people have to rely on huge turnover to make profit and selling items for these prices is a risky endever to ensure you as a consumer can sit down in a nice comfortable environment and enjoy a product that you trust. Don't be so harsh ther's alot nastier animals out there such as the ikea devil.

sinking_2

stamford wrote: »

I've always viewed these places like Starbucks, Costa Coffee etc with extreme cynicism and amazement that the mug British punter is happy to shell out two and three pounds for a mediocre cup of coffee.

This was born out by a weekend trip to Rotterdam - the Dutch have always provided good quality reasonably priced coffee. I did not see a single branch of Starbucks or Costa Coffee but we had nice cup of waitress served tea & coffee on a rooftop terrace in Central Rotterdam for a grand total of 3.50 euros

http://www.engels.nl/pages/main_restaurants.htm

Buddy, they are not a rip, only a business trying to make profit. I run a 1.2 m pound restaurant business and our bottom line profit is only 13 -15 % if we have a good year. Massive rents, insane taxation and increasing min wage ( not a bad thing) are the reasons for your the price of your coffee. These people have to rely on huge turnover to make profit and selling items for these prices is a risky endever to ensure you as a consumer can sit down in a nice comfortable environment and enjoy a product that you trust. Don't be so harsh ther's alot nastier animals out there such as the ikea devil.

stamford

sinking wrote: »

Buddy, they are not a rip, only a business trying to make profit. I run a 1.2 m pound restaurant business and our bottom line profit is only 13 -15 % if we have a good year. Massive rents, insane taxation and increasing min wage ( not a bad thing) are the reasons for your the price of your coffee. These people have to rely on huge turnover to make profit and selling items for these prices is a risky endever to ensure you as a consumer can sit down in a nice comfortable environment and enjoy a product that you trust. Don't be so harsh ther's alot nastier animals out there such as the ikea devil.

I sat down in a nice comfortable environment at a centrally located roof terrace in Holland's 2nd city, was waitress served (not self serve a la Starwanks), dunno if I trusted the product it was only a nice cup of coffee after all. I paid a fraction of the UK price.

If you are only making 13 - 15% with a load of stress in a good year I'd think seriously about putting your money in a 90 day notice Building Society Account

zappster1966

I agree. Aren't the coffee shops getting really expensive ? They must be popular though, these shops are sprouting up everywhere.

I take the kids to the church across the road from starbucks when we're in town. They run a little tearoom manned by volunteers & their profits this year are going to a village in Malawi. Ok the coffee isn't brilliant. No better than the instant you make at home. But the kids get soft drinks, a biscuit & whatever and I still come out with change from a fiver. And the kids get to run about and play in the church hall while I'm trying to get my head together.
Although the old ladies who run the thing are a bit like the "charity shop" old ladies who live in Royston Vasey - always entertaining (and free !!)
But it's a good cause I guess.

ManAtHome

More "celeb britain" than "rip-off britain" - plenty of small independent cafes and sarnie-shops over here serving better stuff than the "names", but they're "just too common dahling..."

PBA

It's not a rip off - if people are happy to pay inflated prices then that's what the coffee shops will charge. I'll stick with my cup of instant!

sharnad

ive only ever had a starbucks once when i was at the airport and couldnt beleive the price can get a jar of nice coffee for the price of a cup

andyrules

I think Bob Geldof has something amusing to say about the price in Starbucks in 'Grumpy Old Men'.

Dangeroussports - for the first time ever you have said something I agree with!!