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: | Peter 01110 |
| Date: | Jul 15 2003 07:09 PM |
| Martha's Vineyard, USA is a great brand-free island. No Starbucks. No McD's.
In fact, a Dunkin' Donuts opened, everyone ignored it and it closed. Sure
the island has brands, but they are businesses run by island folk. Despite
partly being a holiday spot for rich WASPs the actual feel is one of utter
laid-backness and calm - I recommend it to anyone who wants a brand-free
existence! |
|
| Name: | Competitor 01109 |
| Date: | Jul 15 2003 07:04 PM |
| It's been awhile since I last wrote, and have opened up my shop between that
time. First of all to the individual who corrected me on shot times saying
standard is 18 to 23 seconds. It really depends on when you start counting.
We start from when we push the button and count between 23 and 29 seconds,
anything less would be too watery and more would be too bitter. Now on to
other stuff. There is a Starbucks directly across the street from my store,
and one day the newly appointed manager who had only been there for a month
decided to come on by. He told my employees how new and confused he was and
just had to go be alone somewhere else. While he is relaxing in our much
more relaxing atmosphere, another customer came in and started bashing
Starbucks on their over-roasted bitter coffee not knowing the manager was
there. Of course there is going to be a difference, we serve 100% Kona
Peaberry every day among other Hawaiian coffees such as Kauai and Molokai
Muleskinner. In addition to those, all of our decaf coffee and decaf
espresso has been decaffinated using the Swiss Water process. That means no
chemicals have been used at all leaving all the flavor and 97% caffeine
free. Yes, it's a little more expensive, but my customers know the
difference and don't mind paying for it. Some of the wives buy it to try on
their husbands to see if they can taste the difference without telling them.
Did you know that the Frappacinos are made with coffee and not espresso?
Our blended mochas are all made with espresso. Here's another one for all
of you. If you buy a tall latte at Starbucks, it's one shot of espresso for
the tall, the grande and vente only have two shots, not three on the vente.
Our three sizes go one, two and three shots at no extra charge. Buy any
beans lately? Starbucks gives their beans a seven month shelf life in their
shops. There is only an expiration date, but no roasting date, I had to
ask. Go into the supermarket, there is not even an expiration, and I bet
those beans are at least six months old by the time they reach the shelf.
Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf does have a roasted on and expiration date, but
they give their beans a nine month shelf life. Ladies, that's the same
length as a pregnancy for a perrishable item. |
|
| Name: | Witness 01108 |
| Date: | Jul 15 2003 07:02 PM |
| I currently work at starbucks, and I've always disagreed with their business
policies and general vibe. Even before i worked there, I would only drop in
occasionally if I really needed a half decent cup of coffee. Their coffee
however does not suck, it is garbage for the price its at, but compared to some indy
places, its not bad. Because of starbucks' world domination, I can't even
find a decent indy shop. I support almost every form of indy shop, I go to indy
record stores, clothing stores and especially coffee shops. But they are hard
to find in my area. I work at starbucks because once I find one of a good indy
shop (When i move to philly next year) I am IMMEDIATELY defecting. Starbucks
pays me better than other jobs i've had, and in my particular starbucks,
everyone is very cool, and the customers are generally far from snobby. I just
totally disagree with Starbucks, and feel like I'm cheapening myself working there.
Its a shame starbucks actually has worthwhile personalities as employees. As
far as bad service, maybe you should look around, Starbucks has SUPRISINGLY
good service, they bust your damn ass to make sure you basically kiss the
customers feet, good for you, sucks for us. And the no-foam latte deal the cat
before was talking about is complete bullshit, that sounds like a specific
starbucks. Anyway, I'm not a fan of starbucks, but for now, its all I got |
|
| Name: | LoveGoodCoffee 01107 |
| Date: | Jul 15 2003 07:01 PM |
| Thanks for the site; I used to think I must be desparately uncool and out of touch because I wasn't into Starbucks. I don't like the arrogance of their intention to colonize the world, and swamp the places where they are established. So glad some communities stand up to them! I also don't like their greed. Other coffee companies support environmental and social development in the producing countries. Check the Starbucks website sometime: nothing specific about how they support coffee growers, everything evasive. Bottom line: as little as we have to to keep the demonstrators from trashing our place! Wake up and smell the GREED, people! |
|
| Name: | Sheep Grazing 01106 |
| Date: | Jul 12 2003 04:09 PM |
| Sir, You had great responses to those "I love Starbucks" types saying
insulting things on your site; you are funny, thanks for the laugh.
