What is so great about Starbucks?

[gulfporter]

I went to Starbucks exactly once in the US back in 2014.  We had arrived to visit my FIL who was living alone and in declining health; the next morning we discovered there was no coffee in the house and we also couldn't find his coffee maker.  

 

Drove 2 blocks to a Starbucks; took forever to fill the to-go order while I stood around with a dozen Millennials.  Coffee was ok, but was shocked by price. 

 

That said, we used to connect via the Mexico City airport and discovered a wonderful Jalapeño and Cheese puff pastry turnover at one of the airport Starbucks.  A real oozy delight when they heated it. 

 

Oddly, none of the other Starbucks in that same airport or in any other MX airports we visited offered this. 

 

Sadly when we went to that outlet in 2022, the item was no longer available.  

[MetsFan5]

On 7/22/2023 at 2:27 PM, Madon2234 said:

Being an Indian, Starbucks is way too pricey for us. We've got better coffee shops, and here it's seen as a symbol of affluence. Anyway, I just can't stand it! 🙅‍♂️☕ #Overpriced #NotMyCupOfTea

I think it’s also a more subtle symbol of affluence in the US as well. My local (.3 miles away and I live in a suburb close to farms) Starbucks always has an extremely long drive thru line. It seems like everyone has a Starbucks coffee in hand even with the plethora of Dunkin around here. 
 

 It’s a weird little bit of suburban culture along with host of other things OT. 
 

That said, when I travel domestically and get off a flight I still beeline to any Starbucks kiosk for a Venti Green Tea/ Lemonade unsweetened with two Splendas. 
 

I feel like once you go to Starbucks regularly for even a few weeks you know your preferred order and stick to it. 

Edited July 24, 2023 by MetsFan5 (log)

[weinoo]

I'm pretty sure I remember buying beans at a Starbucks on Bascom Avenue, in San Jose, CA, back in the late 1970s - early 1980s.  It was, as the early Starbucks were, only a store to buy beans and coffee-making related equipment; they sold no coffee drinks.   How far we've come in the bean game.

 

 

[Madon2234]

On 7/23/2023 at 3:30 AM, Tropicalsenior said:

@Madon2234 

Welcome to eGullet. Thank you for sharing your opinion and I'm looking forward to seeing your posts on food from India. In what part of India do you live?

Hi I am basically from kerala, You might don't know about my place..Its known as God's Own country

[Madon2234]

20 hours ago, TdeV said:

Hello there @Madon2234. Looking forward to your posts. Welcome to eG.

Thank you so much🙂

[Tropicalsenior]

Starbucks has always had a tinge of being a bit more expensive than other places. As I said before, I remember the original Starbucks in Bellevue, Washington and it was in Old Bellevue, right at the edge of Maidenbauer Bay and Medina two of the most exclusive suburbs of the Seattle area. The regular patrons there never blinked at the prices.

[heidih]

It is a known quantity. Why do people go to McDonalds in Singapore - a food heaven?  When I used to stop at the SB with the wonderful ocean view that I linked earlier I was always amused at the United Nations of mostly Eurropean tourists chattering away in line. I'd usually get the drft of what they were saying. Most were staying at the Terranea Resort with plenty of drink options but there they were in line at SB.

[Tropicalsenior]

3 hours ago, Madon2234 said:

You might don't know about my place..Its known as God's Own country

The best way for us to get to know it is for you to start a topic and tell us about the food in your part of India and about where you live. I believe we have another member from there @Kerala.

For instance, I had no idea that there were Starbucks all over India.

Edited July 24, 2023 by Tropicalsenior (log)

[Madon2234]

8 hours ago, Tropicalsenior said:

The best way for us to get to know it is for you to start a topic and tell us about the food in your part of India and about where you live. I believe we have another member from there @Kerala.

For instance, I had no idea that there were Starbucks all over India.

Sure, I will write about it 

[Margaret Pilgrim]

There is a Starbucks two blocks from my house.    What i can't wrap my mind around is the number of neighbors we see walking home with several cups in cardboard cup holders in the morning.    Whaaaaat?   $4000 a year for luke-warm coffee?    No coffee pot in the house?    No know-how?  

 

Besides, we are loyal to Starbuck's competitor, Peets.     Electric water boiler + French press + Peet's grounds + 5 minutes -> Good morning!

[Tropicalsenior]

13 minutes ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

Besides, we are loyal to Starbuck's competitor, Peets.     Electric water boiler + French press + Peet's grounds + 5 minutes -> Good morning!

Of course! I just went to their website and they use Costa Rican coffee.

 

But then, so does Starbucks and I don't know how they manage to screw it up so bad.

Edited July 25, 2023 by Tropicalsenior (log)

[Margaret Pilgrim]

My go to is a mix of Kenyan and Ethiopian beans.    Yummy.

[Tropicalsenior]

An interesting little coffee story. Some years ago some coffee company in New York City was selling the rarest coffee in the world for big bucks. Someone checked and found out that they were selling three or four times the annual output of that little crop. They were charged with fraud and false advertising and prosecuted. It turned out that what they were really selling was coffee from Costa Rica.

[weinoo]

2 hours ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

There is a Starbucks two blocks from my house.    What i can't wrap my mind around is the number of neighbors we see walking home with several cups in cardboard cup holders in the morning.    Whaaaaat?   $4000 a year for luke-warm coffee?    No coffee pot in the house?    No know-how?  

 

Besides, we are loyal to Starbuck's competitor, Peets.     Electric water boiler + French press + Peet's grounds + 5 minutes -> Good morning!

