Ok, a new day has dawned on IHateStarbucks.com.
I no longer want to keep hacking the old, tired php on the site, so this is what I propose. These messages will remain up for all eternity. In addition, there is a new Guest book. So if you want to share your opinons, i.e. post to the site, go here. As always, if wish to rant or rave, send me an email:
| Name: | janet 02240 |
| Date: | Apr 13 2004 11:56 AM |
| Hi everyone,
I work at a starbucks and we use the La Marzocco Espresso machines. Now, my question is- is it normal for water/esspresso to leak out of the portafilter while it is brewing? My manager says it's because i am not closing the portafilter tight enough to the machine, but even when i make sure it's closed tight, sometimes, esspresso still leaks out. I am concerned over whether if this problem is a potentially hazardous one- as baristas can get burned if hot water starts spewing out of the portafilter while it brews espresso. Any managers or partners out there with this problem? Let us know. Thanks. |
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| Name: | max 02239 |
| Date: | Apr 13 2004 11:56 AM |
| i work in an independently owned coffee shop and it highly irritates me that people feel the need to use "grande" or other starbucks-influenced terminology when ordering their drinks. we are not starbucks! we use the standard small, medium, and large terms when listing sizes. silly marketing ideas such as this that attempt to be cute are ridiculous and highly annoying. no one seems to pronounce them correctly anyway. (and what's worse is even people on this message board cannot manage to spell these drinks correctly. Come on "megan"...frapichino??? so you buy one every day? what is wrong with you? |
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| Name: | south texas 02238 |
| Date: | Apr 13 2004 11:55 AM |
| It is ridiculous that people pay so much money for something that they can make at home. I work at Starbucks, but I never drink anything from there. Why? Becasue they use the same containers all day to make drinks without washing them. This would not be a problem if people washed thier hands and did not touch money, trash, and other things without washing thier hands. Also, people wash their hands and let the water that they used fall into the containers they use to make drinks. They also use the same rags all day without cleaning them to clean the machines that make and touch drinks. They(we do at least) use the same rags to clean tables, counters, and other things. They are so cheap that they actually told employees that we can only get a drionk if we bring in our own cup. This is because they do not want to waste money on paper cups. Yet, they throw away muffins, scones, and all their expensive pasteries away at the end of the day. In short, it is unsatitary, expensive, and ridiculous. |
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| Name: | Competitor 02237 |
| Date: | Apr 13 2004 11:55 AM |
| Hey Bunny, If SBUX is selling coffee other than 100% Kona as 100% Kona, that's a big NO NO. One of the staples in my store is that we always brew 100% Kona, sometimes 100% Kona Peaberry, and other coffees to give our customers a nice selection. Can you tell the diffence between Kona and other coffees? If you can, I will have to send a bit of what I serve and you can compare. If you can't, I will have to go undercover and buy some myself. Let me know. |
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| Name: | Competitor 02236 |
| Date: | Apr 13 2004 11:54 AM |
| Hey schmoopy, I know SBUX does not franchise, but I have that expense. I price matched the SBUX nearest my store, and my customers also get for their money. One example would be in my 20oz hot drinks, we give three shots to SBUX two. I still have my original employees from when I opened over a year ago, and they are all happy. I also pay them more than SBUX. |
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| Name: | schmoopy 02229 |
| Date: | Apr 11 2004 03:48 AM |
| in response to competitor dated april 9th: your list of expenses is right-on except for franchise fees. there are none as they don't franchise.also, because of the incredibly tight labor, the bottom-line profit is still somewhere in the thirties. 36% profit is not unrealistic at any retail location. labor cost is somewhere between 17% and 20%. this includes management. if employees look stressed out, this is why. |
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| Name: | Bunny 02230 |
| Date: | Apr 11 2004 03:48 AM |
| I am so ashame that in a couple of weeks SBUX is going to be selling a "knock-off" Kona coffee. I don't believe that it's going to be 100% Kona as "corporate propaganda" claims! Yet, partners have to sucker people into buying it and misinform the customers! So, this is what I think SBUX is really going to be selling to the public...Bits and pieces of burned Kona mixed with some Indonesian beans. And "Bingo" that's how you get SBUX "001%" (I think corporate got the numbers wrong!)Kona coffee! 001% "pure" SBUX Kona Coffee!!!The expensive price you pay is for the "exotic bag design"! (A "booby-price" kona from Hawaii suvenier bag with some fraudulent information about the region from where Sbux gets the coffee!) HA, HA, HA! ;) THANKS & SPREAD THE WORD!!! P.S. Pastries are never 100% freshly baked. They're 001% fresh too! Don't believe Starbucks! |