Hurray to all "alternative thinkers" who question the nonsense of paying
$4 a cup for coffee, and refuse to "graze with the sheep" lining up to hand
over their hard earned cash.
However, I have always thought that the "success secret" of Starbucks had
nothing to do with coffee, and everything to do with marketing to the "I
need to feel special" aspect of our personalities. An affordable luxury at
$4 a cup, foo-foo whipped cream and caramel, fancy lighting, carpets, and
chairs. A "high-end" item that everyone can afford; and who needs this type
of lift the most? The poor, of course. As Scarlett O'Hara said, "It's a
darn sight easier to steal from the poor." Sad, but true.
Someone asked about a replacement for the Starbucks brew. Maybe you
should post a recipe file for those requests. I cannot replace the "feel
special" aspect for anyone, but I kicked my "Starbucks habit" with a single
cup coffee brewer, San Francisco Bay brand coffee (it's good, and it stays
put in the washable filter), and that cinnamon-hazelnut coffee creamer from
7-11 (in cartons at the grocery store).
By the way, an engineer friend of mine says, "Real men don't go to
Starbucks;" and he has NO idea what a "caramel macchiato" is (and I'm glad
of it). Maybe you should post that on this site, also. Thanks again. |
|
| Name: | Andrew 01105 |
| Date: | Jul 12 2003 04:04 PM |
| Starbucks is now retaliating against customers who
order a "cafe latte, no foam". Foam, in the past,
only took up 1/2 inch at the top of the cup. Now,
when you order a no foam latte, the top of the
drink is 1 full inch or better below the top of
the cup. When the customer asks for more latte,
the drink is not filled to 1/2 inch below the top
of the cup, but filled to overflow and leave a
messy cup for the customer to handle. No effort
is made to wipe off the cup or put the lid on
correctly. The customer is treated without
civility and common courtesy. Other patrons have
noticed this attitude problem. "Attitude" is
selectively dispensed so routinely that it has
become a pattern and practice at Starbucks
condoned by management.
This passive-aggressive treatment of the customer
who wants their ($3. plus) drink to be made to the
customer's reasonable specs is outrageous. Can
there be that much profit lost with a no foam? Do
I need to have this battle of will with the
Starbuck's employees when I take a coffee break?
I have stopped drinking coffee altogether and call
on others to do the same. |
|
| Name: | _ 01104 |
| Date: | Jul 12 2003 04:04 PM |
| AMEN Bro! you got their number and spelling down to the .5% and down to the
vowels, but saidly they are spreading not like a virus, but a raging inferno
across droug Deprived forest! Unlike a Virus or a wild fire Starbucks cannot
be just cured or stopped! people infectred buy starbucks coffe only see the
coffe or their moco tasting shit crap that keeps them in check like a brain
washed person!
(Moco=Booger, in Spanish)
"The Hopefull that he wont have to work at starbucks for a last restort for
cash,
DeathWarGodzilla:
No, No, No, I dont wanna work at starbucks i just wanna get a part-time job
to make cash no not this, shit tasting crap that makes me seem like I'm On
Cocaine, after drinking this Demonic Crap! |
|
| Name: | Anastacia 01103 |
| Date: | Jul 12 2003 04:02 PM |
| Yes, I concur! All of the big companies such as SBC, Starbucks, Tully's and
a million drive-thrus that don't have the quality freshness. All of it is
aged old roasted beans. However, that is why I am planning my very first
business venture serving only the freshest and best coffee in the United
States of America. American grown.....can you guess it? Well, I am the
third generation of this farm of Kona coffee. Where as, you can only get
this particular premium rich, smooth, sweet tasting coffee only in Kona,
Hawai'i, which can never be duplicated. I roast my own coffee weekly so
that I have it fresh. I refuse to purchase other coffees, just because the
Columbian coffee is crap and that what majority of coffee places sell.