 

Bit of a long, complicated history between Peet's and Starbucks.  Peet's is owned by a German conglomerate, with also a complicated history (like stuff we don't enjoy discussing). 

 

Not that I've ever liked Peet's...

[Margaret Pilgrim]

1 hour ago, weinoo said:

 

Bit of a long, complicated history between Peet's and Starbucks.  Peet's is owned by a German conglomerate, with also a complicated history (like stuff we don't enjoy discussing). 

 

Not that I've ever liked Peet's...

Only since 2012.    Peet’s started out a  NorCal company.   We “cut our coffee teeth” on Peet’s. 

[weinoo]

1 hour ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

Only since 2012.    Peet’s started out a  NorCal company.   We “cut our coffee teeth” on Peet’s. 

 

Peet sold the company in 1979.

 

We "cut our coffee teeth" on Chock Full o'Nuts and Maxwell House, which were perked everywhere during my formative years.

 

When I first learned about pour-over coffee, I was a senior in high school. I had an older cousin who was a flight attendant, and she was using a Melitta back then, and buying beans from https://mcnultys.com/ - in business selling coffee and tea since 1895.

[heidih]

56 minutes ago, weinoo said:

We "cut our coffee teeth" on Chock Full o'Nuts and Maxwell House, which were perked everywhere during my formative years.

 

When I first learned about pour-over coffee, I was a senior in high school..

My first husband who lived in NYC as a young man used to go on about Chock Full o'Nuts.  He also got me a Mellitta pour over filter round '78 which I still have. 

[rotuts]

I had lived in Europe , and when I was 10 or so , had espresso in Spain.

 

often , w my parents .  fast forward 

 

while in college , I visited NYC , and walked up from streets w very low numbers 

 

to the Metropolitan .

 

on a street w a very low number , there was a sign having out "  The Perfect Cup '

 

a cup w a saucer  . intrigued I went in .  there were large burlap sacks of green coffee beans.

 

I got their book .   read it over and over.

 

Im fortunate to now roast my own , starting w a Melita roaster that was worthless :

 

it only roasted to light brown.  step by step from one burnt out roaster to another 

 

until I have the one I have now.

 

my cup is now almost completely up to me.

 

SweetMaria is responsible for the the green beans.

[haresfur]

I dunno, on my trip to N America this year, I stayed with so many friends who drank bad coffee at home I was glad to get to a Starbucks. It's funny how people complain about how expensive it is to go out for coffee but are accepting of the cost of going out for a beer or a meal. Hey, I don't smoke cigarettes, coffee is a pretty benign vice. 

[heidih]

13 minutes ago, haresfur said:

I dunno, on my trip to N America this year, I stayed with so many friends who drank bad coffee at home I was glad to get to a Starbucks. It's funny how people complain about how expensive it is to go out for coffee but are accepting of the cost of going out for a beer or a meal. Hey, I don't smoke cigarettes, coffee is a pretty benign vice. 

Sister mentioned price of ciggies in Oz!!!!  Coffee all day brought up by vendor in office lobby is her style. (Treasuries)

[Tropicalsenior]

Years ago I used to listen to Paul Harvey Rave about his Bunn coffee maker. At the time we had a Braun coffee maker that made pretty good coffee but it used to dribble all over the kitchen whenever we used it. My husband hated it so I bought him a Bunn coffee maker for his birthday. That was in 1987 and I am now on my third Bunn coffee maker. The one I am using now is only 5 years old.

I don't quite know how they do it but the coffee is always great. It has a hot water reservoir so that I have a full carafe of coffee in only 3 minutes.

Compared to a Mr Coffee Maker they aren't cheap but they sure are good. And each one has lasted me an average of 15 years.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

1 hour ago, weinoo said:

 

Peet sold the company in 1979.

 

We "cut our coffee teeth" on Chock Full o'Nuts and Maxwell House, which were perked everywhere during my formative years.

 

When I first learned about pour-over coffee, I was a senior in high school. I had an older cousin who was a flight attendant, and she was using a Melitta back then, and buying beans from https://mcnultys.com/ - in business selling coffee and tea since 1895.

My mom made pour-over coffee.    We called it "drip".     Used a Chemex pot.    Don't think she ever went to Melitta.   Can't remember when I got my first one, but I still have both a ceramic and glass one.

[weinoo]

1 hour ago, haresfur said:

I dunno, on my trip to N America this year, I stayed with so many friends who drank bad coffee at home I was glad to get to a Starbucks. It's funny how people complain about how expensive it is to go out for coffee but are accepting of the cost of going out for a beer or a meal. Hey, I don't smoke cigarettes, coffee is a pretty benign vice. 

 

Long ago, I reconciled the fact that if I wanted good coffee, I'd be making it at home.  All these years later (and all the thousands of dollars saved by not going out for coffee) make it seem as if that was a good idea.

 

That's not to say I won't go out for coffee when we travel or for an espresso if I'm near some place known for pulling a good shot.  But overall, with the amount of great roasted coffee available to me, I'll continue to brew at home. 

[weinoo]

1 hour ago, haresfur said:

I dunno, on my trip to N America this year, I stayed with so many friends who drank bad coffee at home I was glad to get to a Starbucks

 

That's a teaching moment, @haresfur.

[Tropicalsenior]

1 minute ago, weinoo said:

Long ago, I reconciled the fact that if I wanted good coffee, I'd be making it at home. 

Me too! Very few places have coffee as good as I get at home.