[Closed] Free tea and coffee what is all the fuss about ?

Drink what you like and ignore the snobs - unless you're a fashion victim.

Vintage Bintage

😆

suggesting that certain groups of people based on country of origin are somehow suited to partaking in a certain beverage.

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Dunno about that Binners, there's quite a few women with beards sat staring at (big) macs in my local golden arches.

Oh and more seriously I reckon the majority of the Waitrose free drinkers are pensioners and that, and probably not going to be spending much money in local cafes anyway.

I'd love to do a blind test with some of you coffee snobs with Starbucks coffee and some independent. I'm not saying it's the greatest coffee in the world, but it's not shit. You may not like lattes and whatnot (and sometimes the staff to cock these up if you get a bad branch, or especially if you are at a service station - they aren't actually Starbucks staff usually) but the coffee itself is decent enough.

It's always fun to ask for "a coffee" in a costa or Starbucks, it's as if such a drink never existed.

What's the problem? Would you go into a bakery and ask for a 'cake' or a BMW dealer and ask for a car, and not expect any follow up questions?

I'm not a coffee snob but I still think Starbucks coffee is pretty crap. Doesn't taste of much.

Caffe Nero is alright IME but I'm far from an expert.

Jeeze some of you are getting all uppety just because Waitrose offer free Tea and Coffee??

Seriously?

You need to get on your bikes more 🙄

it's not shit

It is.

Hence why it is disguised by being added to a bucket of milk along with a seasonal syrup flavouring.

It's all in the grind, Sizemore. Can't be too fine, can't be too coarse. This, my friend, is a science. I mean you're looking at the guy that believed all the commercials. You know, about the "be all you can be." I made coffee through Desert Storm. I made coffee through Panama while everyone else got to fight, got to be a Ranger. Now it's "Grimesy, black, one sugar" or "Grimesy, got a powdered anywhere?"

Grimes, 3/10/1993, Mogadishu

Molgrips, I disagree with you about Starbucks, I always find it tastes a bit burnt. Not a coffee snob either, quite happy with Costa etc, even Maccy D's is acceptable.

This is based on normal coffee BTW, filter or americano.

Off to Waitrose now for a free coffee, anyone want one?? Might pick up a free paper too. Better odds than picking up January 2013.

Yes please, see you downstairs 😉

It is.

Hence why it is disguised by being added to a bucket of milk along with a seasonal syrup flavouring

Do you think they always do that? Is that why you hate them so?

I don't like the epsresso at Costa or Nero as much as Starbucks - it's got that sweet cloying texture that I find hard to drink. Starbucks espresso is more dry, astringent.. prefer it.

One latte = about 40m on a bike

Which is the better choice?

The Italians know a thing or two about coffee - cappuccino after breakfast??????

Going past all the which coffee is best stuff, so what if Waitrose offer free coffee? Isn't that called a free market? How can you ban somebody doing something because it will put somebody out of business.

Do any of you who run independent coffee shops shop on amazon, CRC, Wiggle, Tesco, Shell, BP etc?

Going past all the which coffee is best stuff, so what if Waitrose offer free coffee? Isn't that called a free market? How can you ban somebody doing something because it will put somebody out of business.

The Americans have quite a good line in this. For a country that seems to love the free market and hate regulation there's an awful lot of stuff that prevents fair competition. Just look at how Tesla are banned from selling direct to the consumer.

Starbucks coffee tastes a bit burnt/smoky because they roast it to within an inch of its life. Some people like it because they've drunk instant for years and possibly still do so at home, so a coffee that's espresso based, even if it's from one of the chains, is a treat. It's always going to taste better than Gold Blend or equivalent. Given a choice of the big chains, I'd drink Starbucks on taste alone (though Costa improved their coffee a lot - it's their ubiquity that turns me off a bit), but not on principle if there's an independent nearby. Of course, plenty of independents will do a perfectly good espresso and dilute the shit out of it because they're too stingy to do an extra shot in a mug. In which case they can arse off too.