Watch out people, here comes a new and better kid on the block!!! Wish me
luck from the big DOGS;) |
|
| Name: | Disgruntled in Charm City 01102 |
| Date: | Jul 12 2003 04:00 PM |
| I love big stores...Home Depot, no problem, love to go...Best Buy, hey I can
get whatever I need electronically there...even Target, they have
everything, and there is only one within a 20 mile radius of my house. Now,
I live in Towson, Maryland, about 10 minutes north of Baltimore. We
currently have 4 Starbucks within a 2 mile radius of my house, and there is
currently contracts to put 2 more in the same vicinity. Now you ask me why
would I hate Starbucks so much. I was in San Fran about 2 years ago, went
into a Starbucks for a coffee, and when I walked out, looked across the
street, there was another one. And to make matters worse, on the island in
the middle of the street, there was a cart. ARE YOU PEOPLE INSANE!!!! The
worst part about it, you can't even use the Starbucks card in all their
stores...Barnes and Nobles, nope...airports, nada...carts, no can do...why
do I know this? My roommate gave me a Starbucks card for the holidays last
year, thinking my love for the bean would spill over into the Bucks, but
no...I spent my $10 on scones, and then tore up the card in front of the
girl during my last purchase...yeah, like she cared...there were 14 people
waiting behind me. |
|
| Name: | Georgia 01101 |
| Date: | Jul 12 2003 03:58 PM |
| I just wanted to let you know that Starbucks does not have the corner on stupid employees and here is why I say that. I went to a McDonalds in Van Nuys CA and ordered a sm fry and a Ice Tea which came to 2 or 3 bucks anyways after looking in my wallet I realized I only had a Twenty dollar bill so I pulled that out to pay with well as it happens the Twenty dollar bill happened to be a older one prior to the new monopoly looking money we have now anyways as the little blue eyed blonde returned to her register she looked at my form of attempted payment and laughed and proceed to tell me that my twenty dollar bill was expired and that they only take the new twenties I of course thought she was joking but it turns out she was completely serious so I asked her to call her manager. Her manager turned and looked at her and asked her if she was really that stupid she then told the manger that she had been throwing the old ones away. |
|
| Name: | Indy 01100 |
| Date: | Jul 12 2003 03:57 PM |
| I run a small Coffee shop in Cali...and a SBucks moved into the shopping
center just 5 doors down,surprising... I can walk outside my shop and throw
a rock at their patio (and I throw like a girl). We have been in business in
this same spot for 13 yrs and much to my delight we have lost no business to
the Beast. The town has pulled together and shunned SBucks. Sure it's an
intimidating company but they can't compete w/ the mom-n-pop atmosphere
including fresh baked goods,hand shakes, and personal care of the employees.I
make sure the people working for me are happy before me so that can feel
necessary (not expendable). It's great to work for this small shop too
because customer appreciation is everything, me and my employees go to
birthdays and weddings hosted by customers all the time. I'm glad that the
SBucks here can't support its self and it's all thanks to our Regs.
The SBucks employees have become our friends and I hear them complain of
the same probs most of you have, mostly bad management.hehehe...I'm gonna
stop there cause I can't speak for all of you employed at th Beast (Ive never
worked for them).
great job w/ the site. I plan to visit often |
|
| Name: | Domesticated Café Robot 01099 |
| Date: | Jul 12 2003 03:56 PM |
| First of all, I essentially work for a Starbucks (a so called "fake" Starbucks). And you know what? Starbucks does suck. First of all, I just have to say is that the job does pay decently, my store is flexible on my school schedule, and the independent coffee shops have not hired me. Also the people I work with are the best co-workers I have every had. Our café is a happy, energetic, fast, friendly café, but we all hate Starbucks. I will not defend the company. With the volume of business that Starbucks does and the mark-up on the drinks, they could lower prices and be more socially responsible by using purely Fair-Trade coffee and/or pay their coffee growers more. They could improve their public image by actually helping. I agree with just about everything on this website, except a few things. I actually think their coffee tastes good. I know that all their varieties taste the same, but I'm not saying that its any better than the small neighborhood café that I frequent. I think that people are drawn to the allure of the so-called consistency of the corporate drink. People need to go the small cafes so they can save the extra $2 they spend at Starbucks. Lastly, the reason why we are irate and rude towards customers is that all customers can seem anal on certain days or just downright mean and hostile. Please have some sympathy to all café people. you don't have to tip, just be nice and ask how their day is. If you want stories about rude customers, just ask me or any "Barista." |
|
| Name: | Marco 01098 |
| Date: | Jul 12 2003 03:56 PM |
| I would like that someone posted a list with the best cofee types here in this forum.. I am Brazilian and have no idea about Brazilian's coffee... I just like coffee and cannot find a good one at Starbucks, Second Cup, Coffee Time, Tim Hortons or wherever... they are all black water! I do agree STBK's are the worst and ... bizarre... most expensive. |
|
| Name: | ... 01097 |
| Date: | Jul 12 2003 03:54 PM |
| slick,
I tried starbucks coffee for the first time about a week ago in san diego,ca. I was not impressed, Not long from now you will see a new guy on the block. Starbucks will take notice, I plan to put a hurt n on them... more at a later date... |
|
| Name: | ingrid 01096 |
| Date: | Jul 12 2003 03:54 PM |
| thank you, thank you, thank you.
