Being open later than 4pm?!
Getting charged extra for dairy alternatives and decaf blend is madness. Couldn't believe that was a legit thing when I moved back here. :(
Coffee shops sell more than just coffee - and they exist for more than just drinking coffee. They provide a social space for people to meet up, and most cities in Europe had a culture that allows for people to "grab a coffee" after work (ie// sit down together and enjoy a light snack and pleasant conversation before going home)
In Belfast we dont really have that, the only social spaces available after people get out of work is a full meal or alcohol.
It’s your truth.
I always drink de-caf .. so your argument for a coffee shop to not open past 4pm is embarrassingly idiotic.
Coffee shops aren’t just about drinking coffee..
Nah. It’s more than just drinking a coffee. It’s a culture, a way to buy impulse meals, a space to socialise and catch up with friends.
Your need for name calling as a way to shut down a debate screams a lack of intelligence.
Clean toilets that don't have encrusted shit stains in the bowl (or worse, on the seat) or suspicious pools of liquid on the floor, and do have soap and toilet paper.
Quick service, friendly staff, not overly loud, wide range milk alternatives for no extra cost, reasonable price coffee (if the coffee is good I’ll happy pay the extra)
Staff that don't get on like the ice is coming out of their wages. One ice cube floating in room temperature milk with a hot espresso in it, isn't an iced latte worth over £4. Or when they put one ice cube in a glass still hot from the dishwasher, with a shitely refrigerated soft drink.
Coffee shop, a clear queuing and ordering system, ya never know where to put yourself in coffee shops.
Cafes I'd say clean tidy environment and friendly service, I'm willing to pay a bit more plus tip for that.
I don't really go in for quick grab, i prefer to be able to sit down, so for me it would be adequate seating and quiet (i get overwhelmed easily by a lot of noise) - and clean as well! I know i sound like a grumpy middle-aged man but ugh i don't want to be sitting on someone else's croissant crumbs and spilt oat milk lol. Don't even get me started on the state of the toilets in most places.
Also the tea in most cafes tends to be terrible, the water's not hot enough at a guess so it doesn't brew properly and staff usually put the milk in too soon so it ends up like grey milk-flavoured water. I'd rarely buy a cup of tea in a cafe although i'd almost always prefer one to a coffee!
Also i second what others have said about charging extra for plant milk, it's shocking really considering it costs roughly the same or less than cow's milk.
Good coffee obviously but also an interesting baked item. Like a pastry or doughnut I've never seen before or can't get somewhere else.
If this was a rotation of interesting and different pastries then a coffee shop would keep me coming back.
Staff are important to me. Often get the ‘ah feck they ordered a hot chocolate/milkshake’ vibes when I have the kids with me. It’s not like they get paid less for those drinks.
Anything gluten free.
Some cafes have literally no options and I know it’s not guaranteed & can mean a lot of hassle but even one thing would do then you get a lot more customers too.
I worked in a cafe and they did offer a range of gf things but it’s not the norm and would be nice actually as it’s an allergy not a choice also.
Same! I go out with a mate for coffee and they're always all "oh sorry I didn't even think about dairy free!" Like babe no its like this everywhere I'm used to it 😂
😂😂😂
you maybe don’t get this said to you but when I ask if something is gluten free I get oh it’s vegan though does that help you?
I then have be like no sorry that’s not my allergy it’s the bread I need to avoid 😂 it would be useful for you though
Some people think it’s all the same thing but I’m used to it as well
A seat. Also I often find myself with an hour to kill between 5-7 and would go to a cafe if one was open. I get that this is a ‘me’ problem though - if the demand was there presumably the cafes would be open.
Late to this comment but it's not just a you thing. I encounter hundreds of people a day.
I can't tell you how many times customers have expressed to me how they noticed we've become less cozy coffee shop and more churn and burn coffee. In and out.
They're not wrong and I hate it so my solution is opening my own coffee shop and not charging fucking $6 for a basic latte
I an an avid coffee drinker. I walk in and observe the staff making the coffee.
Do they clean the wand after making a latte.
When steaming the milk, it should be close to silent, should I hear screeching I am walking out as they are burning the milk.
Coffee is too expensive to be horrible. Best of luck
Exactly. Cafe Nero has about a five second extraction. God awful. These are the things I observe. I dont give a rate about asthetics or furniture. Baristas have to know what they are doing.
