Tesco Cafe in Scottish Borders

I had the unfortunate experience of visiting this place on Sunday 13/04/24 with a friend of mine. I’d had a heavy day the day before, drinking copious pints of Guinness in Melrose and Galashiels so was looking forward to a nice cooked breakfast. Upon arriving, we stood waiting to get served for about five minutes whilst a young female member of staff completed ignored us and seemed to be wiping down the same surface over and over again before doing the same with some bottles. Eventually, a male member of staff with the charisma of a pencil eventually asked us what we wanted. I asked for a ‘big breakfast’ but requested the tattie scone, beans and hash browns be substituted for a couple of eggs. At other places I’ve eaten, 90-odd percent of the time, this is fine, but not at the Tesco Café, Galashiels. Oh no, they don’t do substitutions. I told Mr charisma of a pencil to forget it and took a seat whilst my pal ordered. Hungry, I thought I’d go down stairs to the main shop to get something to eat instead. I purchase some cold Italian meats and some cheese and took my food back to the café where my pal was eating his miserable looking excuse for a breakfast. I ate my meat and cheese with him at the table which I have to say, was very enjoyable. After I’d finished my food, an older lady came over and said in quite a surly manner, I couldn’t eat food not purchased in the café in the café. “Too late” I said, “I’ve already eaten it.” Besides, I’d bought it in the main Tesco shop so I couldn’t see the problem. It’s not as if I’d brought in my own food and eaten that. I politely informed her that had my simple request for the aforementioned substitution be accommodated, I wouldn’t have had to go and get the meat and cheese from the main shop. Their inflexibility was the cause of my alternative dining choice and I let her know that. Needless to say I won’t be back to this soulless, unaccommodating excuse for a café. Ignorant, uninterested and inflexible staff along with awful looking ‘food’ make this place somewhere to give an extremely wide birth.

I had the unfortunate experience of visiting this place on Sunday 13/04/24 with a friend of mine. I’d had a heavy day the day before, drinking copious pints of Guinness in Melrose and Galashiels so was looking forward to a nice cooked breakfast. Upon arriving, we stood waiting to get served for about five minutes whilst a young female member of staff completed ignored us and seemed to be wiping down the same surface over and over again before doing the same with some bottles. Eventually, a male member of staff with the charisma of a pencil eventually asked us what we wanted. I asked for a ‘big breakfast’ but requested the tattie scone, beans and hash browns be substituted for a couple of eggs. At other places I’ve eaten, 90-odd percent of the time, this is fine, but not at the Tesco Café, Galashiels. Oh no, they don’t do substitutions. I told Mr charisma of a pencil to forget it and took a seat whilst my pal ordered. Hungry, I thought I’d go down stairs to the main shop to get something to eat instead. I purchase some cold Italian meats and some cheese and took my food back to the café where my pal was eating his miserable looking excuse for a breakfast. I ate my meat and cheese with him at the table which I have to say, was very enjoyable. After I’d finished my food, an older lady came over and said in quite a surly manner, I couldn’t eat food not purchased in the café in the café. “Too late” I said, “I’ve already eaten it.” Besides, I’d bought it in the main Tesco shop so I couldn’t see the problem. It’s not as if I’d brought in my own food and eaten that. I politely informed her that had my simple request for the aforementioned substitution be accommodated, I wouldn’t have had to go and get the meat and cheese from the main shop. Their inflexibility was the cause of my alternative dining choice and I let her know that. Needless to say I won’t be back to this soulless, unaccommodating excuse for a café. Ignorant, uninterested and inflexible staff along with awful looking ‘food’ make this place somewhere to give an extremely wide birth.

Walked out today, absolutely terrible attitude from older staff member, Asda got our custom

The food is tasty for a supermarket cafe and the staff are friendly. My son enjoys the chicken burger and the breakfasts have also been good. They do often run out of items, but seem to rely on a different company supplying their stock as they are not part the supermarket downstairs which seems a shame!

Good value for money and great customer service

Staff numbers were very limited. The two staff members that were on duty (visible at least) were cheery though. There was only one bottle of ketchup which was being moved around tables and being shared by everyone. Tables were clean although the advertising cardboard things on the tables were torn and dirty looking. More expensive than I thought it would be for a supermarket cafe. Food quality was good. Hot drinks average.

Visited the cafe for a snack before shopping, staff were very warm and welcoming, good service, food arrived in good time and was a good temperature. Everything tasted very nice. I enjoyed my visit and will definitely be returning in future.

Decent sized cafe, staff friendly, wifi available, food okay, and the toilets are weirdly blue.

