Coffee shops - Yea or Nay.

[anon8380037]

Part of daily life for many.
We spend a lot of time there browsing, chatting, charging and watching the world.

What are your preferences?

Coffee chain versus a good independent.

Coffee store or sandwich/deli, diners to fast food outlets.

*Expensive or affordable.
(*On Edit: meaning also do you find them too expensive to visit regularly, or affordable enough for a few times a week, or day!)

Plentiful in your areas, or too far for just a coffee.

Your choice of beverage, food, cakes and your petty indulgences.

How long per visit?

Would you feel guilty with just a coffee?
Most don't.
(I do, but I also have a sweet tooth so have to eat something!)

Stories please.

 

[Laura Knotek]

I love coffee shops!

My preferences are local, independent stores. However, most of those have closed down. As a result, I mainly go to Starbucks.

I rarely eat anything, but usually just get coffee.

How long do I stay? About 1-1½ hours if I'm with friends. I'll take out my coffee if I'm alone.

Sent from my rooted Nexus 7 (2013) using Tapatalk

 

[Golfdriver97]

Part of daily life for many.
We spend a lot of time there browsing, chatting, charging and watching the world.

What are your preferences? Usually visit with my Mom.

Coffee chain versus a good independent. Usually a Chain. Caribou to be more precise.

Coffee store or sandwich/deli, diners to fast food outlets. Coffee shop.

Expensive or affordable. A grey area. Since I make my own coffees, when I go out, I typically spend a little extra money.

Plentiful in your areas, or too far for just a coffee. Some option in town, more if I go 15 minutes to the next town

Your choice of beverage, food, cakes and your petty indulgences. Coffee with a pastry. I am usually there in the morning anyway.

How long per visit? 60-90 minutes.

Would you feel guilty with just a coffee? No
Most don't.
(I do, but I also have a sweet tooth so have to eat something!)

Stories please.

Above answers in red.

 

[anon8380037]

Thanks.

I suppose I didn't mean do you choose to go to a very expensive place, rather do you find them in general to be a little bit expensive, or acceptable enough.

Apart from a few expensive, high end places, the prices are mostly similar in London.

Pret a Manger, Cafe Nero, Costa Coffee, Starbucks are everywhere.

 

[Javier P]

Never got used to that kind of coffee shops. Sometimes I go to a Cafe Nero when in England but in general I feel guilty staring at an empty cup of coffee for an hour. In Spain a cafeteria or a bohemian Cafe always involved coffee, something to eat and a couple of drinks afterwards. For my generation a coffee shop was just an Amsterdam thing

 

[Golfdriver97]

rather do you find them in general to be a little bit expensive, or acceptable enough

I find them to be pricey in general. Say the average coffee is $4/cup. One coffee/work day for one month is about $80. That is a pretty significant hit to the pocketbook.

 

[anon8380037]

It is.
Starbucks and most chains here are about £2.20 / 2.40 / 2.60 for small medium large Americano/Cappuccino/Latte before frippery toppings so it's psychologically less painful than $4.

I have a regular 'meal' of an excellent ham salad sandwich, americano and choc/almond croissant for £5.60 eating in; most other combinations are heading towards £10 at a Pret a Manger.

(anyone of 3500 NBC TV staff here for the Olympics will know the chain).

$4.00 for 60 - 90 minutes 'accommodation' and maybe wifi is not too bad if you look at it that way, you just have to provide your own entertainment.

It fills my hours while working (job has a lot of waiting time), am in the city, or after a long park walk.

Starbucks started in the UK about 1998.

I have been recording re-runs of Frasier here lately, hence the thread!

 

[nahoku]

Hey you guys that sit in places like Starbucks...

If you see a younger man walking in with his 87yr old Mom... MOVE! LOL!

So many times I walk in with my Mom and there's no place to sit. Most tables are taken up by a single individual doing whatever's on his/her laptop, tablet, or phone. Every table taken up by a single person!

Have some manners and let the elderly have a seat! Mingle with those around you and share a table!

You know, most times I walk into Starbucks with my Mom, this happens. I'm not so rude or bold to say anything but here I can say whatever I want! LOL!

 

[anon8380037]

Hey you guys that sit in places like Starbucks...

If you see a younger man walking in with his 87yr old Mom... MOVE! LOL!

So many times I walk in with my Mom and there's no place to sit. Most tables are taken up by a single individual doing whatever's on his/her laptop, tablet, or phone. Every table taken up by a single person!

Have some manners and let the elderly have a seat! Mingle with those around you and share a table!

You know, most times I walk into Starbucks with my Mom, this happens. I'm not so rude or bold to say anything but here I can say whatever I want! LOL!

I agree that can often be a big annoyance, though I tend to frequent at less busy times, or know the ones big enough to get a seat.

Actually talking to a new person though when you have an electronic device to do that, well that's just Crazee talk.

You are in Hawaii I think. I haven't been.

The number of laptops I see is still high, and they can hog a big table with an outlet and one long coffee.
It can be the only place to use a laptop for a work trip on occasion, but I am sure some regard it as their office.

It must come in to a coffee chains business plans but they don't seem to deter people when it's busy.
I think people do ask "do you mind if I sit here" and on the whole, people are generally friendly and considerate - but there are times when I will walk around with a tray realising the few empty seats are now gone, so I sympathise. If I am with someone, I don't like grabbing a table before we've ordered.

One thing that irks me here, is closing the main seating area on a different level hours before they close, even ushering people out to the main level before they have finished, so they can go home early.

