ER benefit: Avoiding the "Starbucks Effect"

[Nords]

While I can understand the effort that goes into a fine cup of coffee or a glass of wine (or a bucket of morels), it's largely casting pearls before swine. I've consumed too many muddy beverages passed off as "coffee" to be able to properly appreciate Kona, let along Jamaica Blue Mountain or whatever.

So who could imagine that the National Households Travel Survey would lead a researcher to claim that Starbucks has changed the way America commutes.

Our taxpayer dollars at work? Or is this survey skewed in favor of hypercaffeinated people who enjoy talking about Starbucks, and thus not a credible sample of the way people are really commuting?

Glad I'm not driving to work anymore...

[ronin]

Nords, you've got 2 of the world's 3 greatest coffees there (the real stuff - not the cheaparsed 10% blends). Subjectively speaking, #3 is (drumroll...) Alto Grande from Puerto Rico.

[fletzie]

Dear NORDS:

I bet I know where you read that article!!! WOuld that be the WPost? (It was there yesterday I think). Those drive-in Starbucks are becoming a real feature in this area. I am glad I use public trans because if they are
drinking that much caffeine as they drive, who knows what kind of temper they may be in as they are driving!

No wonder people cut in front of our commuter bus and just dare this multi-ton vehicle to clobber them!

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Wow, it sure is a pain in the butt to make coffee... :

We got one of them newfangled cuisinart ones a couple of weeks ago that grinds before it brews. You put in a filter, dump in some beans at night, set the timer, and have fresh ground, fresh brewed coffee when you wake up.

Dump the grinds, put a couple of parts in the dishwasher, rinse and repeat...

I'm actually going to try to roast my own sometime soon. A couple of outfits sell the green beans directly at ridiculous prices (like a buck or two a LB). I understand you can get very good results just dumping a couple of handfuls into one of those electric hot air popcorn poppers (which I have already) and letting it rip until you find how long it takes to get the right level of roast you want. After that just set a timer for that long.

Hot freshly roasted beans into the grinding chamber in the coffee pot...

As far as the article, heck, all sorts of things change all sorts of other things. Measure them anyway you want to produce whatever data you want and then draw whatever conclusions you want. Some bunch of people will look at your pie or bar chart, read your conclusions and have a nice water cooler chat with someone else about it.

I'd bet the folks that go to starbucks now went to dunkin donuts before that, or a macdonalds drive through. Or the company cafeteria if they were desperate. Heck, ours had a couple of espresso machines and made a nice triple shot for a buck and a half.

[laurence]

I drink the free brown water they serve at work (see what you're missing out on by retireing early guys! ).

I went through a phase, espresso machine, grinder, several different roasts from Hawaii.....it passed, the machine sits idle and alone in my kitchen.

[Martha]

We supply free Caribou Coffee to our staff and clients at work. Costs a fair amount but pays off morale.

I don't drink coffee. Work gets me diet coke in the morning and mineral water in the afternoon. Don't know if I would want to pay for it when retired but kind of addicted now.

I went through college jagged up on tab, cigarettes and miscellaneous controlled substances. Bicycled most days from my place in Minneapolis to school in Saint Paul on busy smog infested streets. Eventually began living the clean life. Hope my old bad habits don't kill me some day.

[laurence]

Quote:

I went through college jagged up on tab, cigarettes and miscellaneous controlled substances. [

I would have loved partying with you!

[gwix98]

Howard Schultz is laughing all the way to the bank.

Who would of thought that anyone would pay $3.00 or
more for that morning cup or midday latte?
Maybe 5 cents for the cup and 15 cents for the coffee
plus labor costs.

Even here in Seattle area , no matter how many they
build, there is always a line to order.

As close to recession proof as I've seen.

[BigMoneyJim]

I'm still scratching my head over bottled water prices.

[MRGALT2U]

Hello gwix98! I agree. Just before I retired for good,
I would start about every day with Starbucks
(this was when I lived in the Dallas Metroplex).
Even now, with my income cut by 3/4 (at least). I can not pass
up a Frappacino at about $1.40 each. I try to limit
myself to one per day.

JG

Quote:

Bicycled most days from my place in Minneapolis to school in Saint Paul on busy smog infested streets. *Eventually began living the clean life. Hope my old bad habits don't kill me some day. *

William Mitchell School of Law or Hamlin ?

As far as Coffee Nords, I drank enough of that Black Oil in the Navy so that anything that resembles Coffee and is Hot is fine with me!

[gwix98]

Well John G


At only 1 per day thats only $511 per year so enjoy it!

At one time near the hospital where I work we had three
Starbucks within 2 blocks of each other. One did close,
so now there are only two.

Who would have thought......?

[MRGALT2U]

I've computed the cost per year. It's a lot for me to part with.
But...............I have decided it's worth it. C-T would understand

JG

[kat]

So grateful that coffee makes me sick, as in throw up. Tried it three times, always the same. I didn't need the extra caffeine anyway, but it's good to know (I guess) that I saved some money! Not sure how many weeks or months less of work that means in the end....

kate

[VoyT]

Quote:

Wow, it sure is a pain in the butt to make coffee... *:

I think it's really the "I don't wanna be bothered" factor. For a few years, my DH had a shift that started around 6 a.m. Our coffee pot had a timer, and he'd happily set up the machine the night before. But if he didn't -- no way would he stop and make the stuff. Instead he'd stop at the convenience store. Personally, I thought it took more time to stop, myself.

Quote:

I'd bet the folks that go to starbucks now went to dunkin donuts before that, or a macdonalds drive through. *

Thank you! I thought the same thing... Think most folks are just looking for that caffeine jolt, and an 89-cent cup of java does just as well as a $3.50 latte....

[whitestick]

Well, since "oxygen bars" are now selling air at $1.00 per minute, then I suppose 4 bucks for a Starbuks is just natural inflation. Gotta go refigure my LBYM to add in dollars to breathe. Wonder if that is tax deductible - since I must breathe to work, shouldn't that be considered a non-reimbursible expense that my employeer requires (he does require me to be alive after all). Wonder if I breathe out, while I'm at a Goodwill station, if I can claim that as a charitable donation?
Arrggghhh!

[MJ]

I luv a great cup of strong expresso style coffee especially from freshly grounded beans but I have never needed coffee or caffeine to get me started in the morning. I guess I am naturally wired.
I haven't had any coffee in nearly 2 months and I don't miss it.

MJ

[MRGALT2U]

I had to cut back on my caffiene some years ago.
I still miss that first morning jolt. Never did get comfy
with decaf. It's lke drinking brown water. Once in a while
I get some really good decaf in a restaurant. Guess I
could reproduce it at home if sufficiently motivated.

JG

[Nords]

Quote:

Once in a while I get some really good decaf in a restaurant. JG

I don't blame the wait staff-- they're just pouring the stuff. I don't even blame the coffeemakers-- they're just emptying the bags. I don't claim to be able to taste caffeine, either, but the only good decaf I get in restaurants tastes suspiciously like caffeinated-- and with much the same (placebo?) effect.

But I can tell Kona. And life's too short to schlurp the "10% blend" swill...

[MRGALT2U]

Re. "life's too short" I agree. Today, I had 2
(that's right 2) Starbucks Frappacinos at $1.29 each.
Worth the price and then some.

JG