#fluid ounce

The experience of having a coffee and cake when shopping or travelling should be relaxing and non controversial.  However, I’ve met problems recently in two areas.  Before being specific, continental readers will need to know that a fluid ounce is a measurement of volume equal to 28.4 ml.  20 of them make a UK pint and 16 of them make the smaller US pint.  The latter is probably more logical as one US pint of water weighs one pound instead of 1.25 pounds.

Costa: Without telling us, they have reduced the sizes of their drinks.  Large, medium and small drinks have been cut from 20, 16 and 12 fl oz to 16, 12 and 8 fl oz respectively.  This is underhand and unfair on customers.  There’s more on https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/9684681/costa-shrinks-cup-sizes-at-the-same-time-as-putting-up-its-prices/

It is even more unfair on Costa front line staff who are having to explain the reduction to virtually every customer and, from my experience, are not briefed at all well.  The explanation I received at Swan Lane, Guildford was garbled and defensive.  It took a couple of minutes to understand it and other customers have no doubt been less sympathetic to the staff.

Costa have fences to mend with their customers and staff.

The Bitecard: This is supposed to be a discount card reducing the price of coffee etc. at most UK railway station outlets by 20%.  However, even though the website is unchanged, my card has been refused.

I e-mailed Bitecard, who have not responded in any way.  I have now chased them asking for an explanation by the end of the month and hence will update this post in November.  In the meantime, do be aware that your Bitecard will probably be refused.  If you have any recent experience here, I would be very grateful for an e-mail to the usual address ([email protected]).