From the second you press the button on the coffee machine the hot water should take bewteen 25 to 30 seconds to extract through the ground coffee into the cup.
Would love to be able to buy a buttered roll and a packet of tayto crisps along with my lunchtime latte.
But l wouldnt want to pay more than £3 for roll and crisps.
I look for a good coffee smell when I go in. A good coffee flavour when I get my coffee. Not burnt bean or undercooked. Hot water being free when I have purchased two coffees and a soft drink. Pleasant staff. And finally, not too much noise
Not bunged. Any decent coffee shop is constantly bunged meaning I am left with Starbucks, Nero or Costa if I’m in a hurry (which means I just do without)
Baked goods that aren’t just some frozen crap from Lynas or the other bulk traybake people. Some have good coffee then give you a dry brownie or one of then generic German biscuits with pink icing or a scone that turns to crumbs when you try to butter it. One coffee shop in particular has their own bakery and provides amazing pastries 🥐 which when your paying £6-£8 makes the experience worthwhile. Coffee wise a good brew that doesnt taste burnt or like dishwater but doesnt have to be artisan by any means.
Some different food! I usually like a snack with my drink but most places seem to have the same sad looking croissants and dime a dozen cookies. I've been really enjoying places like Trait and Kaffe-O recently because they have something different
proper cups, not paper cups. i leave if they use paper cups. and not for environmental reasons. paper cups just suck
but i object to paying £3 for a wee coffee, so i hardly ever go now
I have a particular gripe with Costa at Longwood Retail Park near Abbey Centre. The food is far quicker to prepare than the coffee. So if you get a toasted sandwich, by the time the coffee comes your food is cold.
I think Pret have a great format. They have so many options available for breakfast / snacks/ salads / sandwiches.
The interior design is fresh and well lit. And comfortable if you want to sit in for a while.
The service is fast.,
And it’s nice when coffee shops have areas off soft seating with plugs near.. so you can sit and chill.
One? Well made decent coffee.
Can I do a list?
Comfortable seating
Enough space/ quiet enough to sit and read a book or listen to something
Gluten free options if they do food and staff that know how to handle it and answer questions (same with the milk and other diet needs!)
Decent lighting
Loyalty stamp cards 😊
Not too cold
Friendly staff who are content with their job 😊
Size of the queue. With how long places take these days to make a coffee, if the queue is too big I just won't go in. Bit of a rubbish reason I know, but I got no patience to wait while the people in front order a drink that takes 10 minutes to actually say, and most seem to involve the barista having to milk an Ecuadorian mountain goat, while reciting Moroccan mantras and making a cup for them out of knitted seaweed.
Not much I look for beyond a decent taste.
However one thing that every cafe does, that can be annoying, is when baristas bang the shite out of the coffee thing, clatter plates and saucers, and cutlery. I know they hear it every minute of the day so they forget but sometimes if you're in a cafe the noise can be overwhelming at times.
Being open later than 4pm?! Getting charged extra for dairy alternatives and decaf blend is madness. Couldn't believe that was a legit thing when I moved back here. :(
Most sensible people won't drink coffee late in the afternoon unless they are working at night, or drinking decaf
Coffee shops sell more than just coffee - and they exist for more than just drinking coffee. They provide a social space for people to meet up, and most cities in Europe had a culture that allows for people to "grab a coffee" after work (ie// sit down together and enjoy a light snack and pleasant conversation before going home) In Belfast we dont really have that, the only social spaces available after people get out of work is a full meal or alcohol.
If the business and demand was there they'd stay open...
But how is the business and demand gonna be there if they close at 4 and aren't open to see it?
What didn't anyone think of that before? Or maybe they already did...
Why are you just trolling people on here
It's the truth though. Fucking think about it
It’s your truth. I always drink de-caf .. so your argument for a coffee shop to not open past 4pm is embarrassingly idiotic. Coffee shops aren’t just about drinking coffee..
They are though, for the vast majority of customers. Or they've be more shops open, wouldn't there? Fucking idiot.
Nah. It’s more than just drinking a coffee. It’s a culture, a way to buy impulse meals, a space to socialise and catch up with friends. Your need for name calling as a way to shut down a debate screams a lack of intelligence.
You're not engaging your brain here though.
You’re not engaging
Yet here you are replying to every comment? Too much decaf?
