I visited Tesco café after major change and it felt soulless

The superstore’s Park Road café just didn’t feel the same and I felt like some of the charm had been lost

Tesco café on Park Road now has a touchscreen ordering process

A lunch at a supermarket café is one of life’s simplest pleasures. Whether you’re a fan of an all-day breakfast, a lover of jacket potatoes or just looking for a cheap lunch with the kids, it’s a guaranteed winner.

I’ve always loved a supermarket café because it feels like a safe space where no one is going to rush you and there’s not so much as a whiff of pretention about the food or drink on offer. The menu is always simple, it’s reasonably priced and you’ll always be able to find a table.

Since becoming a mum, I’ve found myself frequenting supermarket cafes a lot more than I used to, because there’s plenty of space for the pram, the staff are always incredibly friendly and accommodating and, crucially, it’s a cheap lunch when you’re out and about on maternity leave. I always got a warm welcome from the staff on the tills, and would sometimes strike up a conversation with a fellow customer – usually elderly ladies who wanted to chat to me about the baby, whether I was getting any sleep, and how quickly time goes when you become a parent.

As a supermarket café regular, I was surprised to notice a fairly major change to my nearest café inside the Tesco on Park Road recently. I had popped in for a coffee on my way home from the city centre, and when I turned left inside the superstore to head towards the café, I was greeted by a wall of touch screens.

Usually you walk straight in, order at the till and take your seat. But now customers have to place their order on one of the screens, before taking a numbered sign to carry to your table, which is linked to your order. You can browse the menu on the screen before choosing whether to pay via cash or card, and you receive an order number and receipt.

Tesco café on Park Road now has a touchscreen ordering process

I was a bit thrown at first, because I’m so used to walking straight into the café and having a chat with whoever is on the till that day. But I placed my order, took my seat and waited for my coffee and fruit toast to be brought over to me.

As soon as I sat down, I felt like things were different in the café. If you’ve ever been to a supermarket café, you’ll probably have noticed that quite a lot of people are sat alone. They are generally perceived as a warm and welcoming place, where you can stay as long as you want without feeling rushed or judged by the staff. Perhaps this is why the cafes are often so popular with pensioners and solo customers looking to while away a bit of time.

Whenever I’ve popped into this café before, I’ve always been struck by how many customers seem to be on first-name terms with the staff. They’ll update them on what’s been going on while they place their order, and often stop to chat after they’ve paid. During busy times after school pick-up or when nearby kids’ clubs finish, it’s always a busy atmosphere with staff greeting regulars at the till.

But the new touchscreens completely remove any interaction at the till, and I felt quite sad when I sat down at my table having not spoken to a soul. It’s always struck me that some of my fellow customers really enjoy the interaction they engage in at the Tesco café, and I hate to think that the introduction of touch screens might remove an element of this from their day – particularly in the case of customers who find themselves to be more isolated.

The staff were still incredibly friendly when they brought over my order, and I commented on the new system to the lady who served me my toast. But opportunities for conversation were cut short by the absence of an exchange at the till, and once my food was brought over I sat in silence for the rest of my visit.

Tesco Café started introducing self-service kiosks in 2023, after ‘successful pilot phase’, and the kiosks integrate into the Tesco Clubcard scheme. The new payment system is designed to streamline the ordering process and make things more efficient for the kitchen staff, and I must say the entire service was quick, easy to navigate and straightforward.

But it was also much quieter and the experience felt very solitary. I’ve eaten alone at a supermarket café plenty of times, but this is the first time I’ve actually felt like I was on my own. Whilst it hasn’t ruined my experience of going to the ‘Big Tesco’, I can see how it would cause some difficulty for those who might struggle to use the machines.

A Tesco Spokesperson said: “We are always looking for ways to improve the facilities at our Tesco Cafés, and this refurbishment is part of ongoing investment the help ensure customers have the best experience at our cafés.”