On 23rd September 2025, we caught up with the Costa Dover team to hear how they set up and run their Chatter & Natter Table. Their experience offers useful takeaways for any store manager thinking about introducing the initiative.
What Is a Chatter & Natter Table?
The Chatty Café Scheme partners with hospitality venues to create spaces where customers can meet and talk. For Costa, this means designating a table and supporting local volunteers, who host at a regular time each week.
The initiative is free to run, easy to set up, and benefits everyone involved:
- Customers gain a safe, welcoming space to connect.
- Costa Stores strengthen their role in the community and attract new footfall.
At its core, the scheme helps tackle loneliness—a growing issue across all age groups. By offering a Chatter & Natter table, your store can play a part in making connections happen.
Key Learnings from Dover
1. It’s for Everyone
Loneliness isn’t just something older people face. The Dover team noticed the table appeals to customers across all age groups—from young adults new to town to retirees looking for companionship.
“It isn’t just older people—it’s also young people. It can impact so many different ages.”
2. Make It Visible
The yellow Chatter & Natter signs catch attention, even though they aren’t Costa-branded. Customers often ask about them at the till, creating natural opportunities to explain the initiative. Visibility is a powerful way to spark curiosity.
3. Location Matters
At first, the table was placed in the middle of the store. Customers hesitated to join. Once it was moved to a quieter corner, participation improved—3–4 people joined in the very next week.
Finding the right balance between noticeable and approachable is key.
4. Volunteers Drive Success
The Dover store has two committed volunteers running sessions on different days. Their consistency, enthusiasm, and small adjustments—like experimenting with seating layouts—make a real difference. Supporting and valuing volunteers is crucial to keeping momentum.
Benefits for Your Store
Running a Chatter & Natter table delivers more than just good conversations:
- Customer impact – people feel welcomed, supported, and less isolated.
- Store impact – customers view Costa as a caring, community-first business.
As Jasmine, the store manager, put it:
“It brings people into Costa, but more importantly, it’s a good thing to do. It gives people the opportunity to talk if they’re feeling lonely—over a cup of coffee.”
Why It’s Worth It
The Dover team describe the table as “a really good idea”: simple to deliver, low effort to maintain, and meaningful for both customers and the store.
For store managers, it’s a practical way to show community leadership, attract new customers, and make a positive difference—all with the support of trained volunteers and the Chatty Café Scheme.
Sometimes, all it takes is one table to create connections that matter.
How to get involved:
If you are a Store Manager and would like to sign up, please go to:
Register your store via the link above and The team at The Chatty Café Scheme will be in touch after receiving your registration and will advise on the next steps.
