Caffé Valeria York Designer Outlet — Restaurant in England

If you are at the designer outlets York and you want a cup of coffee, don't go to Cafe Valeria, you will be standing waiting, whilst the staff behind the counter just stand around and chat. I don't know what they get paid but they are taking money under false pretences. My wife and I decided to get a coffee before we left the stores to drive home. I joined the queue, one young man was serving two women and another man was waiting behind them. After waiting a while, without service the man in front of me left, muttering something about losing the will to live, I continued to wait and wait and wait. The young man serving the two women was having a hard time getting them to make up their mind on what they wanted and how to pay. It would seem he was the only one who could operate the coffee machine as the other four people behind the counter carried on chatting and standing around. At this point I asked if there was anybody else who could serve me, one young lady then asked did I want serving, from this statement I recognised that there is a training requirement at Cafe Valeria, people standing behind the counter nearest the coffee machine are staff and people on the other side are customers, this fact appeared lost on the people I assumed to be employees. One young lady said she was sorry I had to wait but the other young man was serving the two ladies, who were still deciding on what pastry to buy. I asked if there was somebody else who could serve me, she said she could but if she could serve me, then why didn't she serve the man before me or myself earlier. At this point I too had lost the will to live and began walking out, the young lady again aplogised and said she would serve me. Then I realised why there were queues in all the other coffee shops in the outlet but hardly any at Cafe Valeria, they know it's not worth queuing, you will not get served, the staff are lazy. One suggestion I would make to whomever operates Cafe Valeria, is to put a telephone in on the customer side, so customers can contact Costa Coffee / Cafe Nero to get a coffee delivered whilst they are waiting, in order to prevent Extreme Caffeine withdrawal. Would I go again No! But strictly speaking I didn't go this time, I only attempted to go.

Further to the reply, the staff weren't serving at tables they were standing chatting, only when I asked to be served did they move to answer me. There may be one till but the coffee machine wasn't being used and could have provided coffee but it was too much effort. Your defence of your staff is really not worthy, rather than tackling your problems and sorting out your staff, you attack the messenger, shame on you...

I called in here after being in this great shopping outlet with my wife and elderly parents. Whilst we were originally going to have drinks and snacks we opted for drinks only as the snacks didn't look particularly tempting or indeed familiar. The coffees and teas were priced as you would expect, they were very nice and well presented with care gone into the little pictures on the tops of the coffees. The crockery, seats, tables, serving area and seating area appeared spotlessly clean, which is a refreshing change from the usual efforts done by the likes of Costa. The young lady serving was very polite, friendly and patient, even with my elderly parents who both have hearing difficulties. This again was nice and refreshing, as they are usually just spoken to like idiots or treated as though the aren't even there in the mainstream coffee shops. A big thanks to the young lady, my mum and dad did notice...

Popped in for a quick coffee and was absolutely delighted! The coffee was beautifully made by someone who knew exactly what they were doing, not like in so many places with people who haven't a clue how to use a steam wand. The coffee is smooth and aromatic, not stale and bitter, as well as being well-priced. At the time, I didn't know this was an independent place, but it shows again how important it is to protect these businesses because we were actually made a coffee, not served a cup of sugary nonsense that was shrouded in logos, my name on the cup, 48 flavour combinations and all in 6.3 seconds so the next person on the conveyor belt can be processed. At Veleria, there is a clear sense of being made to feel that your coffee is being made for you, crafted and prepared by someone who cares. The price? The same as the chains. The value?...