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| Name: | Megan 02228 |
| Date: | Apr 10 2004 07:36 PM |
| OK, so I admit... I spend $4 a day on my stupid drink at Starbucks!! And I hate it.. So can someone who used to work there please tell me how to make a Vanilla Creme Frapichino? I need the recipe so I can make it at home :)Thanks |
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| Name: | fed-up in Scotland 02227 |
| Date: | Apr 10 2004 07:35 PM |
| Having just seen my manager moved to a smaller store, primarily becuse the DM is a wanker, and partly because he originally came from a Costa store which was taken over I'm amazed at the stupidity and arrogance of a company which can be so vindictive to some-one who had *years* of experience and was increasing sales in one of the largest stores in Scotland. Incredible. |
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| Name: | mike 02226 |
| Date: | Apr 10 2004 07:34 PM |
| i am working at $tarbuck$ right now. There are only 2 other people working and there is a line out the door. We are runoing out of everything. I quit and i am walking out now. wish me luck. |
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| Name: | Frank 02225 |
| Date: | Apr 10 2004 07:34 PM |
| Recently saw a special on the food channel about coffee. Where it was grown, how it was processed, how it was roasted, etc. When it came to actually brewing the coffee the quoted the recipe for bean weight to water ratio and temp of water, etc. This is where the commentator noted that Starbucks (he actually called them Starburnt) is known in the coffee business as using an inferior bean and over roasting their coffee. He explained that when you over roast the coffee it actually will make the brewed coffee taste stronger but in fact is really burned coffee that you taste. People comment that Starbucks has great coffee, yet the vast majority of people wouldn't know a properly prepared cup of coffee with quality beans if it hit them in the forehead. This is why Starbucks is so popular, they have a great publicity machine. Anyway I will always support the non-Starsucks coffee shops before a Starsucks store. The only way to get rid of them is to support other stores. Thanks. |
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| Name: | scott 01980 |
| Date: | Apr 09 2004 07:23 PM |
| Starbucks facts: 80 new stores opened worldwide on a monthly basis, promotes but does not serve organic or fair-trade coffees, over roasted, over extracted, over priced, uses rBGH (growth hormone) dairy products, does not clean coffee makers/dispenses, does not clean steam wands, uses water in chai, dillutes eggnog, frappacinos are made with dehydrated coffee and milk, owns torefazionne, boyds, tazo, coffee people, thier espresso machine manufacture, thier food supplier. under-trained staff and un-knowledgable staff. im sure they have even tried to trademark "coffee".
with all that said, i honestly dont know why anyone would want to support them and/or thier drinks. it's not because it tastes good, thats for sure. |
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| Name: | Record9Ti 02120 |
| Date: | Apr 09 2004 07:23 PM |
| So, I am all fired up and in a shitty mood about a clients practice management system not working properly...so, into Starbucks I go...
Talking to the woman (with a nose ring) and her hair dyed black (did you all see South Park last night?)...I order a "Double Latte in a small cup"...she was mystified. Looking at me in a bovine fashion as if I was holding a bale of hay trying to get her to walk into slaughter house - she proclaims that "We don’t have that today"....and proceeds to adjust her apron in a fashion that let me know she was not happy (I would have to assume that her nipple ring was catching on her fishnet bra - as I would also assume that her bra is matching her leggings).
So, I digress and try to start over with new communication level..."okay, I would like two shots...in a small latte". At this point she proclaims "Oh, you want a Vento!"...instantly (and seriously) I thought no, I have Shamals...no need for a Vento. But, agree that infact I need a Vento...and a 16oz bottle of filtered water...for $6.57. After paying I am asked if I would "like that skinny". Judging by the look I gave her, she knew that I was the un-witting victim of a public school system and clarified by asking "What kind of milk". So my simple answer "white" really made her insane. Again with the "What kind of milk?!", "White". And more frustrated faces. I thought to make it easier; I told her that any milk was fine..."Even if it meant I was to suckle from the teets of another creature". Again...she was a cow after a handful of hay.
