I went for lunch the other day in Brambles Cafe, upstairs in the Stillorgan Shopping centre. I know there are a few Brambles outlets around Dublin but I hadn’t been to one before. I’m also aware that they use organic ingredients and are fair trade – good for them. However, offering organic produce is not reason enough to charge what they please.
I ordered two ‘large coffees’ and two ‘Gourmet sandwiches’. Both sandwiches had salami, egg mayonnaise and rocket and were on plain brown sliced bread. They turned out to be far from gourmet. With the exception of the rocket, they were as regular as any sandwich you would get in a convenience store and the two large cups of coffee were, at best, medium size cups of mediocre coffee.
If it hadn’t been talked up so much I wouldn’t have grumbled so heartedly when I saw the price – it cost me €15.20 for the lot!
I’m aware that Brambles is an Irish company and I always try and support Irish business but this was a ridiculous price for what was given, particularly these days when there are so many lunch deals on offer.
After the costly and unsatisfactory lunch, I then experienced the proverbial ‘salt into the wounds’ when I went over to ‘Fruit World’ around the corner. For 1 butternut squash, 1 small celeriac and 2 grapefruits – I was charged €7! Completely outrageous. What’s worse is I didn’t say anything which I normally would, I was just so perplexed.
The final insult came when I tucked into the grapefruit; it sucked and not in a good way – sour with no taste. Oh what a world.