Costa

If I have to be on a train for more than about 15 minutes (sometimes less) I like to grab a coffee or a tea for my journey. If I’m waiting to meet a friend in the station, it’s nice to have a hot drink to sit with. If I’m in the town centre and in need of a pick-​me-​up, but all the more obvious coffee shops are too busy, this is a prime people-​watching location that usually has a seat or two free.
I quite like Costa. As chain coffee shops go they do their thing pretty well. I like their tuna melt panninis and I really like their raspberry and almond bakes… possibly too much. Their coffee is fine and they can offer skimmed or soya milk if you need it. They have a loyalty card (and app) that can be used in almost all branches — the rewards aren’t bad and they sometimes run special offers for double rewards on certain items.
Naturally, being in a busy station like this one means that there’s usually a queue, and if you’re there at rush hour and in a hurry to catch your train it might be more sensible to give it a miss. However, to give the staff their credit, they are pretty quick so if you have a little time and don’t mind queuing then at least rest assure that you won’t have to do it for long.
The major point that this branch seems to trip up on is clearing the tables. I guess almost all their customers take their purchases to go, so perhaps it just isn’t a priority. Even so, while there really is usually a table free, it’s quite often one with a few empty cups and containers on it. The staff get to it eventually, but it does seem to be the last item on their to-​do lists.

When i’m in need of my caffeine fix before (or after) a train journey from/​to Queen Street station or if I’m heading out to/​from Buchanan Street subway I either head to AMT or here. More often than not lately I have found myself erring towards Costa Coffee and that is for 3 reasons: 1) They serve a Cortado coffee, B) They have a handy wee points/​loyalty card now (I’m a total sucker for such things) & III) They serve rather delightful festive hot beverages this time of year which I am equally a sucker for. Stick my sweeter then average coffee in a wee snowman, reindeer or santa (or satan, if you’d prefer) cup & I am happy as lamb in Spring (Boing!). Daft, but true. I don’t even take sugar in my coffee yet somehow those festive themed syrups truly warm my cockles (ooh-​err).
Lately I *may* very well be on the Costa Coffee Hit List for ‘Awkward Customers’ as my latest coffee addiction from CC is a (ready for it?) Medium sticky toffee soya latte with only half the amount of syrup, no cream & the Old Paradise Street blend. Ooft. Sorry but it tastes SO damn good. Sluuuurpy-​sip-​sip. Yum. I am sad they no longer have the Salted Caramel latte as that was my favourite last year but they still have some corkers.
The various cakes & biscuits always look really good and my boyfriend has also found a new addiction ~ the MEGA faux Jaffa Cakes they sell here. They’re like a Jaffa Cake on steroids, except with less of the mood swings & aggression and more of the orangeyness & chocolate. They also sell HUGE faux Jammy Dodgers & other such familiar ‘old skool’ biscuits.
Staff are usually pretty friendly, if a little harassed looking and service is swift. Even my ‘awkward coffee’ gets made speedily as when having soya milk this sometimes slows up the order, but not here.
If you usually go to Starb*cks then maybe one day go CRAZY and give Costa a wee try; you never know, you might end up preferring it… shock, horror! ;-)

Handy coffee shop at Queen street but expect queues before train leaves, great coffee and biscuits.

FTR for a generic coffee shop in a train station… I’m like totally buzzing with Unilocal joy right now… ahem.
What to say, what to say?
It’s the same as every other Costa. It offers all the same ‘it’s an OK sandwich I suppose’ type fare, decent-​ish coffee and tasty cakes.
The thing that bumps this place up a further notch, is the service from one member of staff in particular. The woman is über friendly. She smiles… I KNOW!
Beyond that, it’s regular Costa stuff, but still an alright choice for somewhere to grab a sandwich or coffee afore a wee train trip.