the glaring bullshit discrepancy between touting the fact that they sell fair trade coffee and that ALL their walk-in cup sales are made with UNfair trade coffee has pissed me off for some time.
as for predatory business practices, well. you'll be pleased to know that, in canada anyway, they have a protege. it's called blenz, and twice in vancouver, to my knowledge, they have done precisely the same thing ... in one case, they offered the landlord three times the rent being paid by the barber that had been in a choice corner location for some thirty years.
happily, i live in a place which disallows any chain or franchises. i've been living a blessedly starbucks/mcdonalds-free existence for just about a year now. hallelujah!
cheers, here's to fair trade, shade-grown, decently brewed coffee. ;-)
ingrid |
|
| Name: | T.K.H. 01095 |
| Date: | Jul 12 2003 03:54 PM |
| Love the site so far...I would like to comment on the Starbucks
so-called coffee freshness. They have so many stores,(2-3 in most cities
of moderate size) that they could not roast the beans to order. As in
each store. Wouldn't they have to roast beans in mass quantities and bag
it up, send it to a distribution warehouse, and then send it out as each
store needs to restock? Does this mean the beans reach the store in say
three days time or less of roasting? Or do they sit and wait to be
bagged, then sit in a warehouse, then sit on a truck, then sit in a
store room, then sit on a shelf, then people either buy it to take home
to let it sit some more, or it is used in your drink. I order beans and
it is roasted that day (if ordered early) then it is shipped right to my
store. I recieve it in less then three days and it is very fresh. If I
want coffe that sits, and sits, and sits, I won't spend $12 on the coffe
I can get for $6 at Kroger. I will comment later on their drinks(AUUGH). |
|
| Name: | an employee of that multi million money grabbing 01094 |
| Date: | Jul 12 2003 03:52 PM |
| hiya
well i would like to congratulate you on your site.Well i am one of those "starbucks employees". But not for long. The higher management are up each others arses. They break ALL employment laws. The Management allows bullying in the workplace. They break all contractual policies and proceedures.Its totally disgusting the way the treat there employees.and if you have the guts to complain to higher management you are banished out the picture with no protection.as you can see i am anti starbucks.why am i still working there?? because i am compiling a case against them and i will have my day in court |
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| Name: | IMI A ID IE IL A II IN IE 01093 |
| Date: | Jul 12 2003 03:43 PM |
| I accidentally bumped into this site when i was going to go to the starbucks site, but it was to order the tea, not coffee. Starbucks coffee is a supply and demand business thats why its so expensive, it makes me mad cause its all sugar, fat and calories! their coffee sucks because the taste is either too sweet or too rich. and their prices raise every year! their coffee is addicting people from the sugar and caffeine, i cant stand the taste of their pitiful coffee. starbucks coffee is a addictive natural drug almost. it makes you edgy and people get addicted to the taste and effect it gives off. grr and the poor laborers. this multi billion dollar company just sucks and i wish it would stop but it wont! pff their vente caramel fraps have over 450 calories and their's about 32 grams of sugar in it, thats more then you should consume in 2 days! the taste makes me ill, the only thing i would possible order from their is to the 10 calorie double shot espresso which is still over priced! |
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| Name: | M. 01092 |
| Date: | Jul 12 2003 03:38 PM |
| Personally, I feel grate satisfaction in not only not spending my hard
earned dollars at Starbucks but also pointing out the many evil things
about this multinational coffee whorehouse.
But... I still feel like there's more that can be done... I am a law
abiding citizen, yet I feel drawn to doing MORE than I have in the past.
Surely someone has a grass roots plan to hurt this mega-corp? Where do I
sign up? What more CAN I DO??? |
|
| Name: | Carey 01091 |
| Date: | Jul 12 2003 03:36 PM |
| HELP I've been poisoned! Yes, it's true that I have been kissing the Porcelain GOD for the past 24hrs. after consuming the overpriced, overrated caramel macchiato. Starbucks must be stopped!!! |
|
| Name: | tired of working for this greety company! 01090 |
| Date: | Jul 12 2003 03:35 PM |
| Recpect and Dignity? What the F*** are they talking about? We bust our ass
and they still complain about our performance. I got a 14 cent raise and my
manager says im the strongest employee (shift) she has at the store.
