Starbucks Coffees

[Hopey79]

Can someone please tell me the differance between a Starbucks Latte and a Starbuck Macchiato? Also how come the Costa and that Starbucks Macchiato are so different. Which one is a true Macchiato?
Tiax

[RATTER15]

W never drink Starbucks coffee, it always tastes burnt to me, I really don't like it. We frequently spend £3.00+ on coffee though.

I would never go out and spend all night drinking beer at £3.00 a pint, now that really is a waste of money!!

[rowanwitch]

Actually I'm with JJ part of it is sitting in a comfy chair with a book or a paper keeping half an eye on the rest of the world

[NOX]

Yeah definitely. The surroundings matter hugely- i like to chill out with a paper or a book andjust drink some lovely coffee at my leaisure while my cell phone is trned off- so £3-00 to me doesn't seem much for such a luxury.

[naomi24]

I don't mind paying for good coffee, but Starbucks is horrible - as is Costa - and I hate those huge thick cups and mugs they serve it in.

[rowanwitch]

like cafe Nero best of the chains and I know coffee is not meant to be made really hot but I would like it a little warmer thann tepid as is often the case

[Tizzi24]

I'm with redhelen and nox here. I love Costa or Cafe Nero coffee, but only have it every couple of weeks. Don't like Starbucks very much, it's not strong enough for me and yes, I know you can get an extra shot but I begrudge paying for that when I can go to one of the other two and get the coffee I like! At the moment I have a fad on vanilla latte!

[sunny-dave]

Ignoring the 'I prefer starbucks/costa/nero' issue (which is all about personal taste) the rest of the debate boils down to "opportunity pricing".

If I'm at home I can crank endless cups of wonderful espresso/americano out of my La Pavoni machine at around 20p per cup. If I'm out and about and want a pleasant sit/relax and some decent coffee then £3 may make me wince a bit, but it's the going rate and is well worth it at that point of my day.

In the last analysis it's not compulsory ...

[Hopey79]

Wow! shocked that this caused such a debate. I do spend £3 on coffee, but only once a week and i drink rarely. It was a lot less than once a week, as i didn't have one in my home town - now they have a drive through i do like to have one on my way to work (previously used to drink Frappachino's - too cold for those at the mo though). thanks for all your answers thou. x

[joggerjayne]

When I drink in, I generally ask for it in a take away cup, because ...

1. it feels less formal, and

2. if I want to, I can wander off before I've finished my coffee.

[Old_Geezer]

I used to be shocked at coffee prices, and I suppose to an extent I still am, but I've got used to them. Maybe because I once knew an independent coffee shop where the coffees were definitely special and I used to treat myself there every now and again. Sadly it changed, an I think sold on too. Now-a-days it is little better than all the others.

However I find that when out shopping and I need to sit down and relax for a bit the cost is worth it just for the ability to do that; the coffee is a secondary issue, but it helps get rid of tiredness as an additional benefit. But yes, at the price, the surroundings should be better, space, no piped muzak maybe, and something more that what looks simple brown liquid in a large cup. Where's the finesse the makes it a work of art ?

[emmie]

I am shocked at coffee prices no matter if it's in megabucks, or costa packet, supermarket and so forth. So OG, you are not alone.
I don't like drinking coffee out of paper cups, and seeing the staff in some of these places, not sure about the hygiene aspect either if using their crockery.

[netibiza]

Absolutely drives me mad in England when I am trying to get just a normal cafe con leche, ,I'm asked big small medium, take away, latte, ? I never have a clue so I say just a milky coffee please.

[joggybear]

if i can add my opinion, Costa is only coffee worth having when out for me

[EDDIE51]

A lot of this argument is down to the British 'system' where you either have a cafe or a pub/bar. In continental Europe and most of the rest of the world the 2 are one and the same. You can sit at a cafe in France for example and enjoy a coffee , tea , beer, brandy , fruit juice , whatever all from one place and get something to eat as well. Only in UK do you have to choose to go to a coffee shop or a bar.
My local pub now serves tea at 99p a pot and a selection of fresh brewed coffee from £1.25 to £2.00. It is packed from 10.30 am as soon as it opens , early on around 80% of the customers are having tea and coffee. It has big comfy sofas , free newspapers ,Wifi and a TV area. Surely this is the way forward ? if you fancy a brandy after the coffee , its no problem unlike a coffee shop.
There are many couples , mainly senior citizens, where one has a pot of tea while the other has a beer. They could not do that in a conventional boozer or a coffee shop.
Today they have started doing a pot of tea and a cake for £1.49 , the customers were queuing up for it.
a few more places like this would put Starbucks and the rest out of business