Starbucks closes all stores- nobody notices

[ouch]

Too bad it's only for a night. :lol:

[analog_kid]

Right now people are losing their minds because they can't buy 8oz of milk and sugar with a splash of coffee for $7.

[ouch]

Here's a clip of our very own roastmaster, Din, giving his opinion of Starbucks' founders, Mark "Cutback" Davis and Bob "Jungle Death" Gerard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwUegUaePy8&feature=related

[TimmyBoston]

Here's a clip of our very own roastmaster, Din, giving his opinion of Starbucks' founders, Mark "Cutback" Davis and Bob "Jungle Death" Gerard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwUegUaePy8&feature=related

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

[Howard Newell]

:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin: "Hey, there's no birthday party for me in here!"

[Dinder1]

Here's a clip of our very own roastmaster, Din, giving his opinion of Starbucks' founders, Mark "Cutback" Davis and Bob "Jungle Death" Gerard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwUegUaePy8&feature=related

:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

[Androclese]

I'm definitely missing something here, but given the youtube clip, I'm not sure I want to know what it is.:biggrin:

[bluesbro1982]

lol. Best. Movie. Ever.

"Mister if you don't shut up I'm gonna kick 100% of your ass!"

I was in elementary school just at the tail end of ditto machines - and WE even knew to sniff the paper for the solvent :-)

[kwk285]

Too bad it's only for a night. :lol:

If I said such a thing living here in the Seattle area, the Starbucks Mafia would show up and I would never be heard from again.:biggrin:

[ouch]

If I said such a thing living here in the Seattle area, the Starbucks Mafia would show up and I would never be heard from again.:biggrin:

Ooh, the Seattle mob. Over here, we call them the Girl Scouts.

[Newfie]

As an FYI in case anyone hasn't heard, they closed 'em all for 3 hours to say they were "Training" all their Baristas (Baristi??). Quote from a popular coffee site below:

I asked at the Sbux near my house, and they said that corporate has recently increased shot timing from 13-17 sec to 15-19 sec. They said drinks are being refigured, with the amount of shots per drink increased by one. Because of these changes, employees are being retrained in drink building.

Now, a good question is, training 'em to do what?? Use the "Superauto" machines they're known for??

What a joke and awesome PR Stunt!!!!!

BTW, I admit it, NO, I DON'T LIKE 4Bucks!!!

[kwk285]

I don't drink coffee but my wife is an addict. We were watching the news last night and they spent a long time on a story talking about all of the things that these people were be retrained on. The funniest thing they talked about is the noise that the machine should make when foaming the milk. It should be a shoothing hum versus a loud shrill. Whatever.

[Mr-Scruffy]

Apparently Dunkin Donuts took notice:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2008/02/27/2008-02-27_starbucks_takes_coffee_break-1.html

[ouch]

As an FYI in case anyone hasn't heard, they closed 'em all for 3 hours to say they were "Training" all their Baristas (Baristi??).

As if it weren't bad enough having to deal with snooty waiters and pretentious sommeliers, now we have to deal with baristas with even more inflated egos.

They're glorified soda jerks. :lol:

[-bp-]

Say what you will about Starbucks. But without them, most of America would still be drinking Dunkin Donuts coffee and thinking it was the greatest thing ever.
Doing something consistently well (like making a decent, fairly fresh $1.70 12-oz. cup of coffee) might not be as romantic as some would like, but it's better than nothing.
And just to be fair, unless you're drinking espresso that's hand pulled from a Gaggia Achille or the like, a machine is making your espresso for you, just like it is for a barista at Starbucks.
I don't want ritual. I just want coffee. Black.
I pick on Dunkin Donuts because their coffee has the lowest amount of caffeine per 12 oz. of any national chain (according to an MSN.com story). THAT'S JUST WRONG!
If I could just figure out how to mainline caffeine, I could dispense with this coffee drinking crap altogether:biggrin:

[analog_kid]

