Coming from America I get the coffee house culture, it is very similar to pub culture a place where you can talk to other people while having a reason to be there (cup of jo/ beer) so there is a social element to it.

Now having said that the coffee from the shops you get in the UK is disgusting! Sorry guys but it is true, so why buy it, I have no clue as I would rather make my own at home that tastes so much better.
I am now in Ireland and on shopping days we do stop and have a coffee in the cafe in town, and it is nice.

I do love a chai tea latte takeaway, but I either have it in the office or when I'm driving.

Rather than a coffee with friends we do have a penchant for afternoon tea much yummier

I rarely drink coffee, although I'm not adverse to an Irish one after a good meal.

I'm a coff-e-oholic. I literally live on the stuff. Zero carbs you see. I could give up everything, even alcohol, but never coffee. I ADORE Starbucks, closely followed by Costa, although for both I have to have an extra shot in my cappucino because I find it too weak otherwise.

Yeah, I get the social aspect, sitting around chatting and eating a biccie or ten, but walking round with one in your hand 'to go' - where's the social aspect in that

I don't drink coffee so I don't understand

They serve tea and fruit juice

I don't do tea either, apple fruit juice I do

Only ever been in a Starbucks once and didn't like the smell, my OH at the time wasn't impressed, he lived in them

I've got a bit of a serious weakness for flavoured lattes - indeed when I was hospitalised with Erin being premature for that long stint earlier this year I did start instigating an "all visitors must come armed with a Costa from the hospital foyer and sandwich" policy (inedible hospital food).

I don't wander round with cups in my hand though - I have a cup holder on the pushchair! (Not why I bought our cruddy £20 keep in the car dog walking buggy but it's a perk!)

I love coffee but don't go in coffee shops. I have been in a couple but they were always really busy meaning you have to stand around then grab the first table that becomes available and wait for it to be cleaned cause its full of rubbish and sticky etc!

At home we have a tassimo machine and a filter coffee machine so I would prefer to drink that. My grandma on my dad's side, who died before I was born, used to run a coffee shop in Egypt so my dad picked up a lot of tips from her and his coffee is much better than stuff I've had on the odd occasion that I have braved a coffee shop. He gets different syrups as well

Yes it's quite a laugh isn't it but a more serious aspect (and one that has been kept very quiet) is that a year or so ago the 'rules' on TV advertising changed and now brand names are allowed to be integrated into the plot and the dialogue is allowed to make mention of brands, so like it or not you will see more cups of coffee, bottles of water, and all manner of things in the actors hands and with the brand name clearly visible.

It's not really taken off yet but it is happening and will get worse, a retrograde step in my view 'cos now the writers are working not just to grab your viewing with bizarre plots but will in future have to incorporate a commercial sponsors product into each scene, how far from 'reality' can you get