Expensive? Absolutely! Good coffee? Absolutely as well. They do have a policy concerning the beans they use. I used to work in Seattle where Starbucks started. When the beans hit their personal expiration date they donate the beans to the local mission. In the case of Seattle that means roughly 100 pounds of beans get donated. There is not much to like actuall, except possibly the lines. If there is a line I generally will not wait that long to spend the extra bucks for an Americano Grande' with 2 extra shots. Ding-dong...the eyes are now open.
Went to Starbucks over the weekend. Got a chocolate chip frappacino. While I love Starbucks it's getting harder and harder to justify going there on a regular basis. May have to cut my visits down to about once a week. You can get a similar product much cheaper at places like Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds. Another problem with Starbucks is that they are so popular it's hard to have a quick visit there. You typically have to wait in line for much longer than what is ideal. And that can be a bit of a nuisance when you have other things you have to do.
I enjoy their coffee and breakfast sandwiches once in a blue moon, but I mainly just treat myself to it when I am traveling. Their coffee is good, it's just not worth what they charge for it and never will be, but it's not bad coffee at all. I really wished they cooked their food items to order though instead of having to pick some pre-made thing out of a window that's been sitting there for who knows how long, then have it warmed up in a microwave. Why spend so much time making a cup of coffee for me, but then give me some rushed food? I got on a Starbucks/Caribou/Seattle's best kick about 10 years ago, and had to buy their beans and grind them at home, in my Cuisinart burr mill grinder, and brew it in my Cuisinart coffee maker. I was blowing a lot of money per month though, even with making it at home - like around $70 per month on the beans alone, not to mention the charcoal filters for my coffee machine, the filtered water containers, etc... Thankfully I stopped all of that, when I started a new job which had really high quality coffee brewed fresh for free at work every day. So I no longer bothered making it at home any more.
I think people like the brand, the atmosphere and the hip young writers blogging on their laptops over lattes. Starbucks has a cool image. Making a latte in your kitchen is cheaper but not as glamorous. I haven't been to a Starbucks in years because I'm on a budget.
I've been in Starbucks a few times with a co-worker who just love her some Starbucks coffee 7:00 a.m. in the morning. I have to say that I was impressed with the atmosphere immediately. The customer service I felt was above and beyond any restaurant I've been in, really... This is why I say what I say. I wasn't drinking coffee back then tea and my friend was trying to get me to try all these different kinds of coffees there. Then one of the employees stepped up and asked me if I'd like to try out one of the teas. I said "try-you, mean as in 'free'?" Unfortunately not; but I did try one. It was the best tea that I had ever tasted, seeing that all I ever drank was Lipton . I never bought any tea from Starbucks again but it did help me to expand my variety of tea flavors.
Well, a lot of adults can't even start their day without a cup of coffee in their system. Starbucks took advantage of that and provides people with their much needed daily caffeine. Someone that's usually rushing, which is most people nowadays, will find the convenience of not having to brew their own coffee a huge advantage. So, that's probably what makes Starbucks so popular, it might not be the best coffee you ever tasted, but it's convenient.
Some people like the taste a lot, it is convenient, and it is a status symbol, saying that you have money because you can afford to spend so much of it on a fancy beverage.
Coffee appeals to a lot of people, and not only in the morning, but all throughout the day when one is out and about. It's nice to be able to go into a place and get a nice cup of coffee. I like sugar in my coffee, but I like black coffee too, and Starbucks tastes pretty good. It's hot, it's a pick me up, it soothes the spirit. Iced coffee is good too.
Is this an existential question? I don't know what the point of Starbucks is, but there appear to be more Starbucks in New York(where I live) than there are Elementary schools. The capitalist answer to that question would be...to charge a 1000% mark-up on mediocre coffee, get the populace hooked on their particular fix, whilst someone behind the scenes rubs their hands in glee and rolls around on a mattress full of 100$ bills and gold bullion!
I think they just sort of got lucky- the fact that the brand has become a cultural thing and that it's so prevalent everywhere. The coffee is definitely overpriced and overrated. The atmosphere is okay but it's nothing that you can't find at other coffee places. One thing they had going for them, that I'm not seeing as much lately, was really good customer service. The baristas would always be genuinely friendly and kind and engaging. A lot of people find that worth coming back for.
Starbucks is okay. I have never thought that it was anything special or out of this world. I think a lot of people go there for the atmosphere as it is usually laid back and more of a social spot.
To be honest, I like Starbucks. Not so much it's coffee, as I don't drink coffee, but more to do with the environment it creates. Basically, when I want to work in a coffee shop it's quite a decent environment to be in, particularly with wifi thrown in. And I'll drink mint tea there - cheaper, less sugar and possibly healthier than the coffee. Are there other places I could go to? Absolutely. And very often I do go to other coffee shops. But at least I know what I'm getting in the shop in terms of ambiance and setting. If I was a coffee drinker I would probably be annoyed by the commoditization of the product. But that's not a concern for me.
I totally LOVE Starbuck's Coffee ! ! I do not have it very often, simply because it is so very expensive; but it is a wonderful treat now and then. Just the scent of a Starbucks is enough to send my senses skyrocketing; and the taste is even better. They have actual real cream that you can put in the coffee, and the little chocolate and cinnamon powders. I usually put everything in mine ! Sometimes, my daughter takes me out to Starbucks, and then she treats me to one of the expensive Latte's or a Mocha-------total Heaven ! ! I also love the seasonal flavors. It would be nice if I had more money, or Starbucks was cheaper; but even so, it is wonderful to enjoy it when I can.
I'm surprised that there are this many Starbucks fans in a frugal forum. One of the first things that frugal websites tell people to do is get rid of store bought coffee drinks. It blows my mind that some people can afford a daily $5 coffee and not blink an eye at spending $140 a month on coffee.
The point of Starbucks is to rob people of their money. Yes, I love Starbucks, but I'm not one that will rush out to pay $10 for ONE coffee. I think the prices are ridiculous. They just raised their prices here in FL as well. So annoying.
I prefer to have someone make my coffee for me. Starbucks seems to be able to get the water to make the coffee hotter than I can at home. They also have a much greater variety of flavors than I have at home. I do have a keurig at home and it is cheaper. When I don't want to leave my house I use it. Most of the time I'm already on my way to work so I can easily swing through the drive thru at Starbucks.
I am not a big fan of Starbucks coffee, it is too strong for me. I can see the appeal of meeting others there to have a meeting. To me it is a little to busy to have a good meeting.
I think the point of Starbucks is having a higher quality coffee that is somewhat affordable (in terms of those who like higher quality coffee). I personally don't have a problem with Starbucks. I like going to Starbucks from time to time, even if it's only to meet up with one of my friends. They always seem to have really nice seasonal choices, and I become a really big fan of their caramel macchiato. I love most cafes I visit, and I even tend to lean towards the more lesser known ones, but I see the point of Starbucks. It a fairly decent cafe that you don't have to look very hard to find.
I think this store is here to serve specialized hot drinks. I personally like the Caramel Apple Spice. It is hot apple cider with caramel and spice fused with in. No other coffee chop sells it, so this is the purpose of this store. Serving specialty hot drinks. I like how they change or add menu items with the change of the season and holidays also.
Starbucks coffee is fine, it tastes great, the stores are clean and the staff are friendly. However, it can get expensive if you buy a few cups per week. Don't laugh at me, but I think the coffee served at UK branches of McDonalds is just as good and comes at half the price. Plus there's those little stickers you can collect for a free cup. The lattes and mochas they serve are terrible though and I much prefer Starbucks for the "speciality" recipes.
