What a terrible experience! Stopped in for coffee on the way home from our 3 day wedding trip to the beautiful village of Broadway in the Cotswolds. It was about Noon on a Saturday and wanted something to get us home (90 minute drive) as we had skipped breakfast.
Some 10-15 minutes underway we saw this service area and I pulled over. Seemed new and clean (from the outside). My first red flag was seeing sweeteners etc (stirrers) standing outside on the balcony together with countless ashtrays (is that nasty or what?) and on a cold (40F, 4C) wet and overcast day
Walked in, it is quiet, only one person in front of me. Ordered my large latte to go. Next minor red flag - the guy serving me is wearing no name badge ... hmmm? Next BIG red flag - he starts making my latte and I hear him asking - "do you put the milk in first?". OMG - it is his first day and he has had no training - yikes!! As I watch him I can see all sorts of nervousness and signs of a mess.....
The next BIG red flag - the (indoor) sweetener/stirrer section is a disgusting unhygienic fiasco - trays and dirty cups and utensils stacked all over it!! Yuk. I insist that one of the staff standing around cleans it up
Guess what - the latte tasted awful, bitter as hell. Went back in the store and asked to see the manager - pretty uncouth guy. Told him about the mess I had to have cleared up - and he said they were so busy (NOT!!!!). Then requested a replacement latte made by someone who had done it before. He did it himself in a bit of a huff. It was mediocre but way better than the first horrible one.
ZERO thumbs up. Costa for the sake of your reputation this place needs a shake up from the top down
Review #76 2019 read more