Do you go to Starbucks or a local coffee joint that's better?

Whaddaya get?

Starbucks I usually get an iced caramel macchiato with light ice, light caramel, 2 extra shots (5 total) of espresso, upside down.

Could it be any longer of an order for one drink?

If they have Verona or Yukon blend coffee and I'm in a coffee mood I'll get those as well.

I usually have a large extra hot skinny latte...
Whatever one of those is?
I think it is a coffee.....

Wanna laugh? Check out The Kid From Brooklyn on Starbucks: Starbucks

That is funny and so true.

IMO -- Starbucks is the "WalMart" of coffee shops

It's okay. There are so many of them, it's almost impossible to not stop for one every so often. I still prefer the coffee at Dunkin Donuts. I also like the smaller chain, Seattle's Best, who are in partnership with Borders Bookstores.

Is it just me, or did FRASIER and FRIENDS help the coffeehouse concept explode?

I find them all giant rip-offs. I make my coffee at home, and then go to work. I have a friend who is on a first-name basis with the employees at the local Starbucks. I can't imagine how much money she spends there each week. I saw a financial adviser on TV once who referred to the money that people spend at these places as the "latte factor" on your budget.

If I do occasionally splurge and have coffee out, I actually prefer MacDonald's coffee over any other chain.

I don't get the whle Starbucks thing. Its $4.00-6.00 for a frickin cup of coffee...for a working stiff thats 20-30 dollars a month or $1050 to $1560 a year!

I got a Tassimo machine about 6 months ago which makes coffee as good as if not better than Starbucks, and I pay about forty cents a cup for latte.

I feel lucky that I don't drink coffee. I don't have to give a second look to Starbucks.

I have one daughter who absolutely loves Starbucks. She goes regularly with a friend of hers. I think I've only been to Starbucks once and ordered a regular coffee, and that was only because I was with my daughter.

Give me regular black coffee (none of this sissy stuff) It IS a huge ripoff as far as I'm concerned. If I want something resembling a Hot Fudge Sundae and/or a dessert type drink, I'll order a milk shake and probably pay 3/4 dollars less than this "glorified" coffee.

Gotta give it to whomever concepts it was....they are rollin' in the dough.

TIS

Be careful what you say around here






True true true! It irks me to know end when a Starbucks rolls in and sets up shop right across the street from a mom and pop coffee house. One of my favs is up for sale right now casue they just cant compete. I actually do enjoy their regular coffee. However, their philosophy of playing the environmental and fair pricing game while shutting down the smaller places pisses me off!

Not only that, but they are not in the least community-minded, which I'm sure I don't have to tell you, Part, if you've ever tried to get them to sponsor anything or contribute. I chaired a fund-raiser for the local United Way, and Starbucks wouldn't even let us put a poster for the event in their window.

That is pretty low SB. I wonder why they didn't let you hang a poster?

Anyone remember the Sopranos episode where Paulie comments, while waiting at a starbuck like facility, how (more or less), "it should have been our idea."

My opinion only....I think Starbucks is a fad thing that will be around for a few years longer and than lose it's appeal. Then again what do I know?

TIS

In the UK Borders stores have Starbucks in them....

The reason they gave was that all "store decorations" had to be approved by the regional manager. We only wanted it in there for the 2 weeks before the event. Creeps!

Yeah, he won't on and on about cappuccinos.

Paulie 'Walnuts' Gualtieri: Fuckin' Italian people. How did we miss out on this?

Salvatore 'Big Pussy' Bonpensiero: What?

Paulie 'Walnuts' Gualtieri: Fuckin' expresso, cappuccino. We invented this shit and all these other cocksuckers are gettin' rich off it.

Salvatore 'Big Pussy' Bonpensiero: Yeah, isn't it amazing?

Paulie 'Walnuts' Gualtieri: And it's not just the money. It's a pride thing. All our food: pizza, calzone, buffalo moozarell', olive oil. These fucks had nothin'. They ate pootsie before we gave them the gift of our cuisine. But this, this is the worst. This expresso shit.

Salvatore 'Big Pussy' Bonpensiero: Take it easy.

Ha ha!! That's it Beth!! That was hilarious wasn't it?

Thanks!



TIS

I love starbucks coffee. I can happily drink all sorts of coffees, ranging from plain espressos to the more funky ones with chocolate and whipped creams and what not.

Aside, I think the "local store" concept is overrated. I am a big fan of chains. I love the walmarts and the subways and the tacos.

Exactly, screw "Mom and Pop", they were too dumb to start a chain instead of just owning their one store. Starbuck's is awesome. I love their mochas, I just can't afford them.

