The £5-00 Cup of Coffee in London

Coffee is a weirder market than people realise. Most people don't understand good coffee and most cafes don't serve good coffee. People think they should pay less in a local coffee shop than they should in a chain like Starbucks or Costa. A lot of people still see it as a quick and easy drink to make which shouldn't cost much. A fast food product in essence. There probably isn't enough of a market for really good coffee because the people that appreciate really good coffee have a home setup or prefer light roast from a V60 drip etc. but it is good when you find a good coffee.

I'm quite fussy/snobby with my coffee these days and I really begrudge paying a lot for a coffee as if it was an artisanal product when the person serving me isn't an artisan. I wouldn't go to Greggs and expect to pay the same as I would at an artisanal baker but I also wouldn't expect the same quality. I would rather go to a place with a push button coffee machine than someone who doesn't know what they are doing unevenly pulling coffee from an espresso machine as long as the price reflects that. Too many places that serve coffee have "all the gear and no idea". You can really tell the difference when you go in somewhere and they know their stuff.
 
It is obscene.
A pint of beer is massively inflated by duty and then VAT on that duty, not just the true costs.
The price of drinks in cafes and on the go is ridiculous.
Take a look at any bill you get with any meal or snack and see the proportion that goes on the drinks.
Coffee, tea and soft drinks are outrageous.
 
Its a choice, isn't it? Its no different to beer.
Nano said:
Coffee is a weirder market than people realise. Most people don't understand good coffee and most cafes don't serve good coffee. People think they should pay less in a local coffee shop than they should in a chain like Starbucks or Costa. A lot of people still see it as a quick and easy drink to make which shouldn't cost much. A fast food product in essence. There probably isn't enough of a market for really good coffee because the people that appreciate really good coffee have a home setup or prefer light roast from a V60 drip etc. but it is good when you find a good coffee.

I'm quite fussy/snobby with my coffee these days and I really begrudge paying a lot for a coffee as if it was an artisanal product when the person serving me isn't an artisan. I wouldn't go to Greggs and expect to pay the same as I would at an artisanal baker but I also wouldn't expect the same quality. I would rather go to a place with a push button coffee machine than someone who doesn't know what they are doing unevenly pulling coffee from an espresso machine as long as the price reflects that. Too many places that serve coffee have "all the gear and no idea". You can really tell the difference when you go in somewhere and they know their stuff.
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All true but people have become so dependent on coffee now that even if they know its gonna be sh1t, and they know its £4.50 for something marginally better than Nescafe, they'll cough up for it because they've convinced themselves that they 'need it' to get through the afternoon with the kids or whatever. These cafes know which side their bread is buttered etc.
 
Quicksilvera said:
Anyone paying £5 for a cup of average coffee can’t be very bright.

I think McDonalds charge £1.20??? Their coffee is worth the shame of stepping into a McDonalds at that price.
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You've kind of hit the nail on the head there though.

Unless its a captive audience as I described above, people put a lot of thought into where they're buying their coffee from, even though a large proportion of them can barely tell the difference.

Its become so ingrained in society now that being 'seen' in a particular cafe or rather 'not seen' buying it from McDonalds/Greggs (free to O2 customers) or even the big chains like Starbucks/Costa is genuinely important to people.
 
Quicksilvera said:
Anyone paying £5 for a cup of average coffee can’t be very bright.

I think McDonalds charge £1.20??? Their coffee is worth the shame of stepping into a McDonalds at that price.
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I think it's nearer £1.80 now?
But I would says it's decent for the price.
I think the staff just have to press one button which helps .
 
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