My rant about starbucks and the new Pike Place Roast

[winston89]

Posted: 4/25/08 at 10:31am

I was in a desperate need of a caffine fix before I went and saw Phantom wednesday night. I do like Starbucks coffee and have no problem saying that.

What I don't like is that in my past three times going to three different startbucks I go in there to get a cup of coffee (the only thing I ever get from them) and I am asked to wait 5 minuets while they are brewing Pike Place Roast. Shouldn't they have A a pot that is always ready while another one is brewing or B another roast on hand?

This is starting to piss me off when all I want is a cup of friggen coffee.

[Kitzarina]

Posted: 4/25/08 at 11:08am

Yes, they should be doing that. That's how we were instructed to brew it anyway. In the least, they should offer you an Americano at a coffee price.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 4/25/08 at 3:37pm

Do what I do, avoid Starbucks like the plague. Why get pretension with your burnt bean coffee? Dunkin Donuts even McDonalds sometimes have better tasting coffee!

[Jane2]

Posted: 4/25/08 at 3:41pm

I like the pike's place roast, but waiting while they brew it is unacceptable.

I get my coffee at Starbucks most of the time. Sometimes I get it from the Mud truck on my corner, and today I got some really delicious coffee at Au Bon Pain!

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 4/25/08 at 3:48pm

I don't normally get the drip, but I've actually seen people wait for the brew to finish. So what is it now? Pike Place regular and Pike Place decaf + the Coffee of the Day? I think it used to be 1-hour before they would re-brew the coffee, unless they only brew half a batch each half hour..However they do it, obviously it's not working.

I've tried the Pike Place..it's pretty nice. I've never had burnt coffee at Starbucks before..just burnt milk, but that's my fault because I always order it extra hot.

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 4/25/08 at 3:58pm

Maybe there's a run on it because of all the "free cup of Pike's Place" coupons that have been distributed?

[Jane2]

Posted: 4/25/08 at 4:00pm

Yeah, one of the kids at work gave me a coupon for a free one every Wed!

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 4/25/08 at 4:03pm

Every cup I've had of it, quite a few, has been free. I have no coupons, but they are always asking me to wait for it, while it's being brewed, and then they give it to me for free.

[george95]

Posted: 4/25/08 at 5:42pm

Sorry to threadjack, but Winston you went to see Phantom on Wed night? So did I.... I was there with 7 of my kids.

I made copies of our group's first ticket and last ticket to show the usher. But I forgot to take the original ticket off the copy machine glass, and then on my way out of the school, I decided I didnt' need the copy after all and threw it out.

So as we are walking into the theater, I hand out the tickets to my kids, and we are of course short two tickets. I made everyone give me their tickets again and counted again. I coudltn beleive it. (the performance was sold out if you noticed)
The guy in the lobby directing people saw me and asked what was wrong and I told him I lost two of our tickets, and he was like "oh just go up to the window they'll fix it". So I showed my receipts, and in less than a minute they printed out two new tickets, thank goodness.

By the way we sat in the 3rd row of the front mezz on the right.

[winston89]

Posted: 4/25/08 at 11:39pm

The thing is that I have no problem with startbucks coffee and I don't want one of their concoctions I just want a cup of coffee.

When I used to go in there when the pike place roast was just getting under way. They had the pike place regular they had pike place decaf and another pot of another roast regular. So, if there wasn't pike place roast regular I could just get another roast for a regular cup of coffee.

But, now all they have is pike place regular and decaf so if they are out of it regular I can't get coffee because I don't drink decaf. I think that the old system worked out better. Because they can at least offer you coffee instead of making you wait.

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 4/26/08 at 5:05pm

The Pike Place Roast has nothing to do with you waiting for your coffee. Starbucks always has a bold and a decaf,and at certain times of the day (usually when it is the most busy) a mild coffee as well (which actually has more caffeine than a bold, btw). Starbucks will often brew their new featured coffee to promote it when it comes out, the same as if they were brewing a pot of Verona. Unless it is a busy store or a busy time of the day, the only reason Starbucks should be rebrewing is because a.) The pot is empty or near empty or b.) An hour has passed since the pot was brewed. It is company policy to dump out coffee that has been sitting for an hour, as to ensure the freshest cup of coffee possible. Most people patiently wait for the coffee to be ready, but the barista should offer you the option of an Americano, which is espresso and hot water, at the same price. Take a pill. It's no different than if you brewed your own pot of coffee at home. You still have to wait! Sometimes people's sense of entitlement to instant gratification is astonishing. If you're in such a big hurry that you're going to be late, you shouldn't be stopping at Starbucks anyway!

[Jane2]

Posted: 4/26/08 at 5:23pm

Shouldn't they start the new pot brewing just before they run out of the old, so that there is no waiting?

I have to disagree with you, Actr, about the waiting. People do go into Starbucks expecting the coffee to be ready. There are too many other places you can get your coffee without waiting for it to brew.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 4/26/08 at 5:29pm

I haven't had a decent cup of coffee since April 13. The coffee has so far sucked in Scotland, Spain, and Sweden.....even in Starbucks...........even expresso.......

[nmartin]

Posted: 4/26/08 at 5:30pm

There's no excuse for this. Winston was Jonesin' for a cup and could have gone all Caffeine-Head on 'em.
Updated On: 4/26/08 at 05:30 PM

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 4/26/08 at 5:36pm

You're right about that Jane. As I said, when the coffee is near empty, the barista should start another pot rebrewing. Sometimes for whatever reason (maybe it was busy and they were shorthanded) it just doesn't happen. I can't necessarily defend what may be a case of lazy employees, but people do make mistakes. It just would always irritate me when I used to work there and people would shout at us that we were making them late to work or wherever because they had to wait in the morning rush line or wait for their drink to be ready. It just makes me wonder why, if someone is that late, they made the decision to stop and wait for coffee?

[Jane2]

Posted: 4/26/08 at 6:06pm

Didn't know you worked there, Actr. I understand the frustration.

I stop into the Starbucks right next to the theatre every night on the way to work. At the time I'm there, it's never busy. I'm usually the only one on line or maybe two people the most are ahead of me. I've been told 3 times that I'd have to wait while coffee brewed. However, I'm not going to complain about the baristas-they're very good to me. Occasionally I'll get a free coffee!

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 4/26/08 at 6:28pm

I don't work there anymore (No time with my school schedule), but I do miss it. It's a really good place to work.

It just happens sometimes; I think it depends on how on top of things the baristas are. If customers had to wait at a time when they really shouldn't have, I'd always give them the coffee for free or offer them the Americano. The customer really shouldn't have to wait, but it helps when people are understanding.