Waiting at a counter as I listen to the ever so trendy Starbucks staff speak in a code (much akin to Cherokee Indians in "Windtalkers") Latte Frappe Vento Skinny Moo Moo Whipped Hummma Humma Nukka Nuuka Aaapuaaa aa. I now know for certain, I #1 am not cool, and #2 am turning every day more and more like my grandfather - being disenchanted with society. Then they announce "Vento"...of course, I don’t respond as this is more gibberish crazy talk, I may as well have tried to order this drink in Bolivia, I could not communicate. Over and over "Vento, Vento, Vento"...and another woman with hemp woven jewelry all over came out and handed me my drink with a mad look on her face and said "Vento"...and then, cocked her head like a dog trying to understand what someone is saying (you all know the look).
Here I am...lost in a subculture of society that I can’t understand. I only want caffeine. I have no desire to learn yet another Ebonics style way of life...and I would like a "Double latte in a small cup", the cup in my hand is CLEARLY not small...and the luke warm fluid inside tastes like warm milk, with the "essence" of coffee...Now I like my coffee the way I like my women....bitter. I tell the woman (moo) at the counter that I wanted a "Double shot in a small cup"...she takes my cup, gives me a rapid exhale to show her displeasure with my inability to communicate and pours about half of my drink into a small cup, throws the rest (with the cup) into a sink behind her. Handing my drink back to me, she said "Tall". So, I now paid more for a "Tall" meaning "Small" and have less of what was not right to begin with. My ratio of caffeine was off, and now I get less of it to boot. I asked her how that was a "double"? "Vento IS a double shot".
"Okay, but, um...well, see...a double would infer that there is a higher ratio of espresso to milk than a larger drink". She responds - "no a double shot is a Vento". So, I tell her "You know what, why not just add another shot of espresso to THIS drink", pointing to the drink in my hand. She takes the drink, pours in some more espresso and then hands it back to me..."That will be eighty cents". I about lost it. I told her she was nuts, let her know that she should possibly consider trying out the GED class that is offered at the local community college, and that I would NEVER again go to Starbucks as I am certainly not up the standards of what they hold their customers to on a educational level.... |
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| Name: | John 02221 |
| Date: | Apr 09 2004 07:21 PM |
| I work for StarF-ucks and it is the worst company ever.
1) They never listens to employees 2) Their benefits isn't all that great, on average, it takes out almost 40% from each pay check (including tax), aside from the shitty pay. |
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| Name: | Hazel 02220 |
| Date: | Apr 09 2004 07:21 PM |
| To Bunny:
I just wanted to tell you that that is how my store district manager forced me to leave my job! I worked for 4 hours in an slow saturday morning. My till was $200 short. I said, no way, we have not had that much traffic. I demanded an "audit" but nobody knew how to print a receipt with a detail of all transactions.
They were gonna fired me-- I refused to sign a form saying that I was responsible for the lost of $200. I demanded an investigation. Nothing was done. They erased my name from the schedule. Since I didn't sign, they did not fire me. A few days later they called me back and asked me to show to work coz too many people dind't show for work. I never went back- just to pick up my last paycheck.
Why do they do this at Starbucks? I called the Human Resources line to complaint about my coworkers. The shift managers have no social skills, I once feared that a guy called Chris was gonna punch me on the face or something. The guy cornered me by the bathrooms and told me that he won't take a "no" for an answer, so I better do what I was told.
I dind't tell to the Human Resources that the Starsux where I worked hires inmigrants w/o working permits and treat them like disposable employees. They promote them to shift managers and pay them less than it pays to the average shift manager. They play with whoever they think is ilegal. That's why they were harrasing me, coz they thought I was an international student or something.
At the store in Pentagon Row, they do the nastiest things to the drinks they serve.
And they also give away that stuff to whoever is their friend.
