MSE News: Waitrose to scrap free hot drinks offer in its cafes

Space_Captain

cuongMe wrote: »

They should also check people obtaining the coffee as I see too many just walking into the store, grabbing a coffee and leaving. This probably explains the long queues to the machine for us genuine shoppers.

I think the free coffee machine should have a card reader that you swipe your MyWaitrose card through. Machine will not dispense without a swipe first, and then will only allow one free cup a day per MyWaitrose card. I see people who get 3 or 4 free capuccinos each day and don't spend any money instore.

jon81uk

Space_Captain wrote: »

I think the free coffee machine should have a card reader that you swipe your MyWaitrose card through. Machine will not dispense without a swipe first, and then will only allow one free cup a day per MyWaitrose card. I see people who get 3 or 4 free capuccinos each day and don't spend any money instore.

I think the till will only allow one per card per day anyway. The people taking more than that are blatantly stealing as they are just walking out with their coffee and don't even go to the till to process it. I think this is why many stores force you to get a cup from customer services first.

ampersand

Emporium staff hint: 30p upgrade on drink type circumvents 'free' block, but 30p is cheaper than anything within the caf!.

Our friendly lot are working on other dark ways:-)...

ampersand

DCFC79 wrote: »

Tue, if people dont like having to buy 1 of the treats then just get a coffee or tea to go, it should free up some of the tables.

Its still not a bad deal though, a piece of fruit cant be much in Waitrose.

#
But it has to be from the caf!, usually in bowls above the food display.

The in-house 'free' drink will be triggered only by an associated caf! epos txn.

cuongMe

jon81uk wrote: »

I think the till will only allow one per card per day anyway. The people taking more than that are blatantly stealing as they are just walking out with their coffee and don't even go to the till to process it. I think this is why many stores force you to get a cup from customer services first.

Exactly! People are stealing drinks!

Ames

I can kind of see the point of this, but think they should also allow it free with a minimum spend in store, maybe £25 to avoid people buying a chocolate bar, but it still gives a chance to get off your feet for ten minutes or so after doing the shop before heading home.

I have to say as someone with mobility problems the free coffee (ie, free chance to sit down halfway through the shop or afterwards) was one of the reasons I started shopping there, along with the small shop size.

topicalcat

Pincher wrote: »

A true fan would have a [EMAIL="******@waitrose.com"]******@waitrose.com[/EMAIL] e-mail address.


Now that Waitrose doesn't do broadband any more, the die hards are paying about £20 a year to keep the address going.

John Lewis currently offer broadband and get a good write up in the recent Which Survey. Going off track a bit

I always have a pastry or whatever with my coffee, lucky to have a Waitrose with a coffee shop. Always thought it was polite to make a small purchase as I was reading their newspaper for free and using the Internet. I am happy with this change, they need to regulate demand otherwise you will not get a seat in the cafe. There is after all no free lunch - just a free coffee!

The_Old_Bag

Not surprised Waitose have done this.
I think it is true that it is not about cost, but about Customer services.
My friend works near a store and often used to go in for lunch - including a free coffee of course, and do a spot of shopping in her lunch hour.
She has waited so long for her lunch to be produced she has cancelled the order and made a formal complaint.
The staff have been so busy dealing with people just wanting their Freebie, that customers actually wanting to pay for food have gone elsewhere.
I think it disgusting how people are kicking off about this.
This is a FREEBIE
IT has been going on for years now.
What other store offers free hot drinks to customers every day ?
Not M&S, not Tesco, not Sainsburys.....

Personnally I LOVE Waitrose, and especially love their free drinks scheme.
My nearest store does not have a cafe, so I use the machine, and the cappuccino is delicious.
My credit card bill is full of spending at Waitrose - often on a daily basis as there is always something on offer - they had loads of half price stuff only finished this week.
If I do go to another store and use the cafe I love their toasted teacake - really big size, and you can ask for Flora or Butter. Yummy
So stop complaining folks, and be grateful for what you have had, and what you can still enjoy !:p

HonestJohn

I am not surprised or even disappointed at the change. I shop at Waitrose and get a take out coffee and free newspaper. The higher prices they charge cover the cost no doubt. !!!!!!!!!!s abuse deals like this and complain the most.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

Just been in the morning, and T'd and Caked with BoPsie. Three tables of pensioner library reading tabloiders were blocking, spooning their empty foamed coffee mess, no foods, we're in when I went and got my bottles of wobbleades.

Fifteen minutes later, as queued, when getting cake and tea, were still table blocking. Finished nice cake, tea. Buffered off ten minutes later, old biddies were still swapping the cafe papers, cups of deformed emulsified coffees were well empty. No wonder that w@rz will want these over excessed old flockers out, so the threat of us can at least grab something and pay for it.