The great consumer watchdog blog Value Ireland has posted today about looking for the cheapest coffee in Ireland. Quite the coincidence, as I’ve been working on a bit of a rant. I was in the IFSC yesterday for work and saw that the branch of O’Brien’s Sandwich Bar there had a sign outside saying ‘All Takeaway Coffee €2.50 before 11am.’
My first reaction was to almost laugh out loud at what a miserable discount that is on the usual price of takeaway coffee in the city centre, which is anything from €2 to €3 in the coffee shops near me. But then I went into O’Brien’s to look at their prices, and was astonished at how much they’re charging for coffee. A single espresso is €2.60. A large cappuccino is €3.50. A large flavoured latte is €4! Isn’t a flavoured latte just a latte with a shot of that gloopy syrup dumped into it? How on earth can they justify charging €4 for it?
The CEO of O’Brien’s was recently quoted complaining about the effect of the recession on sandwich shops, but where is their attempt to give customers a better deal? I don’t want to see O’Brien’s or anyone else closing their shops, but when are they going to introduce more realistic prices?
And while I’m moaning about O’Brien’s, it’s worth mentioning that instead of Fairtrade-certified coffee, they use something that appears to be called ‘Ethical Honest Fair Honest Ethical’ (seriously) but which doesn’t have any visible Fairtrade accreditation.
Tuesday 7 April, 2009 at 1:17 pm
angel park eatery on lower mount street … in the basement restaurant a cappucino is almost €4 … €3.75 I think.
They also have this really annoying rule that you have to spend €10 .. which seems to mean you have to order €10 worth of food straight away .. even though if you have something for €7 a coffee will bring it over the limit anyway.
The food in there is good but huge portions for lunchtime and too expensive.
Tuesday 7 April, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Sutton Cross Marine Hotel. 3.50 for a single shot expresso. And not even something fancy like organic coffee, just plain black coffee 🙁
Tuesday 7 April, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Costa Coffee on Molesworth St/Dawson St 4.10 for a medium coffee with syrup!! Scandalous!!
Tuesday 7 April, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Costa Coffee branches are always very expensive. Their scones are 3 euros…. Ridiculous.
Tuesday 7 April, 2009 at 7:51 pm
Ahhh, but it’s GOURMET Coffee, whatver that means when it’s at home with its Mammy…
Wednesday 8 April, 2009 at 6:47 am
Coming from Seattle, the home of overpriced coffees, I was horrified at the prices here. I will say though that there are two coffee shops on Aungier St that are really incredible. The Bald Barista (who charges 2.50 for a giant mocha) and Darwin’s Cafe (who charge 3 for a large mocha). Really skilled baristas, fantastic quality coffee, great atmosphere. If you’re in town and you’re going to be dropping 3 euros or more on a coffee anyway, you should definitely check them out.
Tuesday 14 April, 2009 at 8:52 pm
Well I have to say that these places are a total rip off. If you work in the Dundrum centre, you get 50% off everything in BBs. Which means you can get a large Latte for like €1.50. They’re obviously still making a profit though cos otherwise they wouldn’t be doing it. Now I refuse to buy coffe anywhere else!!
Saturday 1 August, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Don’t know where your getting your prices from SJ but I work on Mount st & go into Angel Park Eatery all the time cos their so good. Think their capuccino in the take out deli is about 2.60 (not 100% on this, could even be 2.55?!) but in the sit down restaurant it’s 3.10 & I know this for sure cos I was only in their yesterday for lunch!
Sunday 25 October, 2009 at 7:31 pm
Coffee is about quality, not quantity and price! Costa is shite, so is Starbucks, in my opinion, Italians and Americans know a lot less than they let on, when it comes to coffee!
I’m not an expert on coffee, far from it. But I love the stuff!
This is why I started a new facebook group designed to educate people on coffee. It’s called Coffee Pornography. Many of Irelands top Baristas and Latte Artists have promised to contribute to this page. I only launched this page yesterday and I’ve currently got some exclusive pics and a video by top Irish Barista, Rob Dunne!
Monday 15 March, 2010 at 3:05 am
Then I will use a steel thermos bottle and make coffee at the youthhostel.It also seems there are no breakfastplaces where you can get boiled eggs,fresh nontoasted bread,fruits,cheese.musli,sour milk,cornflakes,and a coffee for a decent price so as a tourist I guess you have to make your breakfast with coffee at the youthhostel,fill your thermosbottle with coffee and a lunchpackage and enjoy the day and also cook there in the evening.I found in England I could not stand their fat,fried breakfasts. I think I will enjoy Ireland anyhow.Tomorrow I will eat a breakfast for 40 swedish crowns and as much as I want which is about 4 Euros.
Wednesday 12 May, 2010 at 6:29 pm
Was in Angel Park Eatery just yesterday (11/5/10) & their gorgeous coffee is actually only 2 euro take away……… It’s also only 2.45 in their restaurant AND it’s ‘Illy’ coffee at that, fab coffee – fab price!! Still don’t know where that person ‘SJ’ is getting their info saying their expensive cos their wrong! Leave my fav eatery alone…..:-(