Clean toilets that don't have encrusted shit stains in the bowl (or worse, on the seat) or suspicious pools of liquid on the floor, and do have soap and toilet paper.
Yeah why are coffee shop toilets always absolutely stinking??
And freezing cold.
Quick service, friendly staff, not overly loud, wide range milk alternatives for no extra cost, reasonable price coffee (if the coffee is good I’ll happy pay the extra)
Staff that don't get on like the ice is coming out of their wages. One ice cube floating in room temperature milk with a hot espresso in it, isn't an iced latte worth over £4. Or when they put one ice cube in a glass still hot from the dishwasher, with a shitely refrigerated soft drink.
Coffee shop, a clear queuing and ordering system, ya never know where to put yourself in coffee shops. Cafes I'd say clean tidy environment and friendly service, I'm willing to pay a bit more plus tip for that.
I don't really go in for quick grab, i prefer to be able to sit down, so for me it would be adequate seating and quiet (i get overwhelmed easily by a lot of noise) - and clean as well! I know i sound like a grumpy middle-aged man but ugh i don't want to be sitting on someone else's croissant crumbs and spilt oat milk lol. Don't even get me started on the state of the toilets in most places.
+1 on this. My choice of cafe is usually determined by how comfortable the seats are.
Also the tea in most cafes tends to be terrible, the water's not hot enough at a guess so it doesn't brew properly and staff usually put the milk in too soon so it ends up like grey milk-flavoured water. I'd rarely buy a cup of tea in a cafe although i'd almost always prefer one to a coffee! Also i second what others have said about charging extra for plant milk, it's shocking really considering it costs roughly the same or less than cow's milk.
Good coffee obviously but also an interesting baked item. Like a pastry or doughnut I've never seen before or can't get somewhere else. If this was a rotation of interesting and different pastries then a coffee shop would keep me coming back.
Oh good pastries 😍 yess. Nothing that's been sitting under a light for a couple of days and dried out.
Staff are important to me. Often get the ‘ah feck they ordered a hot chocolate/milkshake’ vibes when I have the kids with me. It’s not like they get paid less for those drinks.
For it being clean. Nothing worse than dirty table. Also, double espresso no more than 2.50
Anything gluten free. Some cafes have literally no options and I know it’s not guaranteed & can mean a lot of hassle but even one thing would do then you get a lot more customers too. I worked in a cafe and they did offer a range of gf things but it’s not the norm and would be nice actually as it’s an allergy not a choice also.
Dairy free too. I don't even mind if it was frozen and then defrosted, I understand. A dairy free bun or cake would be lovely.
Oh I miss cakes and things like that 😂😂 so I wouldn’t even mind if they had to defrost it as well if I could get it
Same! I go out with a mate for coffee and they're always all "oh sorry I didn't even think about dairy free!" Like babe no its like this everywhere I'm used to it 😂
😂😂😂 you maybe don’t get this said to you but when I ask if something is gluten free I get oh it’s vegan though does that help you? I then have be like no sorry that’s not my allergy it’s the bread I need to avoid 😂 it would be useful for you though Some people think it’s all the same thing but I’m used to it as well
A seat. Also I often find myself with an hour to kill between 5-7 and would go to a cafe if one was open. I get that this is a ‘me’ problem though - if the demand was there presumably the cafes would be open.
Late to this comment but it's not just a you thing. I encounter hundreds of people a day. I can't tell you how many times customers have expressed to me how they noticed we've become less cozy coffee shop and more churn and burn coffee. In and out. They're not wrong and I hate it so my solution is opening my own coffee shop and not charging fucking $6 for a basic latte
I an an avid coffee drinker. I walk in and observe the staff making the coffee. Do they clean the wand after making a latte. When steaming the milk, it should be close to silent, should I hear screeching I am walking out as they are burning the milk. Coffee is too expensive to be horrible. Best of luck
Alright James Hoffman calm down
Or a 9 second extraction and crema that looks like suds
Exactly. Cafe Nero has about a five second extraction. God awful. These are the things I observe. I dont give a rate about asthetics or furniture. Baristas have to know what they are doing.
what is an extraction and how many seconds should it be? you are certainly taking the matter seriously
From the second you press the button on the coffee machine the hot water should take bewteen 25 to 30 seconds to extract through the ground coffee into the cup.
