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SSP (food & drink outlets at stations) - Con Trick

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LE Greys

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Whilst in appreciate the sentiment of this thread is there a legal definition of

Small/medium/large drink sizes?

A sensible size for hot drinks would be: small = espresso cup, medium = typical mug and large = half-pint or more. I've complained in the past about drinks being too large (mainly because I don't have long-range tanks, and half a pint of tea gets flushed through the system very rapidly) and actually welcome the reduction in size, although I'd like it to be connected to a reduction in price. However, anywhere with a captive market is liable to be exploited, so that's never going to happen.
 

yorksrob

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A sensible size for hot drinks would be: small = espresso cup, medium = typical mug and large = half-pint or more. I've complained in the past about drinks being too large (mainly because I don't have long-range tanks, and half a pint of tea gets flushed through the system very rapidly) and actually welcome the reduction in size, although I'd like it to be connected to a reduction in price. However, anywhere with a captive market is liable to be exploited, so that's never going to happen.

Personally I think expresso for small is too small. Small should be an ordinary cup/mug of tea, as is the case with the Pumpkins sizes.
 

Xenophon PCDGS

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Personally I think expresso for small is too small. Small should be an ordinary cup/mug of tea, as is the case with the Pumpkins sizes.

If espresso coffee is prepared with the type of beans that are used in those cafés that I have frequented on the Aventino in Rome, the small size is quite acceptable. However, what is offered as "espresso" coffee on British transportation retail café outlets is a somewhat different proposition.

The term of "expresso" that you have used would suggest a different type of product to that of espresso.
 
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yorksrob

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If espresso coffee is prepared with the type of beans that are used in those cafés that I have frequented on the Aventino in Rome, the small size is quite acceptable. However, what is offered as "espresso" coffee on British transportation retail café outlets is a somewhat different proposition.

The term of "expresso" that you have used would suggest a different type of product to that of espresso.

I use the term "expresso" to mean those little thimble sizes that one sees associated with expresso at UK coffee chains. I'm a tea drinker myself, so my knowledge of all things coffee is limited to the occasional mug of milky Gold Blend I'm afraid!
 

Clip

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If espresso coffee is prepared with the type of beans that are used in those cafés that I have frequented on the Aventino in Rome, the small size is quite acceptable. However, what is offered as "espresso" coffee on British transportation retail café outlets is a somewhat different proposition.

The term of "expresso" that you have used would suggest a different type of product to that of espresso.

Get yourself a ristretto and properly start off the day ;)
 

Xenophon PCDGS

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Get yourself a ristretto and properly start off the day ;)

I see we have an "aficionado" in our midst, but would suggest the very small cup of ristretto, with its full taste of the coffee oils produced by the recognised method of its preparation, would be far more enjoyable later on in the day, when the taste buds have had time to acclimatise themselves to the day and the full enjoyment of this drink can then be fully appreciated.
 

Clip

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I see we have an "aficionado" in our midst, but would suggest the very small cup of ristretto, with its full taste of the coffee oils produced by the recognised method of its preparation, would be far more enjoyable later on in the day, when the taste buds have had time to acclimatise themselves to the day and the full enjoyment of this drink can then be fully appreciated.

Ahh to appreciate the taste and flavour,yes. To get the beat wake up call of your life outside of the bedroom, then its the only thing.

Used to live with an Italian woman and no matter when I started work she would have one ready for me for when I woke and got up. Heaven.

Mind I don't drink coffee to much now. Tea all the way. Rooibos to start the day.
 

oddiesjack

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For decent-sized drinks, it must be hard to beat Grindleford station cafe. However, I wouldn't advise asking for coffee using Starbuck-style names - I've heard someone being told he couldn't have a latte, but he could have a milky coffee!
 

LE Greys

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I actually saw a glass bottle of Camp Coffee liquid (chicory essence ?) in a small village store recently, that many of those elder forum members such I knew well from our very much younger days.

According to someone I know, that is excellent for makeing coffee cake, but not very much else.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
For decent-sized drinks, it must be hard to beat Grindleford station cafe. However, I wouldn't advise asking for coffee using Starbuck-style names - I've heard someone being told he couldn't have a latte, but he could have a milky coffee!