If I'm in Costa I'll drink a cortado or espresso macchiato - better than the Starbucks verison, and the best vehicle for their espresso imo.

I've dried Monmouth Coffee espresso and some independent place in Canary wharf, and I couldn't drink the espresso straight.

if it wasn't for the turgid crap most people serve up as tea, designed for those with no taste buds, probably 20 a day smokers and the like.

5 Woodbines add a certain "je ne sais quoi" to my 2 cups of co-op red label to get me kick started in the morning and out the door to walk the whippet...

I'd love to do a blind test with some of you coffee snobs with Starbucks coffee and some independent. I'm not saying it's the greatest coffee in the world, but it's not shit. You may not like lattes and whatnot (and sometimes the staff to cock these up if you get a bad branch, or especially if you are at a service station - they aren't actually Starbucks staff usually) but the coffee itself is decent enough.

Likewise. I generally drink at an independant when I'm in Andover (Blue Onion for the locals) but I can't say the coffee is immensely better than the Costa down the road - I just like what they do, they price fairly and think they are worth supporting. The coffee is excellent to my taste, but I doubt I'd tell it from Starbucks, one espresso v another.

So anyone going to the London coffee festival? i’m sure theres lots to [s]get your goat[/s] enjoy and some bearded hipsters with sleeve tattoos to gawp at not forgetting the coffee. theres even a starbucks there if you feel uncomfortable.

Whenever I am in my home town I walk past Costa, Starbucks etc etc and head to my indie coffee shop. Everytime.

Same when there used to be one in central Manchester too.

Anyone who will take 'free' coffee or tea over a decent indie needs to have a word with themselves.

Well its threatening to put them out of business in Wokingham

Assmuning you own one of them, which one? Could do some STW secret shopping.

Going past all the which coffee is best stuff, so what if Waitrose offer free coffee? Isn't that called a free market? How can you ban somebody doing something because it will put somebody out of business.

Your faith in the free market is touching. However, big companies can use their size/clout in ways that are actually anti-competitive.

It's all fashion/marketing/image bol licks

It all tastes rank and smells of burnt baked beans

*sups mug of tea*

Ahhhhhh

What?!

I'm a regular Waitrose shopper but I go because they sell stuff I want to buy, not for the free coffee. I find it a bit bizarre that people wander about the place with coffee in hand. Strangely I haven't seen much sign of spillage.

As for the othe other coffee chains, I don't go anyway. HOW MUCH?

I actually rolled my eyes when I walked in to my local Waitrose and saw folk queuing for the coffee machine (only a small store, no room for a cafe so the coffee machine is on the side of the customer services desk)

the funny thing is you have probably paid for that coffee in other ways by shopping at waitrose (depending on what you buy obviously)

I dont shop at Waitrose or John Lewis- even though there is a John Lewis nearby. It just strikes me as 50-somethings/the St Michaels/M&S from back in the 80s'. Dont give a shit as to the range of food they sell. They always seem to be full of people pretending to have money (or old people who actually have money).

However, big companies can use their size/clout in ways that are actually anti-competitive.

True. But the coffee shops will have to turn to quality rather than cheapness.

Hora you dont shop at John Lewis? well you did ‘back in the day’ 🙂

I feel like I should post on this thread. I have nothing to say but I'm supping on my tea and reading through this instead of working. I like tea and I like hob nobs. 🙂

grum - Member big companies can use their size/clout in ways that are actually anti-competitive.

And what is your solution? ban large companies from giving away coffee while people shop? Ban large companies from competing on price, banning large companies altogether?

Funny how nobody has answered the question about using amazon, CRC etc.

So anyone going to the London coffee festival? i’m sure theres lots to get your goat enjoy and some bearded hipsters with sleeve tattoos to gawp at not forgetting the coffee. theres even a starbucks there if you feel uncomfortable.