I don't think Starbuck's is a fad because coffee is a drug. People won't get tired of it.

I used to work as a bellhop in a very nice golf resort and one of my many jobs was to make coffee for the employees. I got so tired of everyone coming into the kitchen and making a mess, that I had to clean up, while telling me stuff like "I don't know what I would do without this coffee!". So for a week I did an experiment. I made nothing but Decaf and nobody noticed. In fact I got all of my usual compliments of "Great coffee as always! What a life saver! I'd be dead asleep right now if it weren't for this coffee!".

Whatever... it's a drug of the mind and body. Whoever is making money from Starbuck's is a genius. I'm jealous.

I am not sure of their charitable giving philosophy.

Sure I am a whore and as Can't stand their overall philospohy, I was still going to try to get what I could from them!

I have tried to get them to be a "Breakfast Sponsor" for two different events to no avail. What they did tell me was each individual store (at least here in the KC Metro) has a certain amount of products they can donate each month. So for a Gala / Auction we conducted, I coordinated it with a bunch of volunteers to visit each store in ther metro on the first day of the month to ask for some products. I had craploads of bags of coffee that we made into a bunch of gift baskets for the auction.

However, I was disapointed that they would not sponsor the breakfast for our Walk or Tour. Hell, their cost would be peanuts and they could write off the retail amount as a contribution.

But it did give me the opportunity to work with a couple of local KC coffee roasters who were more than happy to sponsor the event and show a local company sponsoring a local community event.

Starbucks is having some challenges as its rapid expansion has slowed sals growth at existing stores. They just dumped their CEO and the original CEO has come back on the scene. Essentially they are trying to stabilize the company and prevent the stock price from sliding so it will not be vulnerable to a takeover.

Maybe they could hire the former CEO of Krispy Kreme. I hear he's looking for a job right now. Now, there's a chain I love!!!

True True True -- goes to show when companies / organizations try to grow too quick w/o a solid plan.

I unfortunately love Krispy Kreme as well!

I remember the first time I had one - back in 1998. I was working for the BSA and living in LaCrosse, Wisconsin at the time. The CEO and I were traveling to Nashville, TN for a Conference. It was kind of a road trip as it took us several days, golf, eating , and drinking along the way. My boss said we have to have Krispy Kreme when we were in Indianapolis (his home town. I told him I never heard of them and he was shocked! He said it was Elvis's favorite do-nut and we had eat them warm. Well, if Elvis liked it -- I knew it could not be too bad LOL. I loooooved them. I think I ate at least a dozen that morning. When we moved to Kansas City, I was fortunate (or unfortunate) as there are several in the area and all near my offfices or house!

Every Thursday morning at 7 am I have a Service Club Meeting at Denny's (of all places ) As I leave, I get the whiff of Krispy Kreme next door to Denny's and have to kick, punch and scratch myself to make sure I get in the car instead of stopping off to polish off a dozen or so of these heavenly delights!

One last Krispy Kreme story before I either bore ya or force myself to stop by on the way home. Two years ago the Kansas City Royals used to have a promotion with Krispy Kreme. Every time the Royals eaked out 12 hits in a game -- your ticket stup was good for one dozen Krispy Kreme donuts. Well, we are talking Royals baseball here - so needless to say it was not often it happened. But for Royals fans (which I am not) it gave them something to hope for -- you knew they were going to get their ass kicked (100 loss season in 4 out of the last 6 seasons) so you could always hope they get at least 12 hits! One time we had an ADA night at the ball game and, of course, the Royals are getting creamed and the stadium emptys late in the game. I stick around as it is a great time to network (and drink) with board members and donors. Well, what do you knwo the Royals come alive and get six hits in the bottom of the ninth -- so yoiur ticket stubbs are worth a dozen donuts. After the game I was scooping the ticket stubbs off the floor of the concourse as the fans that left early just tossed them. I had about 100 stubs. So, you could redeem one ticket stub per day for the next 30 days. So, I went to the three Krispy Kremes on the way to the office every morning and we had plenty for the office -- as you could guess probably not the politically correct food to have at an American Diabetes Association office !:)

We had some local bagel stores that also carried Krispy Kremes, but no Krispy Kreme store. There was one near my mom's condo down in Florida, so we would have as many as possible when visiting.

I'd have done the same.

You're right about getting them warm. It's like you're in heaven. They go down so fast.

There was a Krispy Kreme by my high school that we would pass every day after track and field practice. The store would fill a bag of the broken peanut sticks of the day and sell them for 30 cents. Once in a while there wouldn't be broken ones. After several straight days of not having broken peanut sticks, the old woman working behind the counter felt sorry for us, took some fresh peanut sticks and broke them up for us.