A guy worked for 2 weeks, and after he left he kept going every morning to get a free double capuccino. Some "clients" no lnger pay for their drinks.
If you order apple cider, they will give you Motts apple juice (3 onz.) with a cup of whip cream on top- you pay like 3 bucks for that.
The crew uses silver polisher to clean the inside of the coffee pots...it is very toxic.
There is not dishwasher in the back. There is a "sanitizer" w/o a detergent compartment, it is really nasty in the inside. It has some black jell-o like stuff in the filter: putrified food scraps. |
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| Name: | Competitor 02219 |
| Date: | Apr 09 2004 07:20 PM |
| I read so many complaints about how much SBUX charges for drinks. I am very compassionate to those of you who are mistreated and underpaid. We all know that Howard and friends have completely scammed the public into their "Gourmet" coffee joints. We all know that there is nothing gourmet about it except Howard's payroll check. But, do any of you know what things really cost? Let me fill you in, because I am there as I type. One of those clear plastic cups which by the way is a petrolium product costs me .30 cents, that's just the cup. You have all seen the price of gas. The lid and straw is on top of that. Now I have cost of goods like milk or half and half, chocolate syrup, powders, etc. If you're not aware, EVERYTHING is going up and costing more, especially today. After I made the drink and charged someone, now I have to pay for rent, payroll, payroll taxes, liability insurance, workers comp, electricity, water, maintenance, franchise fees, sales tax on taxable things, book keeping, credit card fees and somewhere find something for myself and am still looking for that. So the next time you visit any coffee house hopefully not SBUX, but including SBUX, you need to think about what you're really paying for. The best advise I can give you is to support your local businesses. If you spend your money in your community, it's important to keep it there because everyone benefits. If you send it to Seattle, I doubt even Seattle benefits from SBUX with the excpetion of property taxes. |
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| Name: | janice 02224 |
| Date: | Apr 09 2004 07:19 PM |
| Has anyone noticed that the grande plastic cups used by starbucks for cold drinks is getting smaller? I have a feeling it is but don't drink there often enough to be sure of this. |
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| Name: | Tarrah and Jenny 02223 |
| Date: | Apr 09 2004 07:19 PM |
| Jenny and Tarrah completely and absolutely HATE Starbucks!!! The drinks are gross!!!! ahhhhh I HATE IT!!! |
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| Name: | OthersLikeMe 02222 |
| Date: | Apr 08 2004 02:07 AM |
| Wow.. I had no idea that there were others that felt like me. I agree the company has expanded WAY to quickly, and have hired a bunch of bad employees. When I started I loved it and now I hate it. What is it with bitchy managers who don't give a crap that you are totally sick and about to die, but if you're a no show you're gone... even if it's obvious from the day before that you should be in a hospital. It should be against the law to make sick people work at any place that deals with food. And yea, what's up with hiring a bunch of people under 20 a week. I started with like 35 plus a week and after a few months we hired on a whole new host of new people we didn't need and now no one has the hours they want or need? Please, Howard, take it back to the beginning.. "pour your heart into it" says a lot and thats the company that I wished I worked for. |
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| Name: | BrightonBeachPartner 02218 |
| Date: | Apr 07 2004 10:45 AM |
| Attention World!!!Starbucks should be named SpyBucks, or BackStabedBucks. And now...BrightonBeachBucks!!! A new SB just opened up in Brighton Beach Brooklyn. If you've ever had a bad day telling the customers how expensive the Latte's are how about trying to tell them in another language...Russian!!!
But hear me out. I'm more offended by those snotty nose teenagers! I'm sure you've seen them. With their expensive designer Von Dutch hats, leather jackets, gucci, and CELL PHONES!!! What is with the friggin CELL PHONES!!! These little brats don't know what it's like to work a day in their lives! They talk on the phones while ordering the drinks, take 50's out of their bags and don't even look when I give them the change. And were supposed to greet them with smiles and thank them for paying my boss.
(here comes my sarcasm, maybe you've been thru this if you've worked for the company)
Maybe I'm just a little bent out of shape cause my salary has gone up .47 cents in the year and a half I've been with the company. I have an A.A.S in Web and Graphic design but there are no jobs out there and you need a B.A. for anyone to look at your Resume, so I'm really stuck. I have no place else to turn to. I need help. Every day I go to work I feel overlooked.
