The New Starbucks Policy

[frankmcr]

Would somebody like to point us to a straightforward unbiased account (if such a thing even exists these days) of the nature of the "incident" alluded to previously?

[Dirk Hofman]

Originally Posted by frankmcr

Would somebody like to point us to a straightforward unbiased account (if such a thing even exists these days) of the nature of the "incident" alluded to previously?

It's impossible to post here without someone calling it biased, but I thought this was a pretty good account: https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-...ucks-speak-out

They get into the lead-up to the situation and the details about halfway down.

I'll confess I don't get what bias has to do with this.

[frankmcr]

Originally Posted by Dirk Hofman

It's impossible to post here without someone calling it biased, but I thought this was a pretty good account: https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-...ucks-speak-out

They get into the lead-up to the situation and the details about halfway down.

I'll confess I don't get what bias has to do with this.

Thank you, that seems like a pretty straightforward account.

I have to say, if you want to hold a business meeting in a coffeeshop, buy a cup of coffee. I guess that makes me a maverick or something.

[Dirk Hofman]

Originally Posted by frankmcr

Thank you, that seems like a pretty straightforward account.

I have to say, if you want to hold a business meeting in a coffeeshop, buy a cup of coffee. I guess that makes me a maverick or something.

Agreed, seems obvious.

[Kerbie]

Originally Posted by frankmcr

I have to say, if you want to hold a business meeting in a coffeeshop, buy a cup of coffee.

Seems logical to me too.

[KevWind]

Personally I have never been much to hang out so the policy is neither here nor there for me . I used to occasionally stop at Starbucks but it was for the Pecan Braid, as the coffee always seems spendy and marginal. But after a few times of having the Braid be excessively dried out, I quit going there. Also after getting our Jura coffee maker some 5 years ago, I now cannot bring myself to spend money at SB . Well that's my story and I am stickin' to it

[RP]

Originally Posted by frankmcr

...I have to say, if you want to hold a business meeting in a coffeeshop, buy a cup of coffee. I guess that makes me a maverick or something.

I drink my coffee at home or 7-11/WaWa if I'm out and about so paying >$4 for a cup of coffee is a non-starter for me. However, I agree with Frank's comment if you're going to spend time at Starbucks or any other coffee shop....

[Dirk Hofman]

To be fair, a cup of coffee, no matter the size, isn’t $4 at Starbucks. Certainly you can order drinks that expensive, but it’s a lot more involved than coffee. It runs about $0.50 - $0.75 more than some of the cheaper places. Given the rarity I order coffee out, that’s meaningless. I’ll get coffee wherever.

But yeah, making coffee at home, eating at home, having a beer at home...all cheaper. I don’t think that’s news.

[Fogducker]

I'm somewhat of a "coffee snob" and was buying green beans from different countries and roasting/grinding my own etc. In the end, McDonalds coffee is hard to beat and with my senior discount, is head and shoulders above Starbucks in every possible way! I think "squatting" at a business regularly is unheard of and shouldn't be tolerated.

Fog

[RP]

Originally Posted by Dirk Hofman

To be fair, a cup of coffee, no matter the size, isn’t $4 at Starbucks. Certainly you can order drinks that expensive, but it’s a lot more involved than coffee. It runs about $0.50 - $0.75 more than some of the cheaper places. Given the rarity I order coffee out, that’s meaningless. I’ll get coffee wherever.

But yeah, making coffee at home, eating at home, having a beer at home...all cheaper. I don’t think that’s news.

Let say you go into Starbucks every day. Depending on the size and drink you order, you'll spend, on average, anywhere between $3.43 and $4.43. Now, I've seen my wife spend more than $7 on a single drink so remember, those are just averages.

"on average, anywhere between $3.43 and $4.43."

If you're ordering a tall drink it's costing you, on average, $3.34 daily, $1,221 annually and $6,105 over 5 years!

A grande drink? $4.10 daily, $1,459 annually and $7,295 over 5 years.

A venti? $4.43 daily, $1,577 annually and a whopping $7,885 over 5 years.

Thats a good chunk of change on burnt coffee...

[Dirk Hofman]

Originally Posted by RP

Let say you go into Starbucks every day. Depending on the size and drink you order, you'll spend, on average, anywhere between $3.43 and $4.43. Now, I've seen my wife spend more than $7 on a single drink so remember, those are just averages.

"on average, anywhere between $3.43 and $4.43."

If you're ordering a tall drink it's costing you, on average, $3.34 daily, $1,221 annually and $6,105 over 5 years!

A grande drink? $4.10 daily, $1,459 annually and $7,295 over 5 years.

A venti? $4.43 daily, $1,577 annually and a whopping $7,885 over 5 years.

Thats a good chunk of change on burnt coffee...

A fundamentally different scenario than I laid out, but definitely. Crazy amount of money to spend on processed sugar/fat drinks. I certainly wouldn't do it. But then I don't spend money on a lot of things I see people here spending money on which seem foolish to me. You know what I do? Nothing. I don't comment on those threads.

Not sure what all the criticism gains folks, but go for it. I'm not going to talk anyone out of it.

[seannx]

My daily drink at the Starbucks in Sausalito on the way walking from the commuter parking lot to our gallery was a "short" size cup of blonde roast (not at all burnt) coffee for $1.85. Not only was it the consistently best tasting coffee anywhere in the neighborhood, but the friendly and positive staff made it a pleasant part of my daily ritual. It was also lots less work than grinding beans, boiling water, using a french press, and then needing to wash it out along with the cup. The more exotic drinks were far too sweet, and expensive.

I used to be down on Starbucks for being a chain, but I came to appreciate the quality and convenience, and free WiFi.

[bluesfreek]

If I buy takeout coffee it's from the Circle K convenience store. Large coffee is .95 cents and doesn't taste like burnt mud.

[Gordon Currie]

Originally Posted by Wadcutter

Hey this new policy they have implemented is GREAT! Since you no longer have to buy anything to just generally hang around and use the rest room or whatever, I was thinking of maybe using a Starbucks table to run my new small business from. Man, just think of the office space rental fees I can save. And along with free WiFi, I bet I could even get as much free water as I want as well. God bless you Starbucks!

This has been an open secret for more than a decade. If you can run a lot of your business from a laptop, then why not do it at Starbucks?

Depending on the location, sometimes non-paying customers can outnumber those paying.

[ahorsewithnonam]

Not a coffee drinker, like the smell, never the taste. So I really know nothing about coffee or the latest coffee fads. In the past 4 months, a few offices have asked if I could pick up an order for them at Starbucks. Sure, I expense it so I don’t care.

Went in with their order, just gave them the sheet as I didn’t know what any of the jargon meant or how to even say it. A girl with purple hair, sleeve tats took my order. Had the personality of a dead plant.

Everyone in there had their Apple laptops open, with headphones on. I was quite intrigued. Kind of watched....No one was doing work. Just on music sites and Facebook. A guy making all the coffees had spikes in his ears and through his nose. It’s like everyone was trying very hard to be cool. Interesting place. I’ve got no interest in being there.