'I dined at Home Bargains Cafe and couldn't believe the price of a pot of tea'

Edinburgh Live

3 days ago

The thrill of a trip to Home Bargains is something many of us can relate to. Much like its competitor, B&M, you never quite know what bargains you'll bag, but you can be sure they'll be cheaper than most places.
So, the opportunity to try out its cafe had me more excited than I should have been on a Wednesday afternoon. My 16 year old, however, was less enthused, as most teenagers these days only seem satisfied when they're spending (my) money at Starbucks or Costa.
Unfortunately, there aren't any such cafes in the retailer's Greater Manchester stores yet, so we made our way to the nearest one at Warrington's Junction 9 Retail Park, which opened a year ago. I anticipated it would be bustling, especially during the school holidays, and indeed, customers of all ages filled nearly every seat.
Luckily, a small table for two became available, so my daughter sat down while I went to explore the menu behind the counter and check out the fridge offerings. There was a wider selection than I expected, with an array of toasties, focaccia sandwiches, box sandwiches, wraps and salads on display.
The board behind the counter listed even more options, including breakfast rolls and toasted items like teacakes, crumpets and toast for just £1, reports the Manchester Evening News.
In a separate display cabinet, you'll find all the sweet treats - pastries, doughnuts, cookies, generous slices of cake, and more. If you're in a rush, there's a tray full of sausage rolls available for just 50p each.
The other prices are equally impressive. The ham and cheese toastie I ordered may not quite match up to Starbucks' standard, but it was definitely worth the £2.75 price tag.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that a pot of tea was priced at only £1. Granted, it was a small pot with just enough for one brew, but finding a cuppa for a quid these days is a rarity.
My daughter's vanilla milkshake cost £1.99 - they also offer chocolate, strawberry, and banana flavours, as well as smoothies for the same price. A regular latte, cappuccino or Americano will set you back £1.59, while a large size costs £1.79.
Hot chocolate and iced coffee are also priced at £1.79.
Despite her initial reluctance to accompany me - a trip to Home Bargains with your mum doesn't quite compare to a Starbucks outing with friends - she was more than satisfied with her £1.99 sausage barm, especially since the ketchup sachets were Heinz.
The doughnut was fairly standard, but you can't grumble at the 59p price tag. My slice of carrot cake, priced at £1.49, was basic and a tad dry, but still good value for money.
Our entire lunch, which included a pot of tea, milkshake, toastie, sausage barm, doughnut and carrot cake, came to a total of £9.81, which I think is rather impressive.
The staff were incredibly efficient as well. Our table wasn't ready when we first arrived, but that was mainly due to the previous customers who hadn't cleared it before leaving, so I simply moved it over to the trolleys they have, similar to IKEA.
At the counter, it was like a well-oiled machine with order numbers being called out once they were ready. I've dined in much more expensive establishments where the service wasn't nearly as meticulous as this one.
Currently, only 43 Home Bargains stores house a cafe, including the branch at Boulevard Retail Park in Speke, Liverpool and others in Gillmoss and Norris Green, also in Liverpool.
Judging by the popularity of the Winwick Road cafe in Warrington, I don't think it will be long until we see many more. The sooner, the better if you ask me.