It’s one of the miracles of the marketing industry that people have been persuaded that the thick end of three quid for a takeaway coffee represents good value.
More expensive than a pint of ale in WetherSpoons - which incidentally do a fairly cheap coffee.
Costa really has been very impressive in the way that it markets itself, designs its stores, locates and co-locates and merchandises its products. I assume that they’re some of the reasons that Coca-Cola took interest.
I think that you’re absolutely right, too. A well-maintained barista machine is superlative, but if it’s not looked after, it’ll be worse than instant. It’s absolutely analogous to well-kept real ale, and an overly warm can!
Yes, real ale is a good barometer of how well the beer cellar is run.
As others have said, Coca-Cola bought Costa Coffee last year for almost £4bn. Costa are not going anywhere.
Coffee shops exist in the same sphere as pubs. A leisure activity as much as a beverage. You're not paying £3 for a coffee, it is for the whole social experience. Just as you pay £3 for a pint of beer even though you can get a tin at home for a fraction of the price.
Greggs haven't expanded particularly rapidly and, crucially, they've not expanded with debt. They will also be fine.
That has always been what alarms me seeing businesses expanding by relying on the never never. If the venture fails you still have to pay. Much better to do as Greggs seems to have done - grow organically.
It was in a motorway service Greggs where I paid £3.20 for a steak pie which is probably around £2 at a high street Greggs.
I have found motorway service shops & eateries operate on their own rules & pricing.
I recently went to the McDonald's on the M56 Helsby services in Cheshire and they refused to accept the loyalty cards that you collect on the coffee cups - 6 x stickers gets a complementary brew.
CJ
Overheads are massive at Motorway service stations. Consequently, even in the sixties, the food was expensive and poor. Petrol was always more as well. I only go to them to use the toilet.
Personally i find some Primark stuff decent quality and lasts (and cheap too of course), i bought some of their jumpers a couple of years ago and all are still fine, wearing one right now in fact.
Whoa, steady, it is still summer. What sort of "jumper" are you wearing.
I have to say that personally I have found most of my Primark purchases dissolve quite quickly. But M&S underwear does not seem to last as well as it used to either.
Teenagers on first dates, kids’ birthday parties, and people gorging on the all you can eat buffet. Does anyone go for any other reason?
Oh really. they still do the all you can eat ?. Last I visited for that was near Marylebone decades ago. I have been missing out. I remember the technique was to stack the salad in (well on) the bowl in the correct order of layers to maximise it potential - sort of upside down pyramid.
It was a deal, The Premier league pulled the plug as the Chinese broadcasters didn't pay an instalment or something plus mutterings about Hong Kong.
Wimpy- The one on Lewisham high street opposite the 'spoons closed a couple of years ago.
Never went in, it looked so grotty inside. Plus memories about 50 years ago being treated to lunch (or dinner up north) and being violently sick after a burger and chips or whatever. It's funny how the mind makes a mental note of those things 'not good for you' / 'stay away' /'exercise extreme caution'
Not necessarily true. I have visited the same pub several times and never........
It is always the dodgy last pint, right ?.