Say what you will about Starbucks. But without them, most of America would still be drinking Dunkin Donuts coffee and thinking it was the greatest thing ever.
Doing something consistently well (like making a decent, fairly fresh $1.70 12-oz. cup of coffee) might not be as romantic as some would like, but it's better than nothing.
And just to be fair, unless you're drinking espresso that's hand pulled from a Gaggia Achille or the like, a machine is making your espresso for you, just like it is for a barista at Starbucks.
I don't want ritual. I just want coffee. Black.
I pick on Dunkin Donuts because their coffee has the lowest amount of caffeine per 12 oz. of any national chain (according to an MSN.com story). THAT'S JUST WRONG!
If I could just figure out how to mainline caffeine, I could dispense with this coffee drinking crap altogether:biggrin:

I personally think DD does have better coffee! :w00t:

[boboakalfb]

Doing something consistently well (like making a decent, fairly fresh $1.70 12-oz. cup of coffee) might not be as romantic as some would like, but it's better than nothing.


Consistent...sure...but I don't think their drip coffee is very good. They are convenient though. I'll usually order an Americano.

[sol92258]

I've yet to try Dunkin Donuts, but my experience with Starbucks (all paid by gift card, btw, none of my $$$$) has been disappointing. It's not bad, but not near justifiable for the price. The research last year was correct...even McD's coffee tastes better.
Best coffee in my area is a little convenience store near my house, 16 oz for $.96, for those times I haven't the minutes to make it at home

[Ltltony]

Wow, a lot of Starbucks hate in here. Bashing the workers seems inappropriate. It's a great job while going through college or for many single mothers as they give heath insurance for part time.

They did actually shut down for training. The founder Howard Schultz, took it back over and felt the company got way off track and needed to focus on coffee instead of all the other things it was trying to add in. Everyone was trained on the proper way to used and make everything as well as to make sure they would be able to give the customers advice on the differences in the different types of beans and such.

People DID NOTICE, and in a big way. There were several very angry customers at the location near me. Knocking on drive through windows, yelling, complaining, etc.

I have family that work for the company and almost everyone I have meet has been really nice. The company also give a lot to charity and does a lot of it's own work as well.

I don't understand bashing a place for making $4 coffee but being willing to buy $30 shaving cream.

[Limey]

GROW...CHANGE or DIE. 3 hours of closed time isn't going to change much of anything for Starbuck's.

[Ltltony]

GROW...CHANGE or DIE. 3 hours of closed time isn't going to change much of anything for Starbuck's.

I have had a few company changing meetings that lasted less than 3 hours so I very much disagree with you.

[Holton181]

I have family that work for the company and almost everyone I have meet has been really nice. The company also give a lot to charity and does a lot of it's own work as well.

I don't understand bashing a place for making $4 coffee but being willing to buy $30 shaving cream.

Right on. The people at the Starbucks near my job know my drink before I order it. At school, I'm bussed in and out, suprised on how effcient it is.

I remember talking to one of the managers at the SB at school. She was a senior, and she had worked at SB for six years. The benefits, she said, went were amazing. She also mentioned that people complain about the prices and such. She told me that the only time they raise prices is when they want to give their loyal and faithful employess raises.

They are also dedicated to growth within the company. That same college senior has the choice of running her own New York store (they make a ton of money for fodd service managers) or working in the corporate headquarters as soon as she graduates. A little training to get the staff back in line with their plans is fine with me in my opinion.

[mightemacs]

I've yet to try Dunkin Donuts, but my experience with Starbucks (all paid by gift card, btw, none of my $$$$) has been disappointing. It's not bad, but not near justifiable for the price. The research last year was correct...even McD's coffee tastes better.
Best coffee in my area is a little convenience store near my house, 16 oz for $.96, for those times I haven't the minutes to make it at home

Actually, IMHO McDonald's has the best coffee of all the national chains. Ever since they switched to the Newman's coffee, I've had better luck with their coffee than Dunks or Starbucks.

[ouch]

Wow, a lot of Starbucks hate in here. Bashing the workers seems inappropriate. It's a great job while going through college or for many single mothers as they give heath insurance for part time.

There's a decent book about that- Starbucks Saved My Life.


