Companies Using "Because of COVID" As An Excuse For Poor Service

[island]

If memory serves, they changed it to bring your own cup separately before abolishing it.

 

[duncanp]

If memory serves, they changed it to bring your own cup separately before abolishing it.

I wonder if Waitrose have ever heard of recycling.

If they made their takeaway coffee cups from recyclable material then people could recycle the cup when it is finished.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

So if you want a free cup of coffee you have to remember to bring a cup with you.

What about using old fashioned china cups and saucers and, er, washing them after each time it has been used.

Once used to be a 'free' paper cup provided.

 

[LowLevel]

It's a complimentary item which they wish to provide at as low a cost as possible. Bring your own cup doesn't generate waste and is cheaper. It seems obvious to me.

 

[WAB]

I wonder if Waitrose have ever heard of recycling.

If they made their takeaway coffee cups from recyclable material then people could recycle the cup when it is finished.

The production of the recyclable cups still requires energy and raw materials.

 

[Mojo]

The production of the recyclable cups still requires energy and raw materials.

And of course the “paper” cups aren’t actually paper but contain a small amount of plastic which means that a very small number of locations will actually recycle them, and even then there is a limit to the number of times that it can be recycled, with the danger still of small plastic fibres entering the ecosystem even if 100% of cups taken are actually recycled (in reality most people won’t return the cup to a recycling station).

 

[lyndhurst25]

Booths supermarkets also did a similar free coffee offer. In mid 2018 they started making you bring your own cup and even sold suitable Booths branded reusable plastic cups in store. I bought one and kept it in my car boot next to my shopping bags. Then the free coffee got withdrawn in early 2020 because of covid and it seems that the offer isn’t coming back. I don’t think that I got my money’s worth out of the cup that I bought.

 

[TPO]

So if you want a free cup of coffee you have to remember to bring a cup with you.

What about using old fashioned china cups and saucers and, er, washing them after each time it has been used.

Making everyone bring their own cup sounds like a sleight of hand by the bean counters which allows Waitrose to pretend that they have brought back the offer of free coffee, whereas in fact they are making it difficult for people to take up the offer, so that most people don't bother.

Then in 6 months time Waitrose will withdraw the offer, claiming that not enough people make use of it.

And of course the “paper” cups aren’t actually paper but contain a small amount of plastic which means that a very small number of locations will actually recycle them, and even then there is a limit to the number of times that it can be recycled, with the danger still of small plastic fibres entering the ecosystem even if 100% of cups taken are actually recycled (in reality most people won’t return the cup to a recycling station).

Which is all why the major coffee chains had a set up where you get 10p-20p off a cup of coffee if you bring your own cup, usually having a selection of re-usable cups at different price points available. It's really not a problem having your own cup, I've been doing it for years. I have a couple of nice thermo mugs in different sizes (12oz and 16oz) and they are in regular use, my massive annoyance during COVID was that they stopped taking reusable cups for a while.

So I got out the habit of buying on the way, these days I do my own coffee before I leave the house. I bought a one-cup drip coffee machine that you put ground coffee in (uses a 2-stage washable filter), and is set up so you can pop a thermo mug under it. Doesn't take long- just leave it prepped the night before, pop the thermo mug under and hit "go." I do it on "slow" setting to get a nice strong brew, by the time I've got my other kit ready the coffee is done too. I worked out that even on "Americano" coffee once a day, that machine was paid for within a couple of weeks and I get to choose the variety of coffee that I want in it and can save the used grounds for use in the garden. The thermo mugs are metal so also recyclable when they finally give up the ghost, although my mainstay mug is still going strong after ~10 years of regular use (The trick is to ALWAYS rinse it out as soon as you can, even if that's using non-drinking water at a handbasin, stops it clagging up with coffee residue). Admittedly it was a fairly costly and good quality mug when I originally bought it and I take care of it.

[And yes, I have my own refillable water bottle too].

TPO

 

[philosopher]

Which is all why the major coffee chains had a set up where you get 10p-20p off a cup of coffee if you bring your own cup, usually having a selection of re-usable cups at different price points available. It's really not a problem having your own cup, I've been doing it for years. I have a couple of nice thermo mugs in different sizes (12oz and 16oz) and they are in regular use, my massive annoyance during COVID was that they stopped taking reusable cups for a while.

So I got out the habit of buying on the way, these days I do my own coffee before I leave the house. I bought a one-cup drip coffee machine that you put ground coffee in (uses a 2-stage washable filter), and is set up so you can pop a thermo mug under it. Doesn't take long- just leave it prepped the night before, pop the thermo mug under and hit "go." I do it on "slow" setting to get a nice strong brew, by the time I've got my other kit ready the coffee is done too. I worked out that even on "Americano" coffee once a day, that machine was paid for within a couple of weeks and I get to choose the variety of coffee that I want in it and can save the used grounds for use in the garden. The thermo mugs are metal so also recyclable when they finally give up the ghost, although my mainstay mug is still going strong after ~10 years of regular use (The trick is to ALWAYS rinse it out as soon as you can, even if that's using non-drinking water at a handbasin, stops it clagging up with coffee residue). Admittedly it was a fairly costly and good quality mug when I originally bought it and I take care of it.

[And yes, I have my own refillable water bottle too].

TPO

Related to this, one thing I have noticed is that many coffeeshops that stopped serving drinks in ceramic mugs during Covid have not reinstated serving drinks in ceramic mugs. Therefore, customers have to have their drink served in a paper cup if they do not have a reusable cup, which is not great for the environment.

 

[ATrainSpotter]

I see Waitrose have decided to bring back the free coffee offer for their loyalty card holders that they scrapped in 2020 due to Covid. Not a customer, but it took them long enough......

Noticed this too and thought it was just me