I think, while happy for folk to do most of whatever they want in private, I'd be uncomfortable with such a mass public display of masturbation.

Funny how nobody has answered the question about using amazon, CRC etc.

I'm guilty of putting up a recent PSA concerning an e-book available from the big A. Have made a conscious effort this year to avoid them as much as possible.

And what is your solution? ban large companies from giving away coffee while people shop? Ban large companies from competing on price, banning large companies altogether?

Funny how nobody has answered the question about using amazon, CRC etc.

Tighter anti-monopoly regulation? There's plenty of instances of supermarkets abusing their power.

And yes I sometimes use CRC, but I do try and use my LBS for stuff when I can.

It's stupid to suggest that people have to be ethically pure in every way before they're allowed an opinion.

I do like tea too.

Funny how nobody has answered the question about using amazon, CRC etc.

Are they giving away free coffee too?

its a selfish way of drinking your coffee that benefits nobody but your own narcissism
Me, I’m about to make a nice espresso with beans from Mrs Workye Shallo’s farm in Yirgecheffe.
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she gets $1 extra for her beans due to a direct trade approach that is far better than the ‘fair-trade’ label that means very little to a farmworker on a plantation.
i get exceptional coffee, she gets money to invest in the farm, what do you get in waitrose? you get to queue in a supermarket for a cup of turgid coffee that benefits nobody except waitrose.

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Are they giving away free coffee too?

free haribo. won’t people think of the poor cornershops

You're going soft on us (no, not [i]that[/i] kind of soft). 🙂

free haribo. won’t people think of the poor cornershops

Pity. I was hoping for a steaming hot cup of brown milk to arrive with my new grips tomorrow.

You're all wrong, Nescafe Azera is the nuts, anything more expensive is just posturing, and I'll fight anyone who says otherwise.

Nescafe Azera

I want to punch everyone in the face that was involved in making the advert for that.

I get free tea (or coffee) at work, but I still buy my own tea bags from Tescos.

With CRC's present delivery times, the coffee will be stone cold by the time it gets here. Maybe they could do ice tea?

the ‘fair-trade’ label that means very little to a farmworker on a plantation.

Does fair trade not benefit farmworkers then?

Anyway I suspect the free coffee in Waitrose is fair trade anyway.

On the original ish topic, would be nice to have a Waitrose near us. Current nearest is 180 miles away. John Lewis not much closer.

on subject of local farms, local venison farm - which was nice to visit - has closed their shop and now only stock direct to Waitrose (or is that indirect). So - do I support Waitrose and their suppliers?

It's toooo hard.

With CRC's present delivery times, the coffee will be stone cold by the time it gets here. Maybe they could do ice tea?

All very well until they run out of iced tea so just post you a bottle of their nan's piss because it looks close enough that they think you won't notice.

Don't y'all forget to get your little cards stamped now will ya's. 🙄

All very well until they run out of iced tea so just post you a bottle of their nan's piss because it looks close enough that they think you won't notice.

This strategy hasn't done Starbucks any harm.

Don't y'all forget to get your little cards stamped now will ya's.

Does fair trade not benefit farmworkers then?

direct trade is very different and only works for smaller scale roasters which while they are quite big businesses getting through tons of coffee a month they are not Nestle or Illy.
this link explains the difference quite well

[url= http://www.unionroasted.com/about/direct-trade.html ]http://www.unionroasted.com/about/direct-trade.html[/url]

it means more money for the farmer and a better quality product, something big producers are not really interested in.

This really is a first world problem....

local venison farm - which was nice to visit - has closed their shop

'Free range' venison is far superior to farmed venison. 🙂

Try a farmers market for local produce.

grum - Member
Tighter anti-monopoly regulation? There's plenty of instances of supermarkets abusing their power.

It's stupid to suggest that people have to be ethically pure in every way before they're allowed an opinion.

I didn't for a minute suggest anybody has to be ethically pure to have an opinion. My point was that things move on, businesses need to evolve and the government cant legislate against large companies trying to maximise market share and profitability.

