The point being do they really need it and what did they do before I worked in London 50s 60s and there were no coffee outlets

That was then & this is now, Dave.

The world has changed - in many ways not for the better IMO, but there it is. There are many (maybe two or three generations now ?) who do not know how to cook from scratch at home & rely upon ready meals and takeaways to survive. These seem to me not to be great in the main & I have rarely had one that I feel I could not have prepared better (or cheaper, or both) myself. Same goes for a lot of the "pub grub" type restaurants - usually chosen for convenience, not the experience, for the most part.

I cannot recall a time when there were not numerous cafes, takeaways, coffee shops etc. since I took an interest from the mid-70s onwards. Different cuisine maybe, but no shortage. There may be more now & tastes change, but so what ?

Nigel B.