POLL: WHAT'S WRONG WITH STARBUCKS?

[Mark]

Poll responses should be from a customers/consumers point of view but shop owners are welcome to participate since they may have heard comments from their clients. Please complete the following statement with a list of one or more items.

EVERYBODY LIKES EVERYTHING ABOUT STARBUCKS EXCEPT ...

 

[Quink]

Over priced, curretly in the UK its about £2 a cup I think thats about $3.50-$4.00 a cup thats insane.

 

[topher]

$3.50 for a cup of coffee or specialty drink? I always here people bash starbucks...I personally think that they have done great things for the industry. I love when I see a kid(who thinks he is sooo kewl cuz they works in a coffee shop)and they say how much they hate starbucks..but the truth is if it wasn't for starbucks there wouldn't be so many coffee shops..and they would be working at a fast food joint. If you do not like starbucks don't buy from them...I personally do not drink starbucks but that is me.

 

[Quink]

$3.50 for a cup of coffee or specialty drink?

Sorry should have mentioned that, the price was last time I went there for a middle of the road latte with out any syrups or anything fancy. On the whole I dont hate Starbucks, but believe that I can get better elsewhere for less.

 

[melisamorris]

Starbucks

I used to really like Starbucks but now I'm a bit disenchanted. The shops I sometimes visit today (when I have no "mom & pop" close by) seem to be too busy to be friendly and customer focused. I do not dislike Starbucks but again, if there is a mom & pop shop around that I like, I'll go there first.

 

[Coffee Guy]

EVERYBODY LIKES EVERYTHING ABOUT STARBUCKS EXCEPT ...

Starbucks? I'm sorry, who is Starbucks :twisted: Just kidding...as Topher said, if it wasn't for Starbucks and larger companies like them, there would be no us. Meaning, there wouldn't be anyone out there paving the way for the independents to compete. Not all of their blends are bad, and pricing isn't where most Mom & Pops are, but people keep in mind that Starbucks doesn't play follow the leader, they like to think of themselves as being the leader...There is a difference. Personally I feel as long as they continue to expand the market for specialty coffee, the better chance all of us (roasters) to expand as well. Keep in mind, Starbucks will continue to grow, I'm just happy they are doing most of the work when it comes to introducing our style of coffees to the world. :wink:

 

[Caffe Latte]

What I don't like about Starbucks is that their regular coffee always tastes burnt to me.

The espresso based drinks, the teas, the cold drinks, and the pastries are very good.

Unlike most "coffee shops" in NYC, Starbucks allows one to only order one cup and take a seat. Too many places say that you must order food to sit as well.

There are a small number of real cafes. Starbucks fills a void that most people only THINK exists in NYC, but in reality is not there.

After all, when the newest Dunkin Donuts opens up and only allows standing room, where else are you going to be able to go to sit and drink?

 

[ralphshade]

Starbucks

I agree about Starbucks opening up the specialty coffee market. I don't drink their coffee (why would when I have so much else available?), but they definitely ave done a lot for the industry. They've even started to make some headway in roasting for the market they're in, so that not all of their coffee has that "Charbucks" quality that they becam famous for. By the way, did anyone hear about the roaster that came up with a blend called "Charbucks"? He was sued for copyright infringement by Starbucks. They equated "Charbucks" and Starbucks with Mickey D's and McDonalds. Poor guy couldn't affor the court battle and and settled out of court.

Hmmm, maybe that's what I don't like about Starbucks...the corporate bully syndrome. As I said, though...they have done a lot of good, as well.

 

[CJ Paul]

Caffe Latte stole my answer. 90% of the time I drink plain Jane coffe and theirs tastes horrible. I like strong coffe and I've had good, strong coffee. Theirs tastes burned.

 

[topher]

had a few pints this evening so I am going to chime in...it doesn't taste burned...they are just roasting out all the flaws in the coffee..see coffee changes crop to crop..the darker you roast...the more conformity crop to crop... :roll:

 

[ralphshade]

Char...er, Strabucks

had a few pints this evening so I am going to chime in...it doesn't taste burned...they are just roasting out all the flaws in the coffee..see coffee changes crop to crop..the darker you roast...the more conformity crop to crop... :roll:

Hey topher!

Perhaps if they bought better coffee they wouldn't have to burn, er, "roast out all the flaws"?
:twisted:

 

[topher]

I agree :wink:

 

[KoffeeKanada]

Re: Char...er, Strabucks

Hello everyone, i'm new here,anybody heard of Second Cup?
Or are they only in Canada?
Starbucks has really bad tasting coffee,i have purchased many cups
and many#of beans,Second cup is so supperior to Starbucks!
am i missing something?

 

[coffee seeker]

Yes they created the market but with their degrading quality and higher pricing they have opened so many chances for the rest of us to do better :grin:

 

[Hobbes]

I live in a small city (only about 50,000 people) in atlantic Canada, so there really isn't much in the way of Mom and Pop coffee shops, except perhaps downtown there are a couple, but most people who don't work there only spend time downtown on weekends, so the only place to get decent speciality coffee in this city is Starbucks. Hey, it's alot better than the crap Tim Horton's or Wendy's calls cappucino.