Is Starbucks Good or Evil?

[Peter59T]

Only in a pinch

I am sick and tired of them. It doesn't even smell like coffee when you go in to their stores, and they really are McCoffees, with grossly inflated price tags. In my personal rebellion I refuse to order a venti by name. I ask for a large coffee, and the barrista (yuck, pretentious there too), invariably stares blankly for a second and then asks hesitantly if I mean a venti. Plus, I think there regular coffee brews have been watered down increasingly over the past 5-6 years. They do have a great selection of coffee beans though for making your own.

Yes, I still buy coffee there at freeway rest stops. Like if I even could buy any other coffee at a rest stop. From the looks of it, they have a monopoly at least between Virginia and New Jersey.

[dwolsten]

Mediocre

Starbucks is very mediocre.

First, I don't drink coffee, but I do drink Chai Tea Lattes (best with soy milk). Starbucks' lattes are drinkable, but really nothing special. They're a little too bitter, and don't have much flavor. One thing that helps, though, is to tell them "NO WATER". Normally, they add water, which just waters it down.

If you want a great latte, go to your local Nordstrom's (if you have one) and visit their coffee shop. Their chai tea is superb, and costs a little less than Starbucks'. If that's not an option, try some decent local coffee shop.

SB has a good concept, with drive-thru windows at some shops, a really nice atmosphere inside, free wireless internet, etc. But their product really isn't good enough to live up to the hype.

[rbfunk]

Niether or nor

Some interesting comments here.
As a competitor, I woud like to clear up a few things.
1. Fair trade and organic coffees - Not all Starbucks coffee is FT or Organic. Last time I checked it was less then 10%. Bt don't hold that against them, it's very hard to get some coffees that are.
2. Puts local shops out of business - There have been stories of Starbucks buying out local shops. But local shops can compete. Coffee by the cup is a convienience, nobody is going to drive 3 blocks out of the way to get a cup. Service and quality will get and keep customers. Case in point. About 4 months after we opened, another coffee shop opened down the street. They're closed and we are in our thrid year. Why? Customers who went there and then returne to us or changed to us say they liked our place (atmosphere) better.
3. Burnt taste - Starbucks uses a dark roast for the majority of their coffees. Part of the reason they do this is because their coffee may have been roastd a while ago. The Specialty Coffee Assoc. of America, of which Starbucks is a member, says coffee is stale 2 weeks after roasting. Vacuum packing may delay that a bit. Remember that the next time you pick up a bag of their coffee with a best buy date 6 months in the future.
4. Employee Benefits - They have got me and most independents there. No way can we afford to.

My vote in the poll would be that I occasionaly buy a cup therre but only under cover of darkness and in a disguise.
Bob