MSE News: Waitrose to scrap free hot drinks offer in its cafes

A question about : MSE News: Waitrose to scrap free hot drinks offer in its cafes

Waitrose is scrapping a deal, which allowed members of its loyalty card scheme to enjoy a free hot drink in its cafes...

Read the full story:

Waitrose to scrap free hot drinks offer in its cafes

Click reply below to discuss. If you haven’t already, join the forum to reply. If you aren’t sure how it all works, read our New to Forum? Intro Guide.

Best answers:

• I don't think it's unreasonable for Waitrose to charge for the Tea/coffee if you sit in the cafe as I imagine at busy times it may be hard for paying customers who want to eat to find a table. At least it's still free if you take away and no-one else offers that!
• But it is still free for a take away coffee
• Thank God for this. Bloody free drinks just make the whole place crowded and me unable to get a table for lunch without a wait ....
• Got the e-mail.
  I don't think any of the Waitorses around here have a Caf!.
  The etiquette includes swiping the myWaitrose card to register your one free cup a day. Some people just drink it, put the empty cup on a shelf, and walk out.
  It's just a botched promotion. All they had to do was to say free coffee without purchase for the first six months of signing up, and everything would have been fine.
• I enjoy shopping at Waitrose because their products are always better tasting and the quality of their meat is premium. I have tried chicken from Aldi, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda and they all come in second place to Waitrose.
• I don't see what all the fuss is about. It's just the people who want something for nothing kicking up a stink. You can still get a free drink without purchase if you take out.
  In some ways Waitrose have been a victim of their own success but perhaps they should have either time limited the offer or made it take out only from the start.
  I can understand paying shoppers feeling frustrated that they can't get a seat because the place is full of people with their free drinks.
• There is a Little Waitrose in the town I live - no caf! but nobody checks if you are 'entitled' to free take out coffee
• Much that I like a free coffee I think Waitrose should further limit this only to people who shop there and not just give it away for free. They should also check people obtaining the coffee as I see too many just walking into the store, grabbing a coffee and leaving. This probably explains the long queues to the machine for us genuine shoppers.
  On the website it says "A free tea or coffee when you shop with us" so it shouldn't be free without a purchase. I think Waitrose should just manage the promotion better.
• You'd think they might allow disabled people to sit in the cafe to drink their coffee. But no, they have refused this.
• It was certainly attracting an undesirable demographic into the shops!
• If I do Ј150 of shopping then go to the cafe, I can't have a free cup of coffee to drink in.
  But if I buy an overpriced Ј3.50 sandwich, I can have a free coffee.
  Doesn't make business sense to me? Surely you want the big shopper to come into your store?
• Such a non story.
  Free take away coffee - drunk by the vast majority of those who take advantage of the benefit - is still free.
  If you want to sit in the cafe area, read the paper and use the wifi you still get a free coffee but have to buy a cake or biscuit as well - given that their cookies only cost 50p whats the big deal?
  The coffee is still free - and for 50p you can get a free coffee and a cookie and a seat! Still a good deal.