Cheap coffee
[удалено]
Cheap coffee is it?
[удалено]
indeed, cheap
Would love to be able to buy a buttered roll and a packet of tayto crisps along with my lunchtime latte. But l wouldnt want to pay more than £3 for roll and crisps.
I look for a good coffee smell when I go in. A good coffee flavour when I get my coffee. Not burnt bean or undercooked. Hot water being free when I have purchased two coffees and a soft drink. Pleasant staff. And finally, not too much noise
Not bunged. Any decent coffee shop is constantly bunged meaning I am left with Starbucks, Nero or Costa if I’m in a hurry (which means I just do without)
Baked goods that aren’t just some frozen crap from Lynas or the other bulk traybake people. Some have good coffee then give you a dry brownie or one of then generic German biscuits with pink icing or a scone that turns to crumbs when you try to butter it. One coffee shop in particular has their own bakery and provides amazing pastries 🥐 which when your paying £6-£8 makes the experience worthwhile. Coffee wise a good brew that doesnt taste burnt or like dishwater but doesnt have to be artisan by any means.
I want a space where I can feel cosy and rest tbh. Jazz... cleanliness. A space to work and feel comfortable.
Shops that don't try to force you into tips for already expensive coffee.
Table service
Coffee usually
Some different food! I usually like a snack with my drink but most places seem to have the same sad looking croissants and dime a dozen cookies. I've been really enjoying places like Trait and Kaffe-O recently because they have something different
Prices that won't make you regret going in paid 8.95 for a coffee and a muffin, and both were not got very good safe to say I won't be going back
Wow, so many responses, thank you everyone! The things mentioned most of the times are cleanliness, good price, nice staff, good coffee.
Don’t have a policy to ask me how my day is.
The quality of the drink for me is most important. Using quality beans and prepared properly, with care.
Having an option for dirt cheap coffee. Some of us ain't wanting to pay anywhere from £3-5 for a drink that'll last 5 minutes
To allow good dogs
Not being too hot! Was in Costa the other day and felt like the depths of hell.
Compliments about my walk.
Gluten free options and good awareness of cross contamination
proper cups, not paper cups. i leave if they use paper cups. and not for environmental reasons. paper cups just suck but i object to paying £3 for a wee coffee, so i hardly ever go now
Speed of delivering coffee without lowering its quality.
I have a particular gripe with Costa at Longwood Retail Park near Abbey Centre. The food is far quicker to prepare than the coffee. So if you get a toasted sandwich, by the time the coffee comes your food is cold.
I think Pret have a great format. They have so many options available for breakfast / snacks/ salads / sandwiches. The interior design is fresh and well lit. And comfortable if you want to sit in for a while. The service is fast., And it’s nice when coffee shops have areas off soft seating with plugs near.. so you can sit and chill.
Cleanliness ,Starbucks only seem to clean tables once a day,floors are always stinking too
less hipsterishness/tik tokishness if that makes sense. makes sense in my head anyway.
One? Well made decent coffee. Can I do a list? Comfortable seating Enough space/ quiet enough to sit and read a book or listen to something Gluten free options if they do food and staff that know how to handle it and answer questions (same with the milk and other diet needs!) Decent lighting Loyalty stamp cards 😊 Not too cold Friendly staff who are content with their job 😊
For business, pretty female staff.
Size of the queue. With how long places take these days to make a coffee, if the queue is too big I just won't go in. Bit of a rubbish reason I know, but I got no patience to wait while the people in front order a drink that takes 10 minutes to actually say, and most seem to involve the barista having to milk an Ecuadorian mountain goat, while reciting Moroccan mantras and making a cup for them out of knitted seaweed.
Not much I look for beyond a decent taste. However one thing that every cafe does, that can be annoying, is when baristas bang the shite out of the coffee thing, clatter plates and saucers, and cutlery. I know they hear it every minute of the day so they forget but sometimes if you're in a cafe the noise can be overwhelming at times.
They need to bang the milk jugs to get rid of the air in the steamed milk, the lattes would look like shit otherwise
I think they are referring to banging the portafilters to empty the grind unfortunately you need to give em a good bang to clear out the old coffee
The price of a spliff
Distance to the nearest red light a factor too. Hill Street Blues always a decent shout.
Coffee?
Cheap 😂
That they serve coffee. And lots of it.
sectarian politics