Costa Homeless Charity

FREE DRINKS AND SANDWICHES FROM THE FRIDGE

I had a meeting today and we decided on a Costa cafe in town. The other person was running a bit late so I had some time to people watch quietly with my Americano. That's when I noticed something actually quite crazy.

I knew this happens a lot, especially in busier urban areas of London, but it has reached crazy proportions in my opinion. I also think management is turning a blind eye to it. They may have done the maths and decided it was cheaper overall this way.

As I sat there, I observed what I assume was a homeless man casually walk into Costa, grab a drink and a sandwich from the fridge, and walk out of the shop. Shoplifting. I glanced quickly at the barista to see if she noticed. No response. Either she didn't notice or she didn't care. Within the next half an hour, it happened three more times, each time a different supposedly homeless man.

I actually wrote a post about this a couple of years ago. It was at the same Costa actually. I know believe the baristas have been instructed to ignore it. They were both female and looked a little overworked. They can't also be expected to be the security guards and put their lives at risk. I think management has weighed the pros and cons of hiring more staff, a security guard for example, and decided it's cheaper to let the homeless folk have something to eat.

Other shops, even Poundland, have security at the door to lessen the shoplifting. I remember a time when even non-homeless people regularly walked out of Poundland with drinks they didn't pay for. It was a running joke and I even saw a "tutorial" on TikTok on how to do it. Perhaps Poundland was losing too much money so it's viable to hire security. Obviously they also sell other stuff apart from food, gadgets and whatnot, so there's potential for more valuable goods being stolen there.

I'm sure insurance covers Costa and their profit margin probably makes the shoplifting negligible. I suppose it's also kind of cool that the needy can get fed. I don't judge people that need to steal food much. Now if they were stealing an iPhone or a pair of Levi jeans, that's a completely different matter.

Peace & Love,

Adé