To Starbucks or not to Starbucks ?

[KYYX4ever]

With recent posting madness about Walmart, I was wondering: what about the Big Guy That is Starbucks ? Do you buy caffeinated goodness there ? Or do you hold it on the same level as WM ? As in, the Big Bully that comes along and tries to knock everyone off the block ?

My confession: for years I resisted Starbucks. I used to be part-owner of a coffee-roasting company (New Mexico Pinon Coffee Co.), right in the heart of Albuquerque's university district, surrounded by tons of other small businesses, and of course many other coffeeshops. We all got along, supported each other, and everyone offered something different. Starbucks was viewed as the Bully.
But years later I tried Starbucks and it's DELICIOUS ! After that I was hooked. BTW, I drink their Chai lattes, since I can make coffee at home. If I am in the old 'hood, I still patronize the old neighborhood coffeeshops, but in this part of the city, they don't exist.
As opposed to WM, Starbucks:
1. has much HIGHER prices than their competitors. Funny how that works out.
2. treats their employees very well and offers them MAD benefits, even for part-time. Pay is swell.
3. does many charitable and helpful things for the community, recycles like a whirling dervish, and gives away coffee grounds for people who can use them in their gardens for compost (like me).
4. has employees who are usually friendly and ACT like they enjoy their job.

I'm still undecided about this corporate beast. Can a big corporation still be good ? Or is the nature of a corp. defy goodness ? What do you guys think ?

[Frau_Blucher]

How about "no particularly self-analytical or zealous opinion either way"? Just like Walmart to me. If I need something and it happens to be there, I'll go in. I'm more of a Dunkin Donuts guy myself, not for the donuts but for their hazelnut iced coffee regular and sausage egg and cheese on a sour cream and onion bagel. I have no qualms about Starbucks though. I feel comfortable getting a coffee and popping open a laptop there for a couple of hours without wondering if anyone will bother me. I've probably dropped a thousand dollars each at the ones on Longwood Ave in Boston and 1st Ave near Rockefeller Med in NYC.

[shovelbum]

I know you and I had this conversation when I was last at your house!

I love Starbucks, but probably because I was living in Seattle when they initially took off and I remember when they WERE a "mom and pop" place. I don't mind capitalism to a certain degree so I'm thrilled they have been so successful. What makes them different than Walmart to me is their level of responsibility to their employees, the global community and to the environment. Combine that with great service and a great ambience and I have to say, "Yeah, can I have a grande soy iced latte, please?"

"I'm subversive as hell!" ~Theodor Geisel

[eight6]

Starbucks is a much smaller concern in Canada, Tim Hortons would be the Wal-mart equivalent here. Like Blir, I visit both, but actually prefer the coffee at Tim Hortons.

Starbucks will never surpass Tim Hortons here, it's so entrenched in the Canadian psyche.

[cookie]

[quote][i]Originally posted by eight6[/i]
<br>Starbucks is a much smaller concern in Canada, Tim Hortons would be the Wal-mart equivalent here. Like Blir, I visit both, but actually prefer the coffee at Tim Hortons.

Starbucks will never surpass Tim Hortons here, it's so entrenched in the Canadian psyche.
[/quote]

Good old Timmies, the breakfast of champions! Kingston has one on every corner (I am not kidding, you can see the next store from the front of some stores).

Back to Starbucks, no I will not patronize their stores. There is a local co-op coffee/eatery downtown (Sleepless Goat). Starbucks opened up 2 doors away and had the nerve to hand out coupons through the open window of the Goat. Funny thing is that the Starbucks is almost always empty (except during tourist season) yet the Sleepless Goat is always busy.

Oddly enough, they have opened up 3 stores locally right next to independent coffee houses but not too close to Tim Hortons. Do I sense some fear?

[sunzgem]

Hey I know of New Mexico Pinon Coffee Co. And actually I remember buying it from...[:0]Walmart here in NM! Well that's another argument for another day...

