45p extra on my extra coffee this morning! ?

Comment of the day Kate1949 !

Independent businesses usually spend their profits locally.
I try and support them over the chains because I want our/ your locality to thrive.

I love Wetherspoons. We like eating out occasionally but are trying to save money. Two lunches and two glasses of wine is about £13 in there and very nice it is too. If it's good enough for John Travolta, it's good enough for me.

I like a really good cup of coffee but am not above enjoying a vanilla latte from Greggs. They do a decent cookie too.

Saturday Afternoon Fever! Hollywood star John Travolta sparks frenzy in Norfolk by browsing the bakery aisle at Morrisons after enjoying a drink at the local Wetherspoons pub (copied from today's Daily Mail)

I would try to support the cafe ad much as possible. Many independent businesses are going to need all the help they can get in the months ahead.

I only have one cup of coffee a day, while sat up in bed first thing! I’m a cheapskate and carry a bottle of tap water around with me. When I go in a cafe, a couple of my social groups meet in a local garden centre cafe, I have to buy something to drink, often orange juice or fizzy water which is cheaper than coffee. Im not such a cheapskate to drink my own water although I often have tap water with a pub lunch.

Maudi

Well I'm in Weatherspoons waiting for my car to be fixed £1.20 and as many refills as you can drink ?
All depends Urmstongran if you think paying the extra is worth it to you.

Everyone to their own but I would rather stick pins in my eyes than give any money to Weatherspoons dreadful owner. Have your coffee in the independent coffee shop Urmstongran, at least you know they pay their taxes.

Can I add here that coffee at Wild Bean Cafe (M & S) costs 50p less if you take your own re-usable cup? Love a discount!

I had a coffee in Benugos at the Barbican £3. 50. As I haven’t been there for years and enjoyed the art gallery and sitting with friends with a view of the lake and garden I didn’t begrudge it

IKR, Urmston! It was one of those moments, we all ordered our food and then drinks and I happened to glance at the menu as I ordered a latte and saw the cost. I then just sat there and thought ‘Did I just order a coffee for £3.45? That’s about 50% of the price of the food!’ ?

My mum is also of the ‘I could make it myself for a tenth of the price.’ She won’t have it that cafes have to pay rent, rates, staff, tax etc.

I like coffee#1 coffee shops - they’re mostly in the SW I think. Their coffee suits me, and I like the style of the places. DH and I have coffee out once or twice a week. It’s not cheap, but very pleasant.

I think there’s a nice one called Kin near you…

We stayed in a Wetherspoons hotel last year, a very high standard, better than many others I could name and a good price.
Rarely drink coffee out in the UK, although I do like an iced latte in summer, tea drinker at home, we all need our treats * Urmstongran*

I definitely have decided to continue to do so Lucca. You’re so right.
Use it or lose it comes to mind.

For the record I wasn’t really singling out greggs …I don’t like any of the chains like Costa Starbucks macdonalds Etc.

Do support the independent shops please ! They are what gives town centres some semblance of character ! Worth paying a bit more in my book.

Coffees at £3.45 and £3.70 SueDonim and Margiknot?
Blimey O’Reilly.
Suddenly my little independent cafe seems great value!

When we moved (downsized) to the square my mobile went one afternoon. It was my mum. “Where are you?”
“In Costa mum” (the independent hadn’t appeared back then.

“What are you doing in there when you've a perfectly good kettle just upstairs from where you are sitting?”

“It’s called town centre living mum”. ??
Goodness, I miss her.
?

Coffee in a cheery independent cafe is one of those treats that makes life happy for me and so I will go on treating myself occasionally until it becomes prohibitive.

I reckon we're going to see more and more increases in prices. Compost at the garden centre seemed ridiculously expensive today - about 25 - 30% more expensive than last year.

I bought a take away latte today from the Costa in the hospital. It was £3.70 in my own travel cup- which gave me a bit of a shock. Still it was much needed and made with a cheerful smile.
We popped into a weatherspoons in what looked like a grand old coaching inn- for coffee and toast whilst visiting a market town and it was both very quiet and surprisingly genteel! It was sad to see several closed independent cafes- but it may just have been the wrong day -early closing perhaps.

I paid £3.45 for a large latte in an independent today! ? It wasn’t even very large. ? And they brought me the wrong food, which I didn’t realise until I’d started eating. ?

Greggs coffee is ok and their hot choc is fine as well. And they sell yumyums. ?

16:34MerylStreep

Oh dear Maudi don’t tell posters you went into Weatherspoons, you’ll be cancelled, a non person.
suppose it could have been worse, you could have been reading the Daily Mail in Weatherspoons. ?

Ha ha I did actually have a read online (other newspapers were available lol). I used to belong to a large motorhome group and we all loved Weatherspoons ?

A neighbour said Gregg’s coffee is good.
I don’t know whether she meant the price though.
?

I won't give up my small treats like good coffee as may have to forego more expensive ones soon.

BlueBalou

Lucca

I hardly ever have a takeaway coffee. I like to sit in a cafe, have a decent coffee and read the paper. Otherwise I might as well have a coffee at home….and I dread to think what Greggs coffee is like..

? Actually Greggs coffee is far nicer than Starbucks, MacDonalds or Câfé Nero’s!
There’s nothing to stop you taking your own travel mug or cup too, that’s what I do ?

I'm with you on that, BlueBalou - I'm far from a coffee snob, but Greggs' coffee is actually pretty decent, and their morning offer (a hot drink and bacon or sausage roll) is pretty good value too. I do like to support independent cafes and shops wherever possible, but there are none open early enough when I'm on my way to work.