Thanks for reading. |
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| Name: | mochamigo 02217 |
| Date: | Apr 06 2004 10:50 PM |
| I got fired from that janky company because I had the nerve to speak my mind. The DM was just as bad as the manager because she kept avoiding the subject at hand which was the damn manager was a B!+(# !!!!! They treat people like crap and they enjoy all the fruits of the "common folk"
labor. I'm glad i got fired cause i sucked up that unemployment like a sponge. |
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| Name: | anonymous 02216 |
| Date: | Apr 06 2004 10:49 PM |
| The corporate office for Starbuck's is really in Hell- Seattle is just a cover-up! I am a former employee of the evil corporation, but quit once I realized that I was no better than a drug dealer on the streets, except that the drug that I was dealing was legal and was being dealt from a piece of s*** store! The customers of Starsucks are addicts (and being addicted to Starsuck's is a very expensive habit). I hate that company, which sells a drink that is 90% air and only two shots of espresso for $3.50. I cannot believe that people actually buy that! Then, I don't know if it's just the store I worked at or every store, but I was told that after six months, you get a raise but the maximum raise is like .30 cents. Finally, after five years, you may be up to a whole $7.50 an hour. And for that, you have to scrub the toilets, and sell your soul to the devil! Eventually, as an employee of Starsuck's, you will be forced to continue working there for the crappy company just to support your caffeine addiction, because you won't be able to afford to give up the "partner beverages". Oh, thank you so much Starsuck's for those partner beverages...that is soooo generous of you! I can only hope that the Starbux that I worked at will get robbed by a coffee-feind that is desperate for just one cup of over-priced, watered-down coffee that has been brewing for five hours. |
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| Name: | Robin 02215 |
| Date: | Apr 06 2004 02:49 PM |
| I am a manager for a licensed concept at at university. We are currently renegotiating the pay scale for our "Starbucks" employees (we are paid by the university and work for the university). I am curious as to whether any of you work for a college and how much you get paid. Thanks |
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| Name: | ShiftKing 02214 |
| Date: | Apr 06 2004 01:47 PM |
| ya know, I think I'm starting to agree with schmoopy more and more. The problem is that with the rapid expansion, all the emphasis on hiring only good people had to get subsumed. Take my district: Used to be run by this awesome DM who truly cared about every partner, he'd come in and know everyone's name, and virtually everyone's story. But then, due to the rapid expansion of the region he got transferred away, and they went into a total "hire from outside" mentality. Virtually everyone they hired was from Au Bon Pain. And they're all more concened with $$$ then with people. I wouldn't have a problem with that, if they'd admit it. But they're hypocritical! Which I can't stand! Like schmoopy I've seen it happen over the past 5 years, it's gone from a great company to work for, one that was truly different, to one that is just...average. There are DM's now who tell their managers not to hire any fulltime employees, and to try to keep everyone under 20 hours a week, in order to keep cost down. What is up with THAT?!?! When did this become a penny-pinching company??? I'm just about at the end of the line. Oh, and the best part: there is upper-management and people from other companies that are friendly with Orrin Smith who come to my store all the time, and they love to report back to Orrin or Howard about their experience, and get us workers chewed out, instead of just coming over and pointing things out to us right then and there so we can deal with them. Hasn't happened to me yet, but I swear, first time it does, I'm GONE. |
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| Name: | Brigitte 02213 |
| Date: | Apr 06 2004 01:46 PM |
| I am from Seattle, but living in Baltimore for now. Anyway, Starbucks hasn't always been the big monopoly that it is today. In fact, I remember the very first shop that is still located in Pike Place Market. Unfortunately, like so many "good" ideas, growth has made the company an unpleasant monster! Too bad, there are so many good people working at SB shops. I go every day to our local SB and treat each employee with kindness and respect -- PLUS I always leave a 20% tip -- get with it people, these folks are trying to make a living. If you can afford a $3.00 cup of coffee you can certainly stand to drop $.60 in the tip jar. Weren't you ever young, in school, a single parent, trying to make ends meet the best way you know how? Okay, I feel better now! Have a great day. |
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