I do drink coffee everyday but I make it at home and take it to work. And I do go to one local coffee shop every now and then and they do have good coffee. Also if I'm out of town I do make it a point to try other local coffee shops. But since there are three Starbucks in my town and one of them has a drive-thru.. well they're just too damn convenient I guess! Seriously though I probably only have one a month. During the warmer months it's a caramel Frappacino or however you spell it, and during the colder months it's a caramel Macciatto or however you spell it. Or even the holiday ones that come around like the pumpkin one.[:p]

"My life is a darkroom. One. Big. Dark. Room."

[zill]

Like Seattle, Vancouver has Starbucks on every corner. I read that they use Vancouver to test for the "saturation" point for the number of Starbucks and they still haven't found it. I remember back when the mermaid still had a belly button. Those were the days.

I prefer the flavour of the coffee at local places like JJ Bean or Bean Around the World, but I have nothing against Starbucks. They offer a good quality, consistent product.

It will be interesting to see if they continue with large price discrepancies in their merchandise between $US and $Can now that the Canuck-buck is at par with the US greenback.

[Bitter Almonds]

<p align="justify">I buy the bottled frappuccinos. They also have some tasty turkey baguettes for sale at the front[}:)]

[glokstadt]

Nope, they burn their beans!

I go to Peet's/Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf/Coffee Kiosk/Spudnuts, anywhere usually has better coffee than Starfucks... no offense to those of you who like their coffee, JMHO. Even McDonald's has a good cup of Joe going now. Reminds me of [i]Pulp Fiction[/i]:


[i][Jules, Vincent and Jimmie are drinking coffee in Jimmie's kitchen][/i]

[b]Jules:[/b] "Mmmm! Goddamn, Jimmie! This is some serious gourmet shit! Usually, me and Vince would be happy with some freeze-dried Taster's Choice, but he springs this serious GOURMET shit on us! What flavor is this?"
[b]Jimmie:[/b] "Knock it off, Julie."
[b]Jules:[/b] [pause] "What?"
[b]Jimmie:[/b] "I don't need you to tell me how fucking good my coffee is, okay? I'm the one who buys it. I know how good it is. When Bonnie goes shopping she buys SHIT. Me, I buy the gourmet expensive stuff because when I drink it I want to taste it. But you know what's on my mind right now? It AIN'T the coffee in my kitchen, it's the dead nigger in my garage."
[b]Jules:[/b] Oh, Jimmie, don't even worry about that..."


Besides I just don't know if I want my local coffee place to also be my local CD/record shop.



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[coop41]

[quote][i]Originally posted by shovelbum[/i]
<br>I know you and I had this conversation when I was last at your house!

I love Starbucks.... I don't mind capitalism to a certain degree so I'm thrilled they have been so successful. What makes them different than Walmart to me is their level of responsibility to their employees...
[/quote]


You mean the ones that are incarcerated?

[randy]

Dunkin Donuts.

Dont care for Starbucks at all.

[human clone]

I'm not much of a coffee drinker to begin with, but $5 for a cup of coffee to me is absurd.

[birdmadgirl]

[quote][i]Originally posted by human clone[/i]
<br>I'm not much of a coffee drinker to begin with, but $5 for a cup of coffee to me is absurd.
[/quote]

Same here. I've had plenty of Starbucks--it's not *that* good.

I've noticed that people who REALLY like their coffee are fanatical about it, so good for them. It's just not my thing.

[MikeP]

[quote][i]Originally posted by XXX[/i]
<br><p align="justify">I buy the bottled frappuccinos. They also have some tasty turkey baguettes for sale at the front[}:)]
[/quote]
Hey I agree ... those turkey baguettes with the cranberries are damn tasty, but I can take or leave Starbucks. I like an over-roasted kickstart in the morning every so often and it sure as hell beats the office coffee sludge, but regular visits can be a wallet-busting experience. About once a week for me please.

[phillyidol]

McDonalds did really improve alot. They used to serve burnt brown water. Now they have good quality shit. But THE best coffee in the universe is Diner coffee. I don't know what it is but they have great coffee. At least Diners in NY.

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