Where is Grindleford? Reckon I like their style.

The newsagent at Hitchin does some nice-sized cups of tea in small polystyrene cups for £1:60. For some reason, it seems to be very good tea and you don't get too much. If you're ever in Stevenage, try to get to the tea stand on the footbridge outside the barriers rather than the one on the platform, Golden Bean rather than Costa (drinks are no better, but it's cheaper).
 

table38

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I actually saw a glass bottle of Camp Coffee liquid (chicory essence ?)

campcoffee.jpg
 

oddiesjack

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Where is Grindleford? Reckon I like their style.

I see that Paul has explained where Grindleford is. Tea, Coffee, Bovril comes in Pint Mugs. The eggbaconchipsandbeans website has some excellent comments about the place, some good, some bad. You'll be able to decide if you really like their style from these...
http://russelldavies.typepad.com/eggbaconchipsandbeans/2004/07/grindleford_sta.html is the url.

MY favourite comment is probably from some poor Canadian visitor :

The owner cuffed me around the head when I asked if he had any worcester sauce, I'm from Canada and I've never been treated like that where I come from. I will never return to Europe because of this man.

Posted by: Dick Typin
 

Eng274

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Sounds like the sort of place where chocolate sprinkles on a beverage is blasphemy. I like it already.
 

snail

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I looked at the price list and noted that there wasn't even a small tea mentioned, just a medium and a large.
A little known fact is that Starbucks in the USA have a Small (8oz) cup that is not on their menu. I keep meaning to ask if the same is available here as I don't like their 12oz bucket of milk masquerading as a Tall coffee but I don't go in often enough to remember.

Getting back to the SSP discussion I bought a tomato soup from Upper Crust today for a very reasonable £1.59 with a Bite Card. It actually tasted of tomato and had what appeared to be tomatoes in it. Much better value than the overpriced baguettes.
 

Butts

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I actually saw a glass bottle of Camp Coffee liquid (chicory essence ?) in a small village store recently, that many of those elder forum members such I knew well from our very much younger days.

When I first moved to The Midlands 25 years ago my future Mother-in-Law used to use Camp Coffee - the stuff is (or was) pi**water :oops:

One interesting point to note is the Picture on the Bottle - it used to depict the Indian Soldier standing serving The White Officer who was seated. In a "golleyesque" PC fashion they are now both seated.:p - not as depicted in the second caption (even camper) !!
 

LE Greys

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MY favourite comment is probably from some poor Canadian visitor :
The owner cuffed me around the head when I asked if he had any worcester sauce, I'm from Canada and I've never been treated like that where I come from. I will never return to Europe because of this man.

Posted by: Dick Typin

One hot day at Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia, I went up to an ice cream stall and automatically asked for a ninety-nine. The look on her face sticks in my mind. "You want a what, a number?"

:lol:
 

Skimble19

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Unless it's changed i had an issue at Kings Cross a while ago - the Cafe Nero wouldn't accept a 'Bite Card', claiming that they had their own loyalty card.

It's been demolished now, so certainly won't be accepting a Bite Card anymore..! <D :lol:
 

GatwickDepress

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A little known fact is that Starbucks in the USA have a Small (8oz) cup that is not on their menu. I keep meaning to ask if the same is available here as I don't like their 12oz bucket of milk masquerading as a Tall coffee but I don't go in often enough to remember.

Getting back to the SSP discussion I bought a tomato soup from Upper Crust today for a very reasonable £1.59 with a Bite Card. It actually tasted of tomato and had what appeared to be tomatoes in it. Much better value than the overpriced baguettes.
Their hot chocolates, although a little pricier, are pretty good value too.
When getting the last train home and the chaps in the little Upper Crust booth at Brighton were preparing to shut up shop for the night, I managed to bag three baguettes and a large hot chocolate for a very reasonable £4.59.
 

Skimble19

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Oh. :roll: I'm talking about the Caffe Nero on the ground floor of the new King's Cross concourse, near the barriers for platforms 9-11 - not the one in the old concourse.

Must admit, despite visiting the cross on a very regular basis I hadn't even noticed there was a new one in there! :roll: :lol:
 
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