Lately I've been spending about 3 nights per week in a Starbucks, their coffee with white mocha is great, you don't need sugar or milk or anything...its great

Becky's BF bought me one of those white mocha coffee's when we were there in VA. and I liked it alot.

There's not many things as awesome as a warm Krispy Kreme donut.

Dipping it in hot chocolate or hot tea

About every gs station and grocery store in the metro sells Krispy Kreme (which are delivered each morning), but there is nothing like one "hot off the conveyor belt"

I love watching them being made -- sometimes if there were no one else in line I would ask for if i could pick my do-nut out from the beginning. I would watch the "belt" and when they got to the end I would point out the ones I wanted. You ever watch the process?

Nope, not here. Dunkin Donuts seems to have cornered the market in my neck of the woods. There is one Mobil station that has them, but they run out so darned fast that by the time I get there, there's usually only one or two lone (and squashed) left.

I love to watch them being made, and getting the free hot donut "sample"

The BEST donuts ever made. Unfortunatley they OVER franchised their stores and saturated the market with too many stores and they hurt themselves and the franchisees. That's why so many closed almost as fast as they opened. A shame because they make a really great donut. I love their donuts.

Dunkin Donuts don't even come close. It's too bad that Krispy Kreme had such poor marketing becuase I think that if they had marketed their products and their stores the right way, similar to the way that Dunkin Donuts once did, they would have given Dunkin Donuts a run for their money.

While I enjoy Dunkin Donuts coffee, their service has declined quite a bit. And I blame it on the fact that they've become to diversified in what they sell, now adding pizza and sandwiches to their menu. In my opinion the addition of these items to their menu has detracted from the fast, quality service that they once were known for.

What used to be an in and out experience buying a cup of coffee at a Dunkin Donuts has now turned into waiting 10 minutes for that same cup of coffee because they're caught up making sandwiches and pizzas! Dunkin Donuts Pizza? Nah, I'll pass. Stick to what made you what you are is my motto. Coffee, donuts and quick service.

As for this topic, Starbucks, I've NEVER been impressed with their OVER PRICED COFFEE which by the way is nothing more than OVER ROASTED/COOKED coffee blends. In my opinion their coffee is not that good.

Dunkin Donuts just aren't good. Usually I'll go to a local place called Chuck's Bakery for donuts. The nearest Krispy Kreme is about 20 minutes away, I've never been to that one. I've only been to the one in Lafayette, IN.

The Dunkin Donuts around here don't do the sandwiches and stuff and they are all owned by Indians from India. The Dunkin Delis in Chicago have what you're talking about, DC.

I had my usual starbucks drink tonight, with 5 espresso shots...and here I am at 2:20 AM!!

I'm not much of a coffee drinker, so I don't buy coffee out, either at Starbucks or any other place. I make two cups of cappucino each morning via my own pump espresso machine. It's not an expensive machine, but it serves. I do experiment with whole bean coffee. Starbucks is pretty good, but expensive. Trader Joe's French Roast is very good at less than half the price. The organic French Roast at Basha's (Arizona supermarket chain) also is pretty decent.

Try the Trader Joe's Burundi, TB. It's very good.

We bought a coffee maker that has the grinder built in, and there's no comparison between ground and whole bean.

Yes, it's excellent, SB

TB, sometimes I'll buy the Starbucks if it's on sale. I like their "Breakfast Blend." It's not too strong.

I was in Trader Joe's in Henderson, NV, last week. Bought small cans of two new coffees: TJ's Fair Trade Organic French Roast, and TJ's Ultra Dark Roast Blends Dark French Roast. Any experiences with those, SB?

I've tried the Burundi and I want to say the Sumatra, but I may just be making that last one up.

Tim Horton's > Starbucks

XL 4 cream 4 sugar

Oh, you mean the Kama Sutra, dont'cha Babe?

That'll perk you up!

OK...so starbucks closed their doors for 3 hours yesterday and it was the biggest thing on all the late night tv shows..i dont get it.

Can you spell "PUBLICITY"?? They got a whole crapload of it out of this stunt.

Welcome to the boards, dm.

They had to retrain their employees on how to make espresso because, despite the fact that they have automatic espresso machines, "it's not as simple as pushing a button".

Riiiiight.

Maaaaan, you get sarcastic when you have caffeine.

Only when I have caffeine?

I was trying to keep my response "on topic".

Clever man. If only the baristas at Starbucks were as smart as you.

(see, I can stay on topic, too)

As far as I'm concerned, they should have closed their doors for 3 weeks! Overpriced overroasted burnt coffee, that's what they sell.

