Starbucks -the coffee for people who hate coffee

[Lancelot]

The Hill Tribes of Northern Thailand grow some decent coffee. I used to stop by Khun Noy's coffee kiosk in Chiang Mai; $0.80 for a robust cup.

 

[EastWest Gal]

I love starbucks because I can rent a seat for a few hours to hang out with somebody or use their internet (if traveling) and it only costs a cup of coffee. I'm still using a free starbucks gift card I got years ago, and I also get free birthday coffee for some reason.

The coffee tastes okay.

I liked having the card in my wallet (I only buy Starbucks as a dessert treat when traveling and want the free wi-fi. Very useful place to kill a few hours. Lost the card (it 'a somewhere in the house) but can pay with my smart phone. One less card to carry. I have tried but I hate black coffee, any kind.


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[athena53]

I'll say this: I'd pick a cup of Starbucks standard Pike's Place black or with half and half (no sugar or syrupy crap) over McDonald's or other fast food chain, any gas station or convenience store, any coffee break room...<snip>

It's funny that some are panning Starbucks for being coffee for those who don't like coffee, but Keurigs and other flavored coffees (Millstone at the grocery store) go unmentioned. I'd take a home-ground and pressed cup of Starbucks over any Keurig I've ever had any day, and I use a Keurig occasionally in the office.

In my last job, the women I worked with all had Keurig coffee makers and bought K-cups in weird flavors like chocolate raspberry. I like chocolate, I like raspberries, I like coffee- but don't mix them all together! In a previous employer, they had Keurig in the break rooms, including packets in several flavors. I agree with the coworker who said that after awhile the flavors tasted the same. It's also a very expensive way to buy coffee (even on sale), and creates a lot of waste (a packet gets thrown out every time you make a cup).

And to get back to the OT- I do have a Starbucks card, I like paying with my phone, and I drink it black, maybe with a little cinnamon. I've tried their coffee with just the flavored syrup and it's too darn sweet- even when I ask them to use a half-portion. I avoid the coffee with cream/caramel/chocolate, etc. concoctions completely. They're nutritional disasters.

 

[HFWR]

I buy coffee at Costco: Kirkland Colombian in a can for w*rkday use, and whole beans for grinding on the weekends. I make it fairly strong, then add a touch of heavy cream.

I have a Keurig, a Christmas gift, that I use for one-off. Seems okay to me.

Generally only visit a Starbucks for a mocha or latte to drink while wondering around the Barnes and Nobles next door. Have not been impressed with their regular coffee...

 

[nash031]

I buy coffee at Costco: Kirkland Colombian in a can for w*rkday use, and whole beans for grinding on the weekends. I make it fairly strong, then add a touch of heavy cream.

Generally only visit a Starbucks for a mocha or latte to drink while wondering around the Barnes and Nobles next door. Have not been impressed with their regular coffee...

Heavy cream makes every coffee better...

I don't visit the S'bux stores much, but I am occasionally drawn to the half-syrup PSL this time of year, no whip.

 

[Bestwifeever]

I used to have a standing monthly order for Green Mountain coffee shipped to my house. Very good coffee, in general. But then I ordered bags of beans. I think the Keurig machines make tasteless, crappy coffee even out of good stuff.

Now I just roast my own.

Funny. When I hear Green Mountain, I think of Keurig.

 

[hakuna matata]

My daily standard. Grande Americano with nothing added. Bliss. I get this on the way home from the gym each morning. Learn to drink it black, that way you ALWAYS get it the way you want. They might not have your sugar or sugar substitute, or cream or half/half...but black. Now that is some good coffee. I don't care for the brewed coffee at Starbucks but the Americano is pretty good in my opinion.

 

[CaliforniaMan]

Back when Starbucks first started I remember thinking they were crazy. Nobody would pay 5 times what coffee was going for, and all the silly speak for sizes, drinks, etc. people would just laugh at, who would go for that? Well apparently plenty. Learned later from in interview with one of the founders that their silly speak was designed from the start to make people (who learned their lingo) to feel part of an exclusive club. Apparently it worked very very well. Sometimes I just like to listen to the orders members of the club give to what after the 80s we learned to call a barista. Don't ever ask me for investment advice (if anyone would anyway) I thought the first version of Windows was silly too and told people not to invest in Microsoft. What is the moral of this story? I still don't know.

 

[FUEGO]

Back when Starbucks first started I remember thinking they were crazy. Nobody would pay 5 times what coffee was going for, and all the silly speak for sizes, drinks, etc. people would just laugh at, who would go for that?

People make fun of Starbucks habits like they cost a ton of money. The regular coffees at Sbucks aren't that expensive. I think the medium or small or whatever I usually order is $2. That would be a buck at most gas stations, and $1.50 or $2 at most coffee places or other restaurants.

 

[rodi]

Back when Starbucks first started I remember thinking they were crazy. Nobody would pay 5 times what coffee was going for, and all the silly speak for sizes, drinks, etc. people would just laugh at, who would go for that? Well apparently plenty. Learned later from in interview with one of the founders that their silly speak was designed from the start to make people (who learned their lingo) to feel part of an exclusive club. Apparently it worked very very well. Sometimes I just like to listen to the orders members of the club give to what after the 80s we learned to call a barista. Don't ever ask me for investment advice (if anyone would anyway) I thought the first version of Windows was silly too and told people not to invest in Microsoft. What is the moral of this story? I still don't know.

The first lecture of my Italian class the teacher asked if anyone knew any Italian... Then proved they did because they new the sizes of Starbucks coffees.
Grande, venti (20 oz) etc.

That lingo is spreading Italian through America. LOL.