Ungrateful! Im so tired of working for the amount of what 2 grande Frapp's
cost. What ois this company thinking? |
|
| Name: | Oleannder 01089 |
| Date: | Jul 12 2003 03:21 PM |
| Ok.... So it has come to this. I was feeling, as you could imagine, rather sluggish this morning when I woke up as I have been sick for the past few days. So on my way to work I decided to stop at Starbucks & pick myself up a coffee. After waiting for what seemed like 5 years & signing my soul over in blood just to be able to pay for my large coffee I drove to work. I got in, sat down at my desk & happily began to drink my tasty beverage until I noticed the writing on the cup.
"Pure Water. Flavorful Coffee" yadda yadda yadda but what caught my eye was this: you only taste pure coffee flavor. Coffee FLAVOUR??? I believe I paid for a coffee, not some simulated piece of crap... exactly what did Starbucks spend my $4.50 on to give me such fine coffee flavor? More Muzac to play in their over crowded poorly staffed hole-in-the-wall shops? Or was it used to lease yet another location so that there would in fact be a Starbucks on every single corner???? When I buy a coffee...... I expect it to actually BE coffee. And where did they get the flavour from? Was it filtered from the old gym socks of soccer players with athletes foot? I want to know what I'm drinking damnit!!!!!!!!What's next? "New and improved Air - same great smell only 2% oxygen????!"
Thanks, I feel better now.
Oleannder |
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| Name: | -ladramatica0 01088 |
| Date: | Jul 12 2003 03:13 PM |
| alright well, I have recently found out that the Colombian president is making plans to start a new coffee shop here in the U.S. in many ways like Starbucks but serving only Colombian coffee. Hopefully, it will be like Starbucks in the way that business will be fantastic and will help the Colombian economy but not on the same hygienic level as The Buck shops. If I remember correctly it's going to be named after Jose Valdez, the brand of coffee most famous in Colombia. This will most probably happen sometime in the near future as he has just recently visited the U.S. and met with the American president about it. I just so happen to loooove Colombian coffee and happen to hate the aftertaste of Starbucks coffee (whoa!! what the hell is up with their chocolate milk?? no, not their hot chocolate, though that tastes stale too, their chocolate milk with whip cream. what is that?!!? it's like nestle quick mixed with milk and whip cream on top. and they don't even stir it enough. imagine my surprise when i find a HUGE glob of the viscous stuff still stuck to the bottom of my drink! and their fraps?? it leaves you with the nastiest aftertaste, whip cream isn't even sweet. oh well, terrible stuff). So I'm wondering what the chances are of a new shop like that surviving here? I'm sure the main concern on people's minds would be the taste and the freshness of it, right? I'll see what I can do, I would just like to hear your opinions. -ladramatica- |
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| Name: | bitter pill 01087 |
| Date: | Jul 12 2003 02:51 PM |
| I actually work for Starbucks, and I hate it more than anything. Their corporate heirarchy is bull and they a choking america. In fact all corporations suck. They own everything, we dont need fifty stars anymore, we need fifty symbols of the corporations that really controll america. Plus starbucks prides itself on freshness but really let things sit past holding times and most of the milk is scorched. Two, no one that works there has food handler cards, and since in Michigan you need that or tons of classes, basically the workers are violating FDA laws. Third I have never walked into a starbucks that did not have flies around the Espresso Bar or milk pitchers during summer time. They also promise you coverage but it never covers anything but who they want you to see. Overtime never gets paid even if you work it, it either disapears or turns into the next week. (More often the former.) |
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| Name: | Finding42 01086 |
| Date: | Jul 12 2003 02:46 PM |
| I don't like to make fraps, but it is a job. I work, I get paid - can't complain. When I wake up in the morning it's not starbucks I dread, it's the customers. For example,
"Crow Smoker's" enthusiastic cynics who enjoy customizing the mocha to death , and ordering really fast. Then, there is "Marc in San Dimas," who expects a kid to make him a second drink, because a fly landed in his first drink when he went outside (which is obviously her fault). But worse, are the people like "Dave" who think the barista's are hot. Tactlessly hitting on any poor girl half your age behind an espresso bar is not endearing. It's kind of creepy. It's not flattering, it's embarrassing, not to mention annoying when you are trying to work. |
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