But you have to give credit where credit is due, a fantastic way to get free advertising! Brilliant marketing strategy! It probably cost them 1/10, to shut down for the three hours, than what it would have actually cost them to pay for the publicity that they got out of this.

I can't stand Starbucks coffee. Dunkin Donuts is good, but over-rated. I've found that convenience stores like Wawa and Quick-Chek have much better coffee. I even like BK and McDonalds coffee better. At home, I usually make "Eight O'Clock" brand coffee.

I don't really have anything against Starbucks per se, but seriously Tim Horton's coffee is just flat out better. This whole idea of corporate coffee is perfectly fine in our capitalist free market society but another rule of such a society is that the best product(s) win. It doesn't always work out this way due to marketing/marketability and various other factors but really, let's say that the best product(s) should win. I've had both Starbucks and Tim Horton's coffee and Timmie's is much, much better. I don't recall having had Dunkin Donuts but I'd assume that it's better (than Starbucks) as well.

I didn't care for McDonald's coffee at first but now I'm warming up to it.

I have my off/on/off love affair with coffee, even espresso, Dunkin definitely has had the best coffee for at least 20 years, my father once said it and I believe it to be true also, its just a smoother blend for some reason. Starbucks? I agree, overpriced, burned, way too strong... and, not consistent from what real coffee experts tell me. There is ONLY one thing I like off their "menu" and thats the caramel macchiato. There was a place in Spring Lake NJ that had a "milky way moccha" and since that place is now closed, starbux has the only thing that comes close at triple the price. I spent $300 on an espresso machine, not as good as you might find in any little italy neighborhood who use 'real' machines, but far better than $tarbucks.

I never really got into starbucks....they double brew their beans which makes it bitter....so many better places...

Conan O'Brien talking about Starbucks closing to retrain their employees.

"They had to teach the employees not to laugh when charging $5 for a cup of coffee"

Good one LN!

You just have to learn how to order coffee from Starbucks...one that Annie taught me was this:

Mocha Coffee: $3.45 for a small
Regular Coffee with Mocha: $1.85

It gets expensive after going everyday but if you are a real coffee drinker its worth the price.

Starbucks prices are Starbucks prices but coffee is coffee to a certain extent. You go to Timmie's or Dunkin Donuts or anywhere and you'll get a cup of coffee. However, Starbucks has been around for a while so there's gotta be something to it. Still think that Timmie's (which has been around longer) is way better though.

Very true.

I went with my Godson the other day and felt like an idiot because it's really just common sense.

You just don't want to believe me.....it's intentionally burnt, overpriced blended coffee.

You are correct DC. They over roast their beans so people buy all that sweet crap to top it off. Anyone who is dumb enough to buy a $6-$8 cup of coffee every day has no right to complain about the price of gas (or the size of their waistelines).

I pay 1.75 for coffee at Starbucks, I woudln't pay $8/cup lol

F**k Starbucks!

My kids bought me an espresso/cappucino coffee maker for my birthday!

What kind DC?

A BRAUN TASSIMO / Espresso / Cappuccino coffee maker. I love it!

My mother-in-law drinks coffee, but her husband doesn't. She hates to brew a pot just for herself, so I bought her a Tassimo. She ended up returning it because she couldn't figure out how to make a cup of coffee.

She wound up returning it because YOU bought it for her.

Well, DUH!

Edit: Great top of the page for that one...

I stopped at Dunkin Donuts for an apple crumb donut this morning. I think their coffee is MUCH better than Starbucks. And if money is an issue for you, it's half the price.

Oh, that apple crumb donut? Keep them away from me, because I could literally eat half a dozen at a time.

I just had Dunkin Donuts' coffee for the first time last weekend. It is very good and much better priced than the "designer" coffee houses like Caribou and Starbucks.

I feel the same way about their blueberry muffins as Pizzaboy's description of the apple crumb donut. Any of their donuts can be consumed in mass quantities.

We have a local grocery store, whose bakery makes such giant, delicious doughnuts that Dunkin' Donuts relocated a few years ago. The doughnuts are also $0.39 each. They also sell fresh coffee, but I don't like coffee, so I can't vouch for it. My wife says that the Dunkin Donuts coffee is far better.

She also likes the coffee at McDonald's, and pumpkin cappuccino, which is sold in the Fall and Winter at a convenience store. She's not a big fan of Starbuck's.

I guess the expression "dollars to donuts" has become antiquated.

I'm going to have to stop for doughnuts today with all this talk about them.

To me, it's a no-brainer. If you sell doughnuts (as your main item) you MUST have good coffee.

I'm not much of a coffee drinker anymore, but I love DD's coffee.

Today, I think, is National Doughnut Day.