I also cant see how giving customers a free coffee is anti competitive. I would say it is improving the customer experience meaning they stay longer, return more often and spend their money in Waitrose rather than competitors.

Lastly I cant see those in charge at Waitrose worrying about competition from an independent coffee shop, they complete with Tesco, Sainsburys and ASDA.

cin_girl -- "'Free range' venison is far superior to farmed venison.
Try a farmers market for local produce."

yes, have had good venison from proper game butchers. quite hard to find round here (bizarrely). Used to be two good game butchers in area, but even they were 12 miles away both.

Farmers market -- yes, not bad - again the ones round here are a bit hit or miss, not usually that local produce..

This strategy hasn't done Starbucks any harm.

Are you actually a coffee snob or are you just making a really worn point that isn't that valid?

Personally I never go near Starbucks, Costa etc and always prefer to support an independent.

I despair at the world though sometimes.

Most people are not going to turn away a freebie.
It just takes a little bit of thought to realise nothing is free and it's paid for somewhere else (mentioned before).

I shop independently as much as possible and if we don't, the very way our villages, high streets and town centres look will be just bland and uniform, with no character.

Bunnyhop - Member

I shop independently as much as possible and if we don't, the very way our villages, high streets and town centres look will be [b]j[u]ust bland and uniform, with no character[/u][/b].

The problem with uniformity is that the start-up cost is so high small independent cafe/business is unable to take the risk. Only the large ones with deep pockets can do so to establish their presence all over, hence trying out their formula all over i.e. popping up all over with similar design outlook and taste. Consumers have no choice but to use them. Yes, consumers don't have to frequent them but then if they keep seeing them all over, sooner or later they just give in to try them.

The business rate etc are crazily high that prevent any people with small capital to try out their luck.

For indie cafes to survive they really need to differentiate themselves from the big uniform outfit. But the problem is not all indies are able to differentiate their products or services offer. The big players on the other hands can cherry pick ideas from small indies then using their powerful channels to sell them.

😐

so Free coffee and a free 60 minute prime time advert for their Easter eggs on BBC1

Must be great being Waitrose 😉

Are you actually a coffee snob or are you just making a really worn point that isn't that valid?

I'm a snob full stop. But I am going to only buy coffee from independants that have good corporate training manuals from now on.

So yes to both really.

torsoinalake - Member

I'm a snob full stop. But I am going to only buy coffee from independants that have good corporate training manuals from now on.

So yes to both really

I don't there is such thing as coffee snob if the coffee taste good to you. I hate to pay even for a £ just to drink hot ash water if I have the choice.

However, I am not bothered about who I buy it from so long as they taste good. 🙂

I shop independently as much as possible and if we don't, the very way our villages, high streets and town centres look will be just bland and uniform, with no character.

+1

Just had to queue at the cake counter where the coffeee machine is also sited. Not impressed, I wanted to buy something (apple and blackberry crumble cheesecake) and delayed by freeloading ponces getting their drink.

Then delayed again at the checkout whilst they queue to have their card swiped for the free drink, bugger all actually purchased.

I don't really drink coffee (gosh, am I really admitting to that on STW?) I feel discriminated against.

Waitrose is part of the John Lewis Partnership and is probably a lot better to their employees (the partners) than your average local coffee shop. People should maybe do some background reading on how it's run before comparing it to Tesco's or Starbucks etc.

....and is probably a lot better to their employees (the partners) than your average local coffee shop.

I'm not sure what you base that conclusion on. The staff at the local 'one of' independent coffee shop near my site are undoubtedly happy in their work. And I know for a fact the hours and days they work are tailored to suit their constantly changing personal and family commitments.

I doubt that a supermarket chain, whoever owns it, will ever be as flexible and as responsive to constantly changing individual staff needs as a coffee shop where the relationship between owner and staff has developed to become one of genuine friendship.

