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Chain: Starbucks
Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 9:27 pm
by atnight_Archive
There are too many Starbucks, and they are too predatory. That is crap. A few Starbucks is fine- one on every corner is just ridiculous. However, in their race to outnumber everything else, Starbucks provides a reliable/locatable public bathroom facility, especially in places like NYC.
There are lots of local coffee shops with shitty coffee too.
However Starbucks proves a decent option on the road, as others have mentioned. An Americano or Cappucino at Starbucks remains a notch above any other mass market proliferation type entity that provides coffee and espresso drinks.
Are there too many Starbucks? Yes. Is their product subpar for a chain? Not at all.
70% Not Crap.
Chain: Starbucks
Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 9:38 pm
by Brett Eugene Ralph_Archive
steve wrote:If you are in the middle of bumfuck, egypt and your options are a gas station coffee or Starbucks, you'll soon appreciate the value of the Bucky pandemic.
I'm not exactly sure what the official definition of Bumfuck, Egypt is, but I'm guessing that it's broad enough to include rural western Kentucky, where a chai Latte is a godsend unless you're in the mood to eat at Waffle House, which is the only game in town when it comes to a strong cup of coffee. I agree that Starbucks' coffee is shit, but that chai latte is some tasty shit, especially if you ask 'em to put an extra pump or two of chai in it. I also appreciate that there is a Starbucks at the exit past my grandmother's outside of Indianapolis, so after fake-sipping a cup of her incomprehensibly weak coffee, I can drive through on my way back to Kentucky and thus avoid caffeine withdrawal.
Chain: Starbucks
Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 9:42 pm
by burun_Archive
Brett Eugene Ralph wrote:I also appreciate that there is a Starbucks at the exit past my grandmother's outside of Indianapolis, so after fake-sipping a cup of her incomprehensibly weak coffee, I can drive through on my way back to Kentucky and thus avoid caffeine withdrawal.
You lie to your grandmother!
This makes me sad.
Chain: Starbucks
Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 9:48 pm
by Tree_Archive
burun wrote:Brett Eugene Ralph wrote:I also appreciate that there is a Starbucks at the exit past my grandmother's outside of Indianapolis, so after fake-sipping a cup of her incomprehensibly weak coffee, I can drive through on my way back to Kentucky and thus avoid caffeine withdrawal.
You lie to your grandmother!
This makes me sad.
You are never too old to let your grandmother think:
1) That you are a perfect angel.
2) That everything she does, says, and makes is incomprehensibly awesome.
Chain: Starbucks
Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 9:49 pm
by Brett Eugene Ralph_Archive
burun wrote:Brett Eugene Ralph wrote:I also appreciate that there is a Starbucks at the exit past my grandmother's outside of Indianapolis, so after fake-sipping a cup of her incomprehensibly weak coffee, I can drive through on my way back to Kentucky and thus avoid caffeine withdrawal.
You lie to your grandmother!
This makes me sad.
I do not lie; I feign. She always asks me if it's strong enough, and I say "no." She vows to make it stronger, but it never is. I tell her before bed that I'm not drinking as much coffee these days (true), but she feels compelled to make some anyway, so I feel compelled to take a few sips and surreptitiously pour 3/4 of the cup down the sink. Such pantomimes harm no one, and the world turns a little easier.
Chain: Starbucks
Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 10:14 pm
by lemur68_Archive
atnight wrote:Starbucks provides a reliable/locatable public bathroom facility, especially in places like NYC.
I was walking around Chinatown in Toronto when I was stricken by a bout of Pierre Trudeau's Revenge, and I found a Starbucks which looked like it had the only suitable toilet handy at that moment. I went in and did my thing, and then bought something because I felt it was the least I could do after usurping their bathroom. I felt like quite the Ugly American walking around in another country's Chinatown, surrounded by all these exotic bubble tea shops and the like, carrying around a STARBUCKS cup.
Chain: Starbucks
Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 5:29 am
by fantasmatical thorr_Archive
tmidgett wrote:steve wrote:If you are in the middle of bumfuck, egypt and your options are a gas station coffee or Starbucks, you'll soon appreciate the value of the Bucky pandemic.
or london, steve. or in the middle of london. or the ohio turnpike.
i stay away from their espresso. all of their fancy coffee is overroasted, and this really destroys the espresso. the regular drip, i can and do drink it when i am not within a block or two of someplace better.
the cake-batter frappahoochees, i cannot drink
their saeco-made 'barista' espresso machine is quite nice for the money
and i think they are a more or less admirably run company, even taking their cutthroat store placement and generally bad musical taste into account
not crap
please allow me to take this chance to plug my favorite coffee in chicago, that of intelligentsia roasters and coffee shops. this unfortunately named concern produces a magnificent espresso roast called 'black cat.' their pulls of 'black cat' at their downtown store are wonderful, the equal of good italian espresso. the drip and iced coffee is really good, as well.
yes! intelligentsia! holy shit. when we were in chicago, we ended up here. i am pretty sure it was the best coffee i had ever drank and, the best looking. i worked in a coffee shop once, i enjoyed it but i would LOOOOVE to work there...wow. i had a triple shot latte with vanilla syrup. GOD DAMN.
fuck starbucks. the coffee aint all that, it's expensive and you can't smoke and everyone i've ever been too, across the planet they can never get someone bussing so there are always dirty cups on EVERY table. that never happened when i worked in an extremely busy coffee chain.
Chain: Starbucks
Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 3:53 pm
by LeMoustache_Archive
The best thing about Starbucks is their quality control. They make a mediocre cup of coffee, but it'll be the same overroasted cup whether I'm at home in Denver or in Bumfuck, Egypt. When traveling, I'd rather go straight to Starbucks than take my chances what could be really awful at whatever mom-and-pop store I happen upon.
Plus, they're everywhere. In San Diego last month, I found three within two blocks of one another, and another two or three within walking distance of those.
Not crap for convenience and predictability. WF 5 for mediocrity.
Chain: Starbucks
Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 3:56 pm
by eephour_Archive
I went to one last night with the lady before a movie. there were only two people working to serve about eight customers. Needless to say, it took awhile for us to get our coffee. When it was ready, they ended up giving us cupons for two free drinks.
not crap, grande waffles .
Chain: Starbucks
Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 4:06 pm
by joelb_Archive
fantasmatical thorr wrote:tmidgett wrote:please allow me to take this chance to plug my favorite coffee in chicago, that of intelligentsia roasters and coffee shops. this unfortunately named concern produces a magnificent espresso roast called 'black cat.' their pulls of 'black cat' at their downtown store are wonderful, the equal of good italian espresso. the drip and iced coffee is really good, as well.
yes! intelligentsia! holy shit.
I avoided this unfortunately named concern for years because of the unfortunate name. After a while, I decided I wasn't proving anything to anyone and now drink the best coffee in the world almost every day.
Star is pretty CRAP.