Starbucks Coffee — Restaurant in Uttlesford

Used these Services mid morning on a typical week day in September.

I have used them many times but you can always tell a 1st timer entering as the road signage especially for the car entrance is worn and not clear and you can see most think there are heading where the HGV's go, they panic and then correct themselves, I always give the driver in front of me a bit of space but you do see a few near misses with that side serve.

There is a drive-thu Starbucks and obviously the Shell fuel station if you do not want to use the Service stations other facilities.

Once parked in the car spaces some of the surface is quite potholed and the uneven for older people to walk on to access the crossing points.

There are some electric car charging points if you need to use near to the external seating area.

At the main entrance/exit area there was only one sanitation station positioned in the lobby area to the RHS entry/exit doors nothing to the LHS doors.

No visable one way entry and exit systems in place, poor COVID management system by center and by the public using facilities, how quickly people forget.

The main circulation areas were very overcrowded.

Minimal mask wearing.

Most places were open Starbuck, KFC, Waitrose, WHSmiths and the usual burger joint only exception was Harry Ramsdens this seemed to be closed and has been on previous visits.

No one was cleaning the customer touch screen order points at the fast food franchise and no cleaning materials adjacent to them for the public to use.

Only seen one person cleaning the communial eating area..well sweeping occasionally with a brush and pan.

The female toilets have the usual toilet smell, whoever thought that floor tiles were a good mix in these areas when upgrading please rethink, the way forward consider resin floors.

Some cubicles are in a poor state of repair, but functional.

Small children struggle to wash there hands due to height and position of the taps and soap dispenser maybe a lower couple of basins could be considered if or when upgrading as they must be due an overhaul soon, or a couple with extending flexible taps so parents can bring it closer to the child's hands as trying to watch parents having to juggle washing there own hands, plus a bag usually, plus a child or two, bearing in mind not to place the child on the basin and keeping them dry is quite a task plus the hand dryers height even if not required allows you to dry the children from head to toe not just there hands.

The gents I am assured was similar, but the place is quite aged.

External bins were quite full and with the high volume of people using the facilities understandable so these bins need more regular clearing at peak times.

Say a 7/10...

Bought two lattes. One barely tasted of coffee, the other appeared to have no coffee at all. Took the worst one back to have it replaced. I was polite and calm with the staff. They didn’t apologise or offer to replace it until I asked for a replacement. They were unsmiling and almost robotic. The replacement was no better, clearly a fault with their machine. Asked for an extra shot when someone else also complained. Same non apologetic robot like response from a different staff member. The coffee was still weak. The staff were using some sort of headset to talk to each other. I assume that is because they can’t hear each other for the noise, but it also serves to isolate them from their customers. It also stops them communicating with each other because they don’t talk face to face.

I have previously had good coffee and service at other Starbucks.

Also there is only one toilet which is clean but not...

1 star because the coffee was good but the attitude and service was poor. Visited at 9pm so the only location that was open was the one inside at the back. Pastry case was empty and cleaned ready for next day, I thought maybe they’re about to shut shop. Asked if they had any cinnamon swirls left, the girl at the till scoffed and pointed at the empty pastry case. Got my coffees, asked what time they close, was told 10pm. So you’re telling me that they empty out the pastry case over an hour before closing? As an ex Starbucks partner, I’d have got written up for a) taking pastries off display so early before close and b) denying customers food and c) in such a rude manner. There were 3 of them as well, plenty of partners to get everything done in a timely manner without losing money on cakes. I was told by my friend who stops here regularly, that it’s always like...