The John Lewis Partnership are a customer of ours and very different from other supermarket chains, probably because they are employee owned. I'd certainly rather work for them that for a small local coffee shop. Here's what wiki has to say on the subject:

"Every employee is a Partner in the John Lewis Partnership, and has an opportunity to influence the business through branch forums, which discuss local issues at every store, and the divisional John Lewis and Waitrose Councils. Above all these is the Partnership Council, to which the Partners elect at least 80 per cent of the 82 representatives, while the chairman appoints the remaining. The councils have the power to discuss ‘any matter whatsoever’, and are responsible for the non-commercial aspects of the business: the development of the social activities within the Partnership and its charitable actions.

The Partnership Council also elects five directors on the Partnership Board (which is responsible for the commercial activities), while the chairman appoints another five. The two remaining board members are the chairman and the deputy chairman.

Every non-management Partner also has an open channel for expressing his/her views to management and the Chairman.

The John Lewis Partnership publishes a weekly in-house magazine, called The Gazette. It is the oldest in-house magazine currently still being published in the UK. Each John Lewis branch also has its own weekly magazine, called The Chronicle. Partners can write anonymous letters to the Gazette and the Chronicles, holding management to account.

The John Lewis Partnership has a very extensive programme of social activities for its Partners, including two large country estates with parkland, playing fields and tennis courts; a golf club; a sailing club with five cruising yachts, and three country hotels offering holiday accommodation for the Partners. When Brownsea Island was to be sold by HM Treasury for £100,000 in 1962, The John Lewis Partnership joined with The Boy Scout Association and The Dorset Wildlife Trust to provide £25,000 each to The National Trust which bought it. The John Lewis Partnership runs Brownsea Castle as a holiday venue for employees.

Partners are also enrolled in a very favourable pension scheme, are covered by death-in-service insurance, and are given very generous holidays. In addition to this, upon completing 25 years of service for the company, Partners are given a paid six-month break, known as "Long Leave".

Finally, every Partner receives an annual bonus, which is a share of the profit. It is calculated as a percentage of salary, with the same percentage for everyone, from top management down to the shop floor and storage rooms. The bonus is dependent on the profitability of the Partnership each year, varying between 9% and 20% of the Partners' annual salaries since 2000."

We ([url= http://www.thecocoabeancompany.com ]cocoa bean co[/url]) supply John Lewis/Waitrose with Confectionary products (hand made eggs, chocs n' similar) - one of the better companies out there and compared to some of our large buyers they are excellent to work with. As epicsteve said above they are prob one of the best companies to be employed by and i'd be perfectly happy to be employed by them, and if they want to give me a free coffee then sure!, i'd take one.

I do buy stuff from John Lewis but i've never shopped in Waitrose as the nearest is 120 miles away, a bit far to drive for the weekly shop.

epicsteve - Member

The John Lewis Partnership are a customer of ours and very different from other supermarket chains, probably because they are employee owned. I'd certainly rather work for them that for a small local coffee shop. Here's what wiki has to say on the subject:

What do you supply them with?

I am not bothered about who is running JL so long as they provide me with the goods and services I want I am happy. In fact they are rather good really.

I do shop at Waitrose as the queues are short plus the fact that I like one of their German blue cheese. Price wise not so bad by comparison to many so I am happy.

Never tasted their free coffee if those free coffee are like their own coffee bean brands then I tried them all. Nothing special.

I worked for John Lewis, not as staff but as part of their curtain making service as an independent workroom. It was a dreadful experience. Wrong fabric would turn up, incorrect measurements 50% of the time. I was the person who re-made the stuff that had gone wrong in the first place, their curtain department still couldn't get that right, so the re-makes often had to be remade.

We all have the choice of where we buy a tea and a coffee, regardless of how popular costastarbucksmaccyd is or any other shop that is forced onto our High Streets and town centres. I choose not to use them. It's easy, just walk past, ask a local where the best independent Tea room or coffee shop is and in you go.

What do you supply them with?

Consulting services.