Adding coffee to unhealthy meal gets you nowhere (8)
I believe the answer is:
flattery
'you nowhere' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I can't see how they can define each other.
'adding coffee to unhealthy meal' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'coffee' could be 'latte' (type of coffee drink) and 'latte' is found in the answer.
The remaining letters 'fry' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
'gets' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for flattery that I've seen before include "''Imitation is the sincerest form of . . . . . . . .'' (8)" , "Compliments" , "Cosying up" , "Excessive or insincere praise" , "Obsequious praise" .)