Starbucks is like Subway - only good for one thing - skimming.

Is Dunkin' Donuts a regional chain? In NY and NJ they are very popular, and yes, good coffee. I just bought a giant bag of DD medium roast at Sam's Club. Starbucks is too bitter. I just read that they are closing 600 more stores.

Just today I hear they are closing over 600 Starbucks throughout the states (due to the economy and low sales).

Myself, I've never been a Starbucks person. For me, regular ol' black coffee is just fine. I can't see paying 5 bucks for a dessert coffee or whatever. I'll get a milkshake or sundae or something else fattening if I want dessert.

Anyway, I know my daughter is familiar with every Starbucksin the area. As long as there is one still standing in her area, she'll be happy though. She doesn't go daily, but she goes a lot.

TIS

Starbuck's is the type of retail establishment that would be a front line casualty of sluggish economic times. People are budgeting their money more carefully, and the first place to save is on that $4 cup of coffee each day.

Yeah.... you could use that coffee money to buy a gallon of gas.

I've never seen the attraction of Starbucks. 7-11 and Dunkin' Donuts have better coffee and their sooooo much cheaper.

That's really sad for the employees that will be losing their jobs because of this. But one would have to be blind not to see this coming. Starbucks went a little nuts opening up stores on almost every corner and inside almost every major department store. A little bit of overkill on their part if you ask me. Poor planning.

Couple the overabundance of stores with their $4.00++ cup of "burnt" coffee, throw in a very bad economy, and it adds up to only a matter of time before they had to start cutting costs, closing stores and laying people off.

I don't know about anyone elses area, but there are a couple Starbucks that I know of that are practically across the street from another Starbucks. Geez!!


But yea, I feel for anyone who loses his/her job.


TIS

They should've reduced their prices and partnered up with similarly-fated Krispy Kreme donuts for an ultimate experience!

That is pure marketing genius, JG! I'd go there, if only for the donuts.

A KK opened and then closed in nearby Bricktown, never even got the chance to go there. But when I was working in the city I loved bringing home a couple dozen now and then (and smelling up the bus with the beautiful aromas (I'm surprised I wasn't mugged!) )

Funny that you said this Geoff. Krispy Kreme is EXACTLY the company that I was thinking about when I read the Starbucks story. Too much franchising is what ruined Krispy Kreme. And such great donuts too!

Great donuts to dip in a cup of hot tea.

Silly girl, everyone knows you dip toast in hot tea.

Gimme a cup of joe and a sinker. (I learned the word "sinker" from watching the original "King Kong" which was made in 1933. I guess it's not used too much anymore. Same for a "cup of joe").

No no, you both are silly kids. You don't dip nothing in your coffee or tea. Take a bite of your cookie, donut, toast, sip of coffee/tea. That's how it's done.

(My father not only dips, but mushes up his cookies in his coffee. How disgusting)

To dunk or not to dunk, that is the question?


TIS

Don't even try that dainty stuff here, TIS.... I've already seen you eat half a cow, remember??

Oreo cookies should be dunked and eaten within a few seconds (otherwise they get too mushy).

Ha ha ha!!!! LMAO Next thing you know, you're gonna tell me you sissify your coffee with cream/sugar? Oh, and leave my half cow alone.


TIS

Sissify??

I guess I do.... I like a little sugar in my coffee.

I not in the MOOOOOOd to tease you about your cow.

Absolutely...only I use milk.

I dunk a peanut butter sandwich in chocolate milk. If you dunk a PBJ, it's got to be white milk. Oh, and the milk has to be very cold.

White milk and white bread?? How gauche!!! It's chocolate milk all the way!!

Not that anyone gives a rip, but let me tell you my routine anyway. Enquiring minds want to know.

I usually only drink coffee in the morning (probably 3/4 cups), black and usually nothing to eat with it. However, on occasion (usually if I have company and am serving dessert or somewhere where they have dessert), I'll drink coffee. It definitely goes with most any dessert (except an ice cream dessert). Coffee with cake or pie is a must.

Oh, and I am not a huge breakfast eater, but when I do eat breakfast either home or out, I simply have to have coffee. Matter of fact, in a restuarant I always order coffee with any meal.

See, aren't you glad you know this info?

TIS

I am! It'll help a great deal in the book I'm writing about your eating habits.

Did you know I already wrote a book about you and Christmas?

I titled it, "TIS - The Season to be Jolly".

"Cuppa Joe" was used by Kyle MacLachlin in the "Twin Peaks" TV series.
I bought a Saeco "Magic Cappucino Plus" espresso machine about six weeks ago. Since then, I've been having a "cuppa Giuseppe" every morning.