The Starbuck's Experience

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Stew21

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Coffee has its place. I require caffiene daily, and a coffee shop two doors down from the building I work in is a convenient one. HOWEVER...a few comments for the fine folks at Starbucks.
1) Please don't make me say "venti" - it is a large.
2) Is a tip for charging me over $3 for a coffee when all you did was write my name on the cup and put and H and an L in the appropriate boxes on said cup appropriate? I'm not a tightwad. I'm a good tipper, but all you did was take my order and give me change! Come on! I saw that overflowing tin of $1 bills and I thought, hell, who knew what a fine living you could make serving coffee with Italian names!?!
3) The marketing and advertisement of coffee as if it is some other-worldly zen experience is a bit ridiculous, isn't it?
4) Can there be more names for combinations of coffee, milk, steam, and syrup? ooh, add ice and now its a frappafreakingcino?
5) Will the arrogance ever end? IT'S COFFEE! Cowboys drank it out of tin cups cooked over a fire. Maxwell House makes it. Some fine greasy spoon establishments serve the bottomless cup for 50 cents! Three BUCKS? Are you kidding? Oh, that's right, you have wifi and comfy chairs...we pay for ambiance even when all we do is take it to go in a paper cup.

I do, however, appreciate the cardboard sleeve around the cup so I don't burn my hand, though I love the hypocrisy now that they are "committed to reducing our environmental impact through increasing use of recycled post-consumer materials." The sleeve is the "FIRST EVER 60% post consumer fiber sleeve" with fine print that reads it is "intended for single use only". How waste-minded and environmentally sound they have become.
Who knew the kind of coffee we drink would become a social status, and that they could play to peace of mind ethics and social consciousness all on one paper cup?

For the love of caffiene!
 

jenngreenleaf

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I saw the owner of Starbucks on TV the other night and, he's much younger and much less hyper than I imagined. :) It was interesting to hear his story and why, exactly, a small is called a tall.
 

Sarita

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I did an entire piece for my speech class about Starbucks vs. a Local Bookstore/Cafe and the ethos, pathos, and logos of each space. I love the piece and I didn't even have to borrow William's line about "coffee that tastes like pencil shavings" to get an A. I should probably play with it a little and try to sell it. Thanks for the idea, Trish. :)

I happen to have a severe weakness for Starbucks Coffee, even though my mind tells me not to.
 

Stew21

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Venti, of course. Sheesz...
biggrin.gif



It's like the Yuppie's version of John Bender's "get in there and make me a turkey pot pie, b!tch!"
(and no, you can't say that unless you are in a recliner, with a beer in one hand, in a wife-beater T, (preferrably stained), and boxer shorts, a fine smack on the @ss on my way in front of the tv definitely adds to the scene....
 

Sarita

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Oh, but one of my lines was:

Even the sizes of the coffee are geared toward the customer deserving more. Instead of small, Starbucks uses the term "Tall", thus making you feel like you're getting more than a petite cup of coffee for a large price.
 

veinglory

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The correct me because I never say the size, type and syrup in the right order, get over it already. Also it must interfere with how the next generation read Moby Dick...
 

badducky

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Personally, I think the high dollar cost keeps out the riffraff.

Now, if only we could get rid of all those darn teenagers.

On a more serious note, where I live, Starbucks is a blessing. The only free-standing indie coffeeshops are so jampacked with fundamentals doing their faux-counter culture thing. I'm glad they think Starbucks is the devil.

The only thing scarier than a dirty hippy is a dirty hippie with religion, and pictures of Cheney in his wallet.
 

Stew21

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I didn't say I didn't like the taste. They do have good coffee, its all the crap surrounding that's annoying.
I ordered a venti hazelnut latte...its my favorite.
 

ChaosTitan

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Starbucks is my favorite coffee shop when they have the Toffee Nut Latte available.

The rest of the year, I stick with my little 4-cup Mr. Coffee. We've been together for years, but he doesn't mind the occasional cheating.
 

Stew21

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chaostitan said:
Starbucks is my favorite coffee shop when they have the Toffee Nut Latte available.

The rest of the year, I stick with my little 4-cup Mr. Coffee. We've been together for years, but he doesn't mind the occasional cheating.

I like those 4-cup Mr. Coffee pots too. If I make a full regular size pot, I will drink the whole thing, the 4 cup is perfect!
 

Stew21

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KTC said:
But don't they make you feel more significant? More important? More discerning?

Come now! We are the people of the new generation. The paper cup princes and princesses. These other coffee palaces are just, well simply too gauche for us!

yes, that is the intention I suppose...you get to order things in another language, how significant...they went out of their way to pump in good music, give me a comfy chair to sit in, and a nice paper cup to drink from (with a sippy cup lid so I won't burn myself)...it really is as close to royalty as some people feel all day.
And in the movie "You've Got Mail" Tom Hanks talks about people ordering coffee and how it is the moment when people can exercise their decision making skills. They might not be able to make a decision all day long that is important but they know when its coffee time, they want a venti half-caf skim latte with 2 Splendas. It makes them feel like they have control of at least one thing...they know what kind of coffee they want. It makes them an expert at something, doesn't it.
 

underthecity

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I live in Cincinnati and one of my sisters lives in Los Angeles (Duarte, specifically). When she comes to town to visit, she HAS to go to Starbucks; and they aren't everywhere around here. Myself, I don't believe I have ever bought coffee from a Starbucks anywhere. It's difficult for me to buy a cup of coffee that costs the same as an Extra Value Meal at McDonalds. I like coffee just fine, but $3 is a bit excessive.

allen
 

Sarita

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KTC said:
I hate the new subway "Have it your way" crap! I want to order off the menu and then say thank you on the way out. Don't ask me individually if I would every item in the world.
I have a Subway script. "Veggies and cheese on wheat, mayo, mustard and all the veggies but onion, thanks." Shuts them up every time!
 

robeiae

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KTC said:
Yes...decision making skill exercising is fine with coffee. What burns my bunmaker is needing to make a decision with my sub! Man o man! Just give me a goddamned assorted. I hate the new subway "Have it your way" crap! I want to order off the menu and then say thank you on the way out. Don't ask me individually if I would every item in the world. Just give me a predesigned sandwich and I'll be on my way to Starbucks for my scintilating decision making experience!!!!!!!!!
You're anti-social. Try ordering one in Miami when half the questions are asked in Spanish. And anyway, it's not a 'sub,' it's a 'hero sandwich.' I thought you, of all people, would know that...:D

Rob :) (and Sara, you need roast beef, double meat, with bacon added to your script)
 

Sarita

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robeiae said:
(and Sara, you need roast beef, double meat, with bacon added to your script)
No, no, no... Mango Chutney. It goes great with all those veggies.
 

ChaosTitan

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Quiznos is just as bad as Subway.

I go in and order a Chicken Carbonara Sub on wheat. According to its description on the menu, it's supposed to have chicken, cheese, mushrooms, and some sort of special sauce.

First thing they ask: Would you like mushrooms?

:Wha:

Hello???

Do the people at Burger King ask if you want bacon on your Bacon Double Cheeseburger?
 

Stew21

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I love the Subway worker *eye-roll*and that "DUH, whatever" look on their faces when they say, "what kinda bread?" (you know in their heads, it is "what kind of bread you jackass? I can't make the sandwich until you tell me the BREAD! Learn the RULES!" And its followed up with that silent stare they give you with their plastic gloved hands hovering over the veggie assortment. "Start talkin lady"...sometimes I pause extra long just because they get flinchy and figety...I guess that makes me bitchy.
 
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