When you have to BUY a cup of coffee

[tasadam]

So more and more we are seeing paper cups for coffee. I have been into cafes looking for a coffee, and when I dont see one normal cup but see everyone even at the tables drinking out of a paper cup, I leave.
Is it going to continue to get harder for me to find a coffee with such an attitude?
Why do these places try to tell us they specialise in coffee, yet serve it in paper cups?
Is it more environmentally friendly to wash a cup, or throw away a paper cup? They dont get recycled.

But what about the coffee?
Are you not going to get more out of the taste from a warmed ceramic cup than a paper cup?

It just doesnt seem right to me.

[Wine_of_the_Bean]

Re: When you have to BUY a cup of coffee

Id be happy enough just to serve everyone espressi. I can fit far more shot glasses on top of the machine than any ceramic cups or latte glasses. I wouldnt have to waste time with milk at all, nor fridge space.

To live in a perfect world...

If only you could trust the punters to return the ceramic takeaway cups, then youd be laughing.

[tasadam]

Re: When you have to BUY a cup of coffee

If only you could trust the punters to return the ceramic takeaway cups, then youd be laughing.

Yeah. Take-away coffee is a different story.
Now theres a thought - wifes handbag is big enough to hold a couple of coffee cups as well as everything else thats in there...  8-)

[Magic_Matt]

Re: When you have to BUY a cup of coffee

*shock*

I routinely get into trouble for asking my wife to carry my phone and wallet in her handbag; dont think Id even ask about a couple of ACFs...

[fatboy_1999]

Re: When you have to BUY a cup of coffee

And a thermos of hot water to pre-warm them when you get to the cafe. ;-)

[Wine_of_the_Bean]

Re: When you have to BUY a cup of coffee

You can carry everything in your Spiderman lunchbox.

[pie_in_ear]

Re: When you have to BUY a cup of coffee

We stopped serving mugs of coffee about 2 years ago. For many reasons,
1) People always complained that the mug was cold by the end.
2) We were doing double shots but the mugs were not double the cup size so we couldnt get the balance right.
3) They took up too much space on the espresso machine.
4) They are not what we are about
Most people understood but many thought we had another motive. We started getting alot of orders for Lg (12oz) Takeaways and people sitting down with them. It then went to asking for a Lg TA on a saucer with a spoon etc. We put the price of TAs up to discourage this but they still do it. I am 1 step away from straight out banning ta cups at the tables.

[Javaphile]

Re: When you have to BUY a cup of coffee

Is it more environmentally friendly to wash a cup, or throw away a paper cup? They dont get recycled.

Some years back (perhaps 17 or so?) when there was a big move locally to be more ecologically friendly there were several studies done which claimed that using paper products (towels, plates, and cups etc.) was less damaging to the environment and even cheaper than using washable materials.

According to their figures using mass produced paper products resulted in lower energy costs and pollution than using cloth towels and washable dishware at home. Being the enviro-friendly person I am I questioned their conclusions as well as their funding source. One study I was able to trace back to being funded by a pro-paper group but the other two (This was in the pre-Internet days.) appeared to be independent of the paper/lumber industry. I could find no obvious fault with their methodology or their figures. As anti-paper as I was they managed to convince me that disposable paper products were not the big evil they were being made out to be.

It would be interesting to see some current studies along these lines done.


Java "Things that make you go Hhhmmmmm...." phile

[Wine_of_the_Bean]

Re: When you have to BUY a cup of coffee

We only have 8oz TA cups for customers. We do, however, have 16oz cups for the guys nextdoor in the panelbeating shop. Since we dont have lids for them, we dont and cannot sell them to customers.

We also do not have mugs. People seem to accept that fact, even though they may have ordered a large or mug. Ive stopped telling customers we only have the one size. I just put their coffee in the proper cup.

[scoota_gal]

Re: When you have to BUY a cup of coffee

We get customers asking for takeaways to have to drink their coffee out of as well as the ceramic/glass cups.

I guess if you offer a choice, then people can opt to pay more or less if they want to go that way. It doesnt bother me if they want to drink out of a paper cup at the table. Im happy to give them a spoon to stir as well. I figure that theyre paying more anyway, so it doesnt really matter.

I agree with nunu, in a perfect world, wed just serve a shot of coffee! Well, maybe we should just move to Italy...;D

There is definitely a different taste to the coffee in a paper cup. Ive yet to come across any takeaway cups that dont affect the flavour. Has anyone else managed to find a takeaway that doesnt change the taste?

[tasadam]

Re: When you have to BUY a cup of coffee

...but the other two (This was in the pre-Internet days.) appeared to be independent of the paper/lumber industry. I could find no obvious fault with their methodology or their figures.
Java "Things that make you go Hhhmmmmm...." phile

Share holders, perhaps?

There is definitely a different taste to the coffee in a paper cup. Ive yet to come across any takeaway cups that dont affect the flavour. Has anyone else managed to find a takeaway that doesnt change the taste?

An excellent question, brings me back to one of my main arguments - "Why do these places try to tell us they specialise in coffee, yet serve it in paper cups?"

Polystyrene foam, perhaps? (double-YUK)

[Greg41]

Re: When you have to BUY a cup of coffee

I didnt realize it untill i read in a coffee magazine(not sure if allowed to name it) that paper cups have a plastic coating which acts as a sealer for the paper board. This must have some effect on taste one would assume. However in the same article an Australian company have developed a biodegradable and compostable coffee cup that replaces the plastic lining with a coating made from corn. One would think that should improve the taste somewhat.

[Coffee_Kid]

Re: When you have to BUY a cup of coffee

From what I have heard, some shops choose to use paper cups because of somesort of public liability insurance thing. If they did use ceramic or glass cups, the shop needs to pay something like a couple thousand more for the insurance of ceramic cups that may cause injuries when they smash. It may not be true but thats what I have heard.

[scoota_gal]

Re: When you have to BUY a cup of coffee

I didnt realize it untill i read in a coffee magazine(not sure if allowed to name it) that paper cups have a plastic coating which acts as a sealer for the paper board. This must have some effect on taste one would assume. However in the same article an Australian company have developed a biodegradable and compostable coffee cup that replaces the plastic lining with a coating made from corn. One would think that should improve the taste somewhat.

I thought at the FSA exhibition the other year, one of the packaging companies was pushing a paper cup that apparently didnt affect the flavour of the drink put in it. But I honestly cant remember much more about it and I certainly cant remember the company that had that particular product.

Though, Id still be interested in hearing if anyone else knows anything about this.

[Thundergod]

Re: When you have to BUY a cup of coffee

I am 1 step away from straight out banning ta cups at the tables.

Sounds a little bit like Italy where you pay extra for your coffee if you want to sit.
My wife found out the hard way once and got shooed out even though the place was empty.

Im not saying dont do it.
Its your business.