People DID NOTICE, and in a big way. There were several very angry customers at the location near me. Knocking on drive through windows, yelling, complaining, etc.

Wow. There are angry people in Detroit? I'll have to make a note of that.

I don't understand bashing a place for making $4 coffee but being willing to buy $30 shaving cream.

How the heck is the average Joe going to be able to afford $30 pots of cream if he's squandering $4 on a cup of coffee? :lol:

[analog_kid]

Wow. There are angry people in Detroit? I'll have to make a note of that.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ny4a-oxOndo




:biggrin:

[Androclese]

Ok, I've only been in the place once so I'm not surprised that this little blip went completely over my head. The one time I did try the coffee. It took me a full 60 seconds to figure out they didn't have what I wanted on the menu and another 60 seconds to get the young lady behind the counter to understand what a plain cup of coffee was.

The lesson I learned: "Doctor, it hurts when I do this... Well stop doing that"

[cr8n]

I don't understand bashing a place for making $4 coffee but being willing to buy $30 shaving cream.

.... owwwww. This is gonna hurt. Especially for guys like me who eat a cake of Tabac every morning.

Paul

(P.S. ... red ... herring? ...)

[Isaias]

Starbusks tastes Like PISS...
Ok that is an exageration... but it does taste like mold-filled pencills boiled in tab water. It is just bad. I rather slap my face to an awaken state than drink SB coffee.
It could cost 1 dollar for 20 oz and it would still be expensive for me. Now I am not comparing it to Etiopian, Mexican, South American coffees... not fair, I am talking about the regular Gas station Coffee, McDondalds, BK options.
Their chocolate is average and the muffins too. Still expensive though.
About the workers... they are doing their job. As honorable as anyone else.

Tabac cake... Tabac expensive? I have a year old puck that costed 15 + S&H. It's nothing! I haven't finished half of it. I bet it does not even cost more than 5 scents per shave... and it is IMO the best shaving soap.

[rikrdo]

Not that I'm a big fan but there are times when a cuppa joe is a requirement.
I always order a small (think its called a "tall") RedEye - cup of coffee plus a shot of espresso.
Runs me about $2 and aint half bad.

[prophetic_joe]

I actually don't hate Starbucks. I'm not a huge fan as I would generally prefer going to a little mom and pop type coffee shop but I like Starbucks coffee from time to time.

[PHormality]

It was a brilliant marketing move. They got so much free press and a lot of people are going to go tomorrow to try out why this nation wide closure gets them in terms of coffee

[scoopster]

You folks see the Daily's show's piece on this. Pretty funny although I gagged big-time when the "Journalist" was drinking the old coffee, amoung other items, from the cup found in the trashcan.

[Newfie]

snip....I don't understand bashing a place for making $4 coffee but being willing to buy $30 shaving cream.

Tony, with all due respect, I don't even see how this could even come close to being a remote comparison.

A $4 coffee is going to last you ........... what ............ 15 minutes (unless you like drinking it cold) whereas that $30 tub of shaving cream will cost you pennies a use and last months or years depending on how many $30 tubs you have. Why don't you "REALLY" go overboard and compare a coffee to a $90 bottle of Penhaligons??

IMHO, what I would pay $4 for at $Bux, I could make at home for less that $0.50, and also IMHO would be better. (NOTE: That IS taking into account the ~ $800 I spent on my current setup, amortized over all the coffees I've made at home since I got it.) That is no slight on the people who work there, it's the "Nuked Charcoal" beans they use and the "Hi-tech-super-auto-push-one-button-and-you're-done" processes. I personally have never been treated badly by anyone who works at any coffee shop and can honestly say the youngsters at $Bux have been more than polite and considerate. However, what gives them the right to charge that much for a flippin' coffee?

It ain't the people most of us are complaining about, dude, it's the flippin' company and the business. I mean, if their coffee was reasonably priced would I drink it?? Sure I would. I enjoy a coffee, and their Americanos ARE somewhat decent, and less-than-good coffee is better than nuttin'

Now, that being said, the owners of that company have just a little more money than I do, so who the hell am I to complain???:blushing::lol: