If you’re in town, how do you decide whether to go to Starbucks or Costa coffee? I like them both, but I prefer Starbucks (most of the time) and here’s why. It would be great to hear what you think, so do you agree with me? Do you prefer Costa? Or do you go someone completely different for your coffee, like Esquires?

For a start Starbucks coffee’s and hot chocolates seem to be a lot nicer than Costa’s, and they are around the main price. This might just be a matter of personal taste, because I know some people who prefer a Costa Coffee. The drinks are the main reason for going to them in the first place, so this is a big reason.

I also think that Starbucks have a much nicer range of foods than Costa. The classic donut, for example, is a better tasting cake than anything Costa provides. I also enjoy the Panini’s when I need something more substantial. Costa Panini’s are good as well though, but Starbucks wins here too.

Recently, Starbucks started offering free WiFi in some of their shops. You have to sign up for a Starbucks card and put £5 on it (this can then be spent at the store, so it doesn’t really cost you anything), and you also have to sign up to BT Open internet through the Starbucks website. Once you’ve completed this process, you can then use WiFi in any stores that support it. If you use Starbucks as a place to work sometimes, then this is a major bonus because it means no more messing with mobile broadband.

Don’t get me wrong though, I still enjoy Costa coffee and will visit sometimes. If I have a choice though, it’s nearly always Starbucks that wins. Esquire and other coffee places don’t seem to come close to either option – except for the occasional locally run coffee shop, although these are rare now.