A little bit of seating management from the staff would help, asking people use a smaller table, ot would they like another coffee, but they don't want to alienate customers.

It's always been the same.

 

[anon8380037]

Never got used to that kind of coffee shops. Sometimes I go to a Cafe Nero when in England but in general I feel guilty staring at an empty cup of coffee for an hour. In Spain a cafeteria or a bohemian Cafe always involved coffee, something to eat and a couple of drinks afterwards. For my generation a coffee shop was just an Amsterdam thing

You reminded me of Paris and France also, I haven't been to Spain. Bistros / Cafes with plenty of outdoor seating and watching the world go by is how it was meant to be. Italy too.

Any small outdoor seating areas in the UK now are taken over by chain smokers, so I stick inside.

Still, on the whole it's a fairly inexpensive way to enjoy some seating and a nice beverage.

One would think the smartphone explosion of the last couple of years would increase the demand for coffee stops. I don't know, I guess they have. They are certainly doubling or trebling their outlets in London, where all you have everywhere are coffee shops, Estate Agents (real estate), restaurants, phone stores and other chain multiples.

And then you wonder what ALL the people who almost live in coffee shops actually do for a living, as no one makes anything anymore, or spends time AT work.

Times are changing, but I can't help but feel shopping areas have a weird balance right now.

 

[anon8380037]

I love coffee shops!

My preferences are local, independent stores. However, most of those have closed down. As a result, I mainly go to Starbucks.

I rarely eat anything, but usually just get coffee.

How long do I stay? About 1-1½ hours if I'm with friends. I'll take out my coffee if I'm alone.

Sent from my rooted Nexus 7 (2013) using Tapatalk

I would prefer independents too, but there are less of them as you say, and when I am on my own (which is more often, as I work out and about) I feel less conspicuous in a chain that I like, no matter where I am. Although again, if I am out of the city, in a smaller town, I am more inclined to try a local coffee shop or cafe.

Interesting that you prefer to take out if you are on your own. I guess it's a gender thing.

Have a seat next time, and maybe I will come over and tell you how wonderful I am for an hour.

 

[anon8380037]

Above answers in red.

Coffee shops are great when meeting a visitor or family member, and saves me cleaning up.

Caribou we don't have.

I remember a thread where you or B. Diddy mentioned some weird home brews, but I'm sure they're lovely.

Wealthy people I have worked for tend to buy Nespresso's weirdly, which are like expensive cartridges, right?

It's a hobby I might get into, making coffee, but I am a pretentious wannabee aristocrat at heart, and I like good service for little money, so coffee shops are great.

 

[Golfdriver97]

weird home brews

My normal coffee is Maxwell House Breakfast Blend. Since it's a lighter roast, there is more caffeine in the coffee (heat destroys caffeine). A Depth Charge is a cup of coffee with a shot of espresso.

 

[SactoKingsFan]

I don't drink coffee or coffee drinks, so I prefer diners, especially if I'm studying or writing a paper. Diners stay open late (some 24/7) and are less crowded. They also have pie and ice cream.

Sent from my 6045I using Tapatalk

 

[anon8380037]

My normal coffee is Maxwell House Breakfast Blend. Since it's a lighter roast, there is more caffeine in the coffee (heat destroys caffeine). A Depth Charge is a cup of coffee with a shot of espresso.

LOL. I think it was B. Diddy, come to think of it.


On Edit : Found it. Post 18.
http://forums.androidcentral.com/ge...und-applause-ambassadors-mods-aaq-please.html

 

[anon8380037]

I don't drink coffee or coffee drinks, so I prefer diners, especially if I'm studying or writing a paper. Diners stay open late (some 24/7) and are less crowded. They also have pie and ice cream.

Sent from my 6045I using Tapatalk

That would be my choice too, if we had inexpensive diners.

I can only get decent home made pies and cream in seaside resort towns, the nicer ones.

I only started on coffee in my thirties.

 

[Javier P]

You reminded me of Paris and France also, I haven't been to Spain. Bistros / Cafes with plenty of outdoor seating and watching the world go by is how it was meant to be. Italy too.

That's exactly what I like! I've spent many hours in that situation Not many places like that in the UK. Closest thing is a pub with a garden or those cafes in the park around the kids playground.

Any small outdoor seating areas in the UK now are taken over by chain smokers, so I stick inside.

C'mon mate, don't be like that! Next time you see a middle age man having a smoke on an outside table, don't give him a cold look. It could be me

One would think the smartphone explosion of the last couple of years would increase the demand for coffee stops. I don't know, I guess they have. They are certainly doubling or trebling their outlets in London

I think they have, specially in such a touristic place. That's my main reason to go into a coffee shop there. It's just amazing how many of them there are, and always with a lot of costumers.

 

[nahoku]

Ahhh, the good old, simpler days. Back in the 70's (ahem, cough, cough), I was stationed in Germany. I loved visiting all the Guest Houses and especially the Nuremberg Castle, sitting outside drinking a cold beer and eating bratwurst. It was great! Lots of people, seating and pretty Frauleins. Not a laptop or phone to be seen!

Times are changing

^^^ Society has changed for sure.

 

[CaffeineBomb]

Definitely a fan of the european style cafe/coffee shop. Just watching the world go by while relaxing or getting some work done and drinking nice coffee is a one of my favourite things to do.

Definitely agree about racking up bills from doing it though. I generally work from home and the coffee shop is usually for when I'm absolutely sick of isolation and need to be around people.

 

[OnlyGames]

100% yes. I can spend hours there if with my friends, and usually takeaway if i'm alone
a good idea - everybody loves coffee today!