I usually have had good service here but today was disappointing. 90mins before closing time there was no hot food from the menu available in spite of 3attempts to order and the final.attempt after being told it was available then after paying was told sorry it was finished too. I decided to head home early after a refund and managed to grab a coffee elsewhere.. It's too bad a cafe that closes at 5 have nothing from their menu at 3.30pm So different from my experience in Morrisons yesterday .. Very disappointing..

Absolutely amazing service, and excellent food.

Very friendly staff, very clean too.

My husband and I called in here for a coffee today whilst shopping and we were met with the rudest attitude from the member of staff who served us. She very brusquely told us to scan in which confused us as we are from UK and no longer have NHS app she then shouted at us to put the phone camera on the app and then proceeded to slam our coffeesdown on the tray. It was horrendous never again. We had no problem giving our details but jyst were not usef to this app.

The food was reasonable, but the service im afraid to say was not good. My partner ordered, and was told what he wanted was included in a breakfast so he said ok. Not knowing what a breakfast was. When they delivered a plate full of meat (both of us are vegetarian) we were obviously quite disappointed...we were made out to be wrong ourselves and when my husband asked what can be done, told that they would take the meat off and add an extra potato scone! 🤨 So we had something completely different to what we initially went in for, and paid for half of what we ate basically! Any decent cafe would just realise theres been a miscommunication and make what we ordered but not here. The saying "the customer is always right" definitely does not apply in this cafe 🙄 shame because the staff in the actual store and pharmacy are the loveliest people i have ever shopped with and i am and will continue to be a loyal customer in this Tesco store. Just quite ashame about the cafe experience, but theres plenty great places nearby so dont be put off visiting the store, there are brilliant restaurant's and cafe's within meters of the exit.

It's so disgusting. Service is awful staff so rude the way they speak to elderly people is so annoying. Is there someone who can take care of this situation. We customer go spend our money and listen rubbish from your staff no way. Please can someone handle the situation or just shut the cafe. I sont want to go there and get insulted. After shopping we thought will eat our lunch but to see the staff behaviour we had to just get away from there.

While the foods looks good and tastes not too bad you just get nowhere near enough on your plate , i ordered what they called ' THE BREAKFAST ' and have to say I was disappointed as there was only 6 items on my plate and did not include any tea or toast

Terrible rude service, no manners towards customers. The server was trying to get rid of us from the start, told us it’ll be 25 minutes to wait on food.. our food took 8 minutes to arrive, and said she needed to clean tables before serving us... there were no empty tables with dishes, all empty tables were clean. No pleases or thank you. The macaroni tastes like it’s out a tin. She also told a child at another table to stick in at school or she would end up in a rubbish job like hers. Server also sat down at a table whilst cleaning and let out a loud sigh for everyone in the cafe to hear. Won’t be returning.

Rude service, poor food and dirty area. Was really hungry after my shopping but so disappointed with Tesco cafe. Surely they can do better. Won’t return.

Their fish and chips are lovely Cappacinno is excellent

Very short staffed, long wait for food 30mins, waited 15mins for coffee, dirty dishes stacked up nowhere to put full trays of dirty dishes apart from leaving on table. But Jack was great xx

Great choice on the menu. Freshly cooked food. Very friendly helpful staff. Recommended

Dropped in for a portion of chips and a coffee which I enjoyed the staff were very nice but the clearing of tables could be a little swifter but maybe there was staff shortages don't know.

Popped in for a breakfast with my partner. I ordered for a brown bread with a scrambled egg. As I was eating I saw blackish inside, and it tasted disgusting. I called the staff and showed it . She took it away. After awhile they gave a fresh one but I couldn't eat it as I was feeling sick. Had to rush home. Service was good though Would not like to have a breakfast here again.

Food was overpriced and not very good

Clean and tidy, good sensible priced selection

I took a service user out for lunch and ordered a small breakfast , when it arrived the tattie scone and sausage were almost cremated and inedible and the bacon had been fried on old oil . Won't be eating there again

Had a lovely breakfast in this place and staff very friendly and service very quick also nice and clean

Lovely breakfast pleasant staff

Never a bad experience although sometimes the staff are a little less helpful than others. To be expected as they do employ humans! Their scones are a huge hit in my family and everyone was very happy when they went back to the more traditional hand made ones recently.

I like Tescos Cafe lovely and clean but certain members of staff could have better manners

Food is really good and the customer service is excellent

Very nice breakfast but was not quick to come out

I had the salted caramel latte. It comes in a tall glass and is topped with cream and sprinkles. It was delicious and I would go again just for that

I'm not keen on Tesco cafe. Feel it's lacking something. Perhaps it's just the food that I don't like...

Lovely double espresso available!

Good value and food hot which is often not the case in supermarket cafes