A shopping writer who visited an Asda café left thoroughly disappointed after spending £5.57 on a meal that included a panini, a bottle of water and a cake.
The writer, who regularly reviews supermarket cafés, said the Asda café felt "soulless and dirty", with unwiped tables and messy floors. Staff were friendly but few in number, and only about five customers were inside at the time, so a rush of orders was not to blame.
Limited Menu and Poor Selection
The menu offered little choice: no jacket potatoes, only a couple of paninis left, and overdone pizza. It was only 3.30pm, so the end of the day was not an excuse. There were sweet treats available, and no juices, so the writer settled for a room temperature bottle of water.
The main item was a piece of cheap white panini bread stuffed with an unidentifiable cheese and a couple of slices of ham. The writer said it was enough to pass as a quick bite but at almost £5 for the sandwich alone, they felt ripped off.
Comparison with Home Bargains
The writer compared the experience to a lunch at a Home Bargains café in August last year, where everything on the menu, including toasties, smoothies, coffees and cakes, was priced under £3. At Home Bargains, £5.75 bought a massive toastie packed with cheese and ham, a smoothie and two tea cakes.
At Asda, the writer topped up their water at a grubby dispenser station and left nearly £6 poorer, confident they would not be returning anytime soon.
