A brief interlude between reviews:
I’m currently working on the first of a series of posts about Starbucks Coffee Company. Although I have my own feelings, notions, and experiences with this world-famous coffee shop that’s just around every corner, I want to get some real feedback.
Some things I would like to include in the first post about Starbucks are reader’s opinions. I want to hear from you:
Do you like Starbucks? Why or why not? Do you have any experiences or stories to expand on your feelings?
Please comment on this post with your response, story, picture, or whatever. I want to hear from you!
Get commenting!
The Coffee Guy
I am no big fan of any one coffee house. I prefer to make my own Cascade Pride coffee – preferably chocolate mint flavor – at home just the way I like it.
When I’m out and about and feel the need to purchase a coffee, my favorite is Starbucks – particularly the one with a drive-through on Broadway Ave. I almost always get Peppermint Mocha Venti hot. That’s about the only coffee from Starbucks that I like, except for maybe one or two of the holiday specialty coffees. The Broadway store’s my fav., because it’s closest to my house and my side of town, and it has a drive-through. My ten-year-old wishes to add that she likes Starbucks because of their large, chocolate chunk cookies.
I don’t really like the taste of Starbucks coffee; it tastes burnt. But, I don’t like any Moxie Java coffee well, either. I’ll add that Rembrandt’s coffee shop has the best Mexican Mocha ever, and I haven’t been able to get Starbucks or Moxie Java to duplicate it for me.
I do like the baristas at Starbucks; they’re very friendly folks.
I like Starbucks atmosphere, they feel like home no matter where you roam… Their coffee, on the other hand… eh.
To be more specific, their espresso tends to bite. It’s bitter, that’s bad.
Their brewed coffees tend to be OK as long as they are drunk hot, once they start to cool off… eh. They go sour.
Their Chai Tea lattes are great, hot or cold, but then that’s not coffee…
Their fraps are usually winners on hot days, pretty consistent and good.
Honestly, my favorite coffee in the valley is at Treasure Valley Coffee’s outlet “The Roastere” – I absolutely LOVE their 8oz double shot Americano. Their espresso roast is far and away the best I’ve EVER had. It is always consistent, extremely bold and full flavor but never, ever bitter, smooth like the creamiest chocolate you’ve ever had.
I do like Dawson Taylor as well and would go there over Starbucks if I had the choice. Starbucks is just so accessible and, well, everywhere. You rarely have to cross the street to get to one because they have one on every corner of every block…
The other shops in town are either mediocre or flat out awful.
This has been my ever so humble opinion, apologies if I’ve offended anyone…
So you want to know what we think of Starbucks? I say that’s risky business when you live in a Northwest city with plenty of good coffee around. 😉 I guess that tells you what I think in a nutshell but I can be more specific for ya.
Drip coffee – blech! Over roasted week old beans are not for me. Wow, I never thought I would sound so snobby about my coffee! Boise WHAT have you done to me!!
Anyway, the BF and I tried some of their Holiday/Christmas drip blend one year and it tasted so awful we dropped in the garbage on the way out the door. That’s that.
I will have their espresso drinks (usually mochas – not so hot on their lattes) iced or hot if there is not another choice around, and like the guy above, I love their chai lattes but again, that’s not coffee.
I am a die hard Dawson’s fan so I am a little embarrassed to admit I will drive somewhat out of my way to go there if I want coffee and have the time. :p
When you get to heaven Colin, there you will only see Starbucks. Jesus will have all of the cool Starbucks mugs and free iTunes picks. Therefore Jesus is Starbucks! If you are a true believer you will have no choice to have the tasty goodness that is Starbucks!
I think the nice thing about starbucks is their consistency. I’ve found that a latte from starbucks in Seattle tastes the same as a latte from a Starbucks in New York, San Diego, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, San Francisco, or Anchorage to name a few places I’ve gotten them. But I’d have to agree about the drip, I just stick to the lattes, I do hate however, that a venti has only two shots the same as a grande, that’s pretty stupid. I will confess I often find myself gravitating toward the green mermaid because I know I’ll get what I expect. However, given the choice, I would go to Peets, Stumptown, or Vivace… but I don’t have those choices here in Boise.
I love Starbucks. I know what I’m going to get every time I have it. I know that when I get one in Europe, Asia, Australia or here it’s going to taste the same. That’s really nice. I’ve had Starbucks all of those places and it’s nice to have something I can count on. The other “local” places might have a good cup now and then, but if I’m going to pay $3 for a coffee, I want to know what I’m getting.
So Meg, if I understand your logic correctly it doesn’t matter if what you’re getting is crap, so long as you can be assured that you get the same crap no matter which SB’s you get it at…
Just wondering… 😉
I will drink Starbucks if there is nothing else around. It will never be my first choice. I don’t dislike Starbucks but I think their coffee is too common. I personally don’t find them consistent. They don’t all taste the same to me. One Starbucks in NV always gets my order wrong.
I know this sounds like I am bashing Starbucks but I don’t hate them. They have good coffee but just not my first or second choice.
So, I do agree with Meg concerning consistency. When I am out of town, I will usually pick Starbucks unless I get a good local recommendation.
When I am in town however, things are a lot different. I tend to drink coffee, no cream with sugar, not coffee drinks. That pretty much strikes out Starbucks all the time locally because I know a dozen other places with better coffee. Even Krispy Kreme and McDonalds have better drip than Starbucks.
Starbucks the cream of the crop Chai Latte, and if I get drug in there by someone else I always have that truly enjoyable standby.
Ahh, Yes. Starbucks American corporation at it’s finest…….
At least I know with Starbucks there always going to give me a consistent cup of decent overpriced coffee within close proximity to where I’m at.
It’s nothing special, Just a nice backstop if there’s nothing else around.
starbucks is the walmart of coffee. if you put a starbucks barista in a real coffee shop, they are at a loss for what to do.
they don’t train their employees on grinding the beans properly, or on how to use a regular espresso machine! two of the most important parts of making a drink!
a few months ago i was training a former starbucks employee on how to use a regular espresso machine and he somehow blew the grouphead right off of the bottom of the machine and all over our cafe two times. i dont blame it on him, i blame it on starbucks.
i hate how people think that starbucks has the best coffee.
making a good espresso drink takes some skill and good ingredients. while it is a matter of preference, i feel that their coffee is over roasted, and doesn’t have enough beef to back up the bold flavor of the coffee.
Anyone can push a button and extract shots. Its not any different than the machines that Mcdonalds uses for their mCafe drinks, just different coffee beans.
personally i like indulging in a cup of coffee, knowing that all of the elements were made by hand and made right.
Favorite Latte : Irish cream latte (flying M)
Favorite Drip Coffee : Colombian Supremo ( Dawson Taylor)
-DJ
DJ, thanks for your comments! I appreciate you stopping in and sharing.
I agree with you about Starbucks baristas (if you can really call them that.) Saying nothing about the employees themselves (often friendly, amiable, and upbeat people) but saying everything about the company that trains them.
Also, I’ll give your favorite drinks a shot. Thanks for sharing them!
All that being said, have you seen my latest Starbucks post? Give it a read and let me know what you think: http://tinyurl.com/yzy9ufw
CG
amooouu el estar bucks coffi ayyyyyyyyy es increible lo bnoooo esque tengo tiendaaaaa yyyy puedo tomar cuanto yoo quiera y ustedes no jajaja…….. taradosss a todoss graxias byeeeeeeeeeeeee….