Is Starbucks Good or Evil?

[eddy merckx]

There is nothing like an espresso pulled by a really experienced barrista. A long time ago in Seattle, you could get that at Starbucks. Now they serve bizarre,charred espresso, pulled by part-time employees. There is a huge difference. I think you're generally better off finding a local place with a barrista who's been at it for a few years (if you can find one).

However, I think Starbucks serves a very competent cup of drip. They do a better job than most, depending on the day's roast. The only time they screw it up is when they serve French roast, which tasted like an ash tray.

Even with the drip coffee, the caffeine content is all over the map. I read that it can vary by as much as 200% from day to day. Some days you get a cup of rocket fuel that has you shaking and sweating for an hour.

I'm not the first to say it, but how can you fault a business plan for legally selling an addictive substance?

[tuttlejr]

Lewis Black has a great routine about Starbucks. Real classic one.

For the record, I do not go to Starbucks even when there is no other place to go like in an airport. Prices too high and the coffee is mediocre.

[Tom Slick]

I like to support local business and we have plenty of local coffee shops for me to waste my money at. I keep that idea in mind with most of my purchases and hate when goods/services become single source from a large company.

[Black wallnut]

I drink COFFEE! I buy Starbucks beans , used to by them pre ground before we bought a grinder until LOML learned that they will grind for free no matter where you have purchased your Starbucks beans. I have also dealt with them as a driver delivering goods to them, as a dispatcher making receiving appointments. They are a top notch outfit! They treat delivering drivers like friends inviting them to fill their thermos and/or their coffee cup, always offering to make a fresh pot when needed.

I also have a "brother" who is an employee in their corp. offices. Man are his perks nice. He's often tossing me a free pound of beans. He is thinking of a cross country move in the near future and Starbucks will let him transfer to the new place. Sounds to me like a very accomodating employeer.

All that said I do not like buying coffee from them already brewed. I think it is too hot and too strong!

[thestinker]

Before we got the kids the wife and I would go 3 or 4 nights a week for frapachinos and moccas. Now we just go ever so often. The loss of 1 income and toting small ones makes you really justify those 3 and 4 dollar drinks. However, when it comes to home brew...I will only buy Starbucks and usualy the house blend. I have gotten where I can't stand stuff like Folgers or Maxwellhouse. I am always on the lookout for a good new coffee, or coffee house. There just arent that many arround here, and as far as I know the Starbucks is by far the closest and most convient.

RS

[AndyF]

Starbucks is *too* close

I have a Starbucks literally 20ft from my office door.

I nearly went broke the first two months they were open.

Guess I got burned out. I'll get one every other month or two.


Andy

[Woodboy]

Hooked for life?

I came late to the party. I was always an anti-Starbucks guy and only drank regular coffee at their competitors. McDonald’s makes superior cup of coffee in a great cup and they even pre-sugar and cream it for you.

Then about a week ago I ordered a vanilla latté and a pieced of banana bread at Starbucks. I now have modified that to a half pump version, but I have had one every day for the last week. I am hooked.

[Ed62]

Never tried Starbuck's, and probably never will. Just a pot of Maxwell House does it for me.

Ed

[Popeye]

Maybe drinking Navy coffee for 20 years altered my sense of taste but the Starbuck's regular coffee turns my stomach.

Ahhh, nothing like midwatch coffee from the engine room. It'd keep you up all day. NO coffee is worth $4 a cup. Pat

[gsmittle]

Personally, I'm not a coffee guy. I just never got used to the taste, good, bad, or indifferent. However, I had a Cuban study buddy in grad school who made Cuban espresso one night when we were studying REALLY late. I didn't realize that what she was making was basically caffeine in sugar syrup, so I had about six cups.

Three days later I finally slept. I'm pretty sure I ended up waxing the roof shingles when I ran out of stuff to do....

Now teas or beers, I'm your man...

g.

[MikeMcCoy]

Ahhh, nothing like midwatch coffee from the engine room. It'd keep you up all day. NO coffee is worth $4 a cup. Pat

Plain ol' coffee for me. The only engine room coffee I had was during my 60 day attitude adjustment period in #1 main on Forrestal many many years ago.

[mater]

I tried a cup of their regular coffee a couple times. I didn't think it was all that great.

[parnelli]

I'm not a big fan of their coffee, but they're hard to escape. According to their website there are 47 Starbucks within 10 miles of my house.

My old house... 87!!!!

Seriously, how can they still make money with all these stores?

[prlundberg]

I don't drink much coffee, but when I do, I prefer to go to local establishments.

My issue with Starbucks is they almost always put their shops within a block or two of established coffee shops even when there are numerous locations available where they could establish a new customer base.

Their coffee is good, but it's nothing special IMO.

Too many cookie-cutter chain establishments make life less interesting. I usually try to keep my money as local as I can.

[vaking]

I voted "pretty good" but not for their coffee. The coffee is average in quality and definitely overpriced. The main attraction of starbucks is in the atmosphere. My nearest strabucks is always packed with college students, who buy one cup of coffee and then spend half a day doing homework on laptops. It is a meeting place, coffee is just an excuse. Yes, their coffee is overpriced but I don't think charging too much for coffee is illegal. If customers are paying - they must be doing something right. I respect the company for offering health insurance to all employees even though most of their employees are college students. I also respect them for standing up to union pressure - college students who work for them do not need union representation.