Daily Coffees and cafes

I can remember going into a cafe with my mum 60 odd years ago. She would order a 'frothy coffee' and we kids would be allowed to spoon off the froth as a well-remembered treat.

I meet up with a friend for a walk once a month. We have lunch first and coffee and cake after. It costs more for the coffee and cake than it does for lunch....

A treat when I was a small child, was my glamorous smartly dressed grandmother taking me out to an Italian cafe for coffee. She had a day off midweek as she worked at weekends. My local town still has several Italian cafes. They are buzzing every lunchtime except on a Sunday.

I love visiting a cafe but oh doesn't. When I visit GC I'm always popping into a cafe for coffee but not cake. Quite partial to a Danish pastry tho. I'm a Cafe Nero fan but do try independent cafes. Anyone got any recommendations for cafes in Cambridge?

My fresh coffee is very important to me and whatever else I have to give up the coffee will be the last thing. I have champagne taste and beer money. So my way is that I have a box in my boot, and have bone china mugs, cutlery in a little lunch box , take 2 thermos flasks with hot but NOT boiling water. my cafetiere, fresh milk and often take some fruit or a couple of biscuits in a bag. I do occasionally go into a coffee shop but friends and I prefer to meet at a local park, or near a little wood and have a little walk if I am able to, then can sit in the car with lovely coffee and chat. If the weather is good have fold up little chairs with backs so can get them out and sit and enjoy the peace and lovely views. Do the same if I go to the coast, then can sit away from a town but up on the cliffs with great views and stop where we want to . Hurray for coffee for me.My sister hates coffee and only has 3/4 diffierent kinds of tea. I only get tea if she visits , enjoy my choice of coffees . Have a good day

It's getting a little too cool for me to sit outside so prefer to see friends at home where I know the coffee is good. Still cautious about close contact and being out and about too much. I have had Covid and am trying to avoid getting it again. Roll on summer.

tbh it makes me do my hair, put a bit of makeup on and get dressed. If I stay home I don't bother as much. My husband and I go for coffee every day. Sometimes just a Costa and toast for breakfast- sometimes for a drive in the country

I'd rather have my lunch than a coffee and cake and prices are similar. There are coffee huts where I walk the dog with a couple of outside tables and they are cheaper than the cafes, but it's getting too cold to sit there now. I love to watch the dogs standing in the queue waiting for their Pupachinos.

Have never drunk tea as the smell makes me nauseous. Can’t take the weird taste of instant coffees…no actual aroma or taste of coffee?
What I love is freshly made stronger cappuccinos or lattes accompanied by a small delicious cake or pastry. I adore cafes and am willing to pay what it takes to keep them in business!
We have some lovely coffee shops nearby and even our Cafe Nero branch produce some delicious drinks and sweet treats.

I only go out for a coffee once a week. I go for an hour's walk with a 'simply walk' group and we go for a coffee afterwards. The coffee is quite good value and the loyalty card they use gives a free coffee after buying 9 so it doesn't seem too extravagant. Other than that I only visit coffee shops when I'm travelling or on holiday as I make rea coffee at home so it does seem an unnecessary cost.

I volunteer at the local food bank and was made aware of one of the families who get help being regular customers in the local Costa!. That does seem a bit much if they are so hard up they need donations of food. I have to watch my tendency to be judgemental though! I'm sure most food bank users are in genuine need but it has reduced my willingness to donate thinking that some recipients may be taking advantage. I still volunteer though. The need for foodbanks is increasing with the cost of living crisis so I guess the criteria for help may tighten up.

I have recently boycotted my favourite coffee from one of the huge coffee shops.

At first I felt it was just too expensive when I was charged £4.20 for a medium latte. But then…

They sent me a special offer on the app for two gingerbread or hazelnut lattes for £4. This sounded like a better deal, and I could have one straight away and put the other in my flask for later in the day (I’m a lorry driver, so limited as to where I can park to get coffee!). But… they didn’t have the hazelnut syrup, so I said “that’s okay, I’ll have them without” nope - they would either sell them to me with the syrup that they hadn’t got, or I had to pay £8.40 for them without! ?

My friend thought it was just a one-off and went to her local one to be told exactly the same.

They’ve lost a couple of customers, not that I suspect they’ll notice ?

jocork I volunteer at the local food bank and was made aware of one of the families who get help being regular customers in the local Costa!. That does seem a bit much if they are so hard up they need donations of food. I have to watch my tendency to be judgmental though!

I understand. I avoid unnecessary spending any way possible, but have been told to watch my judgmental attitudes.

I doubt my thoughts were even a tendency, more likely my usual everyday attitudes toward any waste.

The price of coffee also includes the
Luxury of being served and the non washing up, the surroundings you sit in, the atmosphere, the break from your own 4walls and as Hebburnsent said a reason to dress and do your make up , it's good value for me

Of course it is.
There isn't a price that can be put on getting out and about in the world of the living.

I can't be doing with this competitive going without, for the sake of £3 or so.

MissAdventure

Of course it is.
There isn't a price that can be put on getting out and about in the world of the living.

I can't be doing with this competitive going without, for the sake of £3 or so.

I don't read "competitive going without" - rather some people have limits to what they will spend in "the world of the living".

I have spending limits and spending frivolities.

Exactly as it should be.

my daughters own a cafe so I am really glad there are so many of you who enjoy going out for coffee....... sad to say I am not one of them

I'd be a permanent fixture!

The cafes here are like little societies in their own rights, with their tribes.

I can always find someone to bore talk to.

MissAdventure

I'd be a permanent fixture!

The cafes here are like little societies in their own rights, with their tribes.

I can always find someone to bore talk to.

MissA there is a lovely cosy coffee shop, with home made cakes and so much more in the High Road (opposite where the police station used to be) when you feel up to it we can meet there x

Oh I think I may know where you mean.
I seem to have lost my bearings, but I'm sure I can remember that cafe.

That's a date, then, when I feel and look better.

Looking forward to meeting up again

As a pre-schooler on the Wirral, when I went with my mother and Mrs Jones from next door into Liverpool for a shopping trip we generally ended up in the Lyceum café for tea before going home. There was always a tray of cakes put on the table but I wasn't allowed to have one – you paid for the ones you took.

Whenever we go out for the day my partner always wants to dive into a cafe as soon as possible. I think it’s a waste of time, I don’t drink caffeine, I’m lactose intolerant and I’d need to spend the rest of the day popping in and out of loos (another waste of time). So he sits with a coffee and cake ( I rarely eat cake) and I sit with a glass of tap water which I don’t drink but I have it for appearances! I’m a real cheap date. (Until we go to a good restaurant or wine bar, then it’s a different story).

I can't drink percolated coffee unless it's after a full meal as it makes me nauseous. Can only have 1 mug of instant coffee without eating biscuits or toast as that has the same effect. Guess I'm sensitive to caffeine but I do have an occasional cappuccino when we go out to lunch which is rare.

When I was able to go out shopping on the dial a ride bus I took a flask and sandwich with me and sat on my hired scooter and people watched. Very interesting.