 

[RetiredAndFree]

Funny, I think I go to Starbucks more for the ambiance these days than the coffee. We switched to Trader Joe's French Roast when we FIRE'd a few years back, $4.99 for 13 oz container vs. $12.00 for 16 oz Starbucks bag, and I find Starbucks now tastes burnt as a result.

Our most frequent reason for visiting these days in when we are on a long RV trip and desperate for good WiFi. We'll bring in our insulated mugs, order a Trenta Iced Coffee ($3.45 for 32 oz), split it between the two mugs, and settle in for an hour or so of 'free' internet.

And I do consistently appreciate their terrific employee attitudes. Always a pleasant interaction.

 

[FUEGO]

The first lecture of my Italian class the teacher asked if anyone knew any Italian... Then proved they did because they new the sizes of Starbucks coffees.
Grande, venti (20 oz) etc.

That lingo is spreading Italian through America. LOL.

Espresso, cappuccino, latte macchiato. I'ma speakin de Italiano!

 

[braumeister]

The range of reactions here is remarkable. So I'll add mine.

First, I like Starbucks (I carry a Starbucks card with automatic reloading, but I generally use the app on my phone).

Second, my standard order when I go there (mostly while traveling) is a grande dark roast. Just plain coffee. Then I go over and add some half & half and a packet of Splenda and a dash of cinnamon. Just that. I used to occasionally get a mocha as a special treat, but I quit that when I saw how many carbs were in it (more than my normal day's total).

Third, when I came back from several years living in Brazil (world's best coffee IMHO), I searched high and low for something drinkable here, and finally settled on Starbucks Caffe Verona as about the best of the lot. That is still my regular morning coffee, made simply in a drip machine.

Fourth, I am constantly amused at DW, who loves her flavored Keurig cup in the morning (must be flavored!) and always gets a latte (never anything else) when we stop at a Starbucks.

 

[MichaelB]

Braumeister, you're sure right about Brazilian coffee. Even the Nescafe instant was better than much of the brewed coffee I've had elsewhere. The local stuff in Bogota is also pretty tasty. Nothing beats freshly roasted.

I just spent the weekend in Kent Island, sharing a house rental with other family. We splurged on some ground coffee - Marley Jamaica Blue Mountain. It was amazing - I have to try some more.

Starbucks is the only non-independent coffeehouse I've been to that makes espresso well. Around here they are usually full of people doing job interviews or real estate sales, so not the best place to sit and enjoy a cup, but still a reliable option.

 

[braumeister]

We splurged on some ground coffee - Marley Jamaica Blue Mountain. It was amazing - I have to try some more.

You're about the third person who has recommended Blue Mountain to me. Thanks for the reminder; I must give it a try.

 

[audreyh1]

Starbucks Sumatra roast is awesome. Both regular and decaf. We often blend it with French Roast for half-caf.

 

[MichaelB]

Third, when I came back from several years living in Brazil (world's best coffee IMHO), I searched high and low for something drinkable here, and finally settled on Starbucks Caffe Verona as about the best of the lot. That is still my regular morning coffee, made simply in a drip machine.

It's been a while since I've bought Starbucks beans, but after reading your report on Caffe Verona I'm going to try some. Perfect timing, too, as I just started shopping for new morning coffee beans.

 

[nash031]

I second the Caffe Verona, as I previously mentioned. Tough for me to find in whole bean here, but when I do... !

 

[braumeister]

Around here, Starbucks beans often go on sale, and I stock up when they do. The recent sale price has been $6.99 for the 12 ounce bag. Since the regular price is $12.95 for a 16 ounce bag, that's a pretty good deal. Keep it in the freezer and it lasts a long time.

 

[Lsbcal]

I need to buy my bag of Starbucks French Roast today. The policy seems to be spotty but one can almost always get a free coffee with a bag purchase. If they don't offer it outright, just ask. This used to be a standard.

 

[braumeister]

Not sure about at the purchase point, but if you bring in your empty bag you can always get a free tall coffee for it.

 

[MichaelB]

Third, when I came back from several years living in Brazil (world's best coffee IMHO), I searched high and low for something drinkable here, and finally settled on Starbucks Caffe Verona as about the best of the lot. That is still my regular morning coffee, made simply in a drip machine.

Last Saturday I bought a pound of Caffe Verona, have enjoyed it for three days, and could easily get used to this coffee. It is definitely an improvement over most of the beans I have tried in the past couple of years. Even better, it is easy to buy, widely available and not too expensive. I'm still going to try a few others, but suddenly there is no need to rush, I now have a good option.

 

[nash031]

The Hyatt I stayed in this weekend had the single-serving drip brews of Caffe Verona in our room. I was pleased. Now I just need to get my local grocer to start carrying it again...

 

[Chuckanut]

Starbucks tests coffee with beer taste

Starbucks tests a stout and caramel flavored coffee drink.

Ha

IMHO, there is a special place in H%^LL for people who make flavored coffees with one exception - New Mexico Pinon coffee.

 

[Walt34]

Don't ever ask me for investment advice (if anyone would anyway) I thought the first version of Windows was silly too and told people not to invest in Microsoft.

That's what I thought about AOL when they went online. "Wow, that is so dumbed down no one will buy it". So much for my forecasting abilities.

Back on topic, DW has just informed me that she likes the store brand (Giant/Martins) coffee just as well as the name brand she was using so get that instead. I bought a small can for her to try in the hope that would be the result.

Surprisingly often the store brand is equal to and often even better than the name brands so when one goes on the shelf I'll be quick to try it. Not always of course but often enough to make the experiment worthwhile.