Starbucks updates ...

Interesting developments.

Starbucks will 'fight to the death,' Schultz says
CEO unveils five-point plan to revive business
A new espresso maker, a new drip blend and a gourmet coffee machine acquired by buying a tiny Ballard company -- all those figure into Starbucks Corp.'s planned recovery during what it called exceptionally difficult economic circumstances.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/355608_sbuxmeeting20.html

Starbucks deal 'dream come true' for manufacturer of coffee maker
Having his company bought by Starbucks Corp. wasn't his initial plan, but it became "a dream come true" for Zander Nosler, who co-founded Ballard's The Coffee Equipment Co. in May 2004.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/355692_clover20.html

Consumer Reports rating McDonalds coffee over Starbucks sort of blew their minds, I think. It hasn't done a lot for sales either, I don't suppose.

At the time the coffees were compared, McDonalds was using Seattle's Best. By the time the article appeared, McDonalds had switched to their own branded coffees. Whether their own brand is Seattle's Best relabeled or not, I don't know. The problem is that neither McDonalds nor Starbucks can really attempt to openly use CU's report for or against one another, without inviting a sure lawsuit from CU.

With Starbucks it's always been about marketing over substance (not that McDonalds is any different!!). Their coffee is mediocre at best and they burn their beans. For the past year I've been buying raw coffee beans online (cannot find them locally) and roasting them in a little hot air roaster. My very first mistake batch blew Starbucks out of the water, much like what a P3D does to a stock mini-Mag. I hope they fix that burning problem in this little shake-up they're doing. Oh, and someone should tell them and Walgreens that they have enough stores!! :naughty:

Well, maybe the American public is finally seeing how ridiculous it is to pay $5 for a cup of coffee, or perhaps they no longer can afford their daily cappucino indulgence with the price of everything else going up. I actually told my sister's in-laws their daily fix of Starbucks (1 cappucino each daily) wasted something like $3500 annually. Lots of better things I can think to do with that kind of money than (literally) **** it away. I never tried Starbucks myself so I can't say whether or not their coffee is better. Something about paying more for a cup than I might for a 3 pound can (when it's on sale anyway) rubs me the wrong way. Come to think of it, McDonalds (other than the dollar menu) is no bargain either.

It is the tunnel vision of such consumers that only fixate them on that green sign when it comes to a cup of coffee. Their mass availability, much like Mc Donalds, only helps to reinforce that buying behavior. There are so many good places to find wonderful taste experiences outside of these. Starbucks lost our $$ many-many years ago. It's like they used a blow torch then filtered the beans through a used oil filter that went several thousand miles past service schedule...it can be optionally covered it up with sugar.

Wattnot said:

With Starbucks it's always been about marketing over substance (not that McDonalds is any different!!). Their coffee is mediocre at best and they burn their beans. For the past year I've been buying raw coffee beans online (cannot find them locally) and roasting them in a little hot air roaster. My very first mistake batch blew Starbucks out of the water, much like what a P3D does to a stock mini-Mag. I hope they fix that burning problem in this little shake-up they're doing.

Click to expand...

I feel exactly the same way, but definitely felt like odd man out because of it. I understand when people buy the fancy desert-style coffee drinks from Starbucks, you can't really taste the coffee much through all that sugar anyway. But their straight coffee tastes burnt and mediocre at best, you nailed that one perfectly. I mostly make my coffee at home, but when out, I like supporting independent coffee shops, whose coffee is almost always a huge improvement on Starbucks anyway.

jtr1962 said:

$5 for a cup of coffee. I actually told my sister's in-laws their daily fix of Starbucks (1 cappucino each daily) wasted something like $3500 annually.

Click to expand...

$5 X 365 = $1825 still lots of cash.
$5 X 261 = $1305 week days only
3500 / 365 = $9.59 per day.

$5 for a cup of coffee-gasp! And then you say it taste burned! I am glad I checked this thread. I will continue to drink my coffee at home.

Norm said:

$5 X 365 = $1825 still lots of cash.
$5 X 261 = $1305 week days only
3500 / 365 = $9.59 per day.

Click to expand...

Well, both husband and wife each had their daily cappucino, including weekends. That's $10 a day. I just rounded to $3500 annually on the assumption they might not go to Starbucks on at least a few days a year.

It's usually not the occasional big expenses like buying a new flashlight which hurt most people, but the little ones they do every single day. I've known people who get Starbucks in the morning, buy lunch (another $5), and also usually buy at least $5 worth of useless stuff a day from street vendors, gift shops, 99 cent stores, etc. Doing this only 5 days a week adds up to $3900 a year. Often husband and wife both do (nearly $8K a year). And these same people will actually wonder where all their money goes. :thinking: I guess that's actually Starbuck's business plan-get 'em hooked, and you have a steady income stream.

jtr1962 said:

$5 for a cup of coffee

Click to expand...

WHAT?!

That's more than €3! For ONE cup of bad coffee?!

Man, I can believe Starbucks don't have stores here in Italy. We pay anywhere from €0.60 to €1 for a cup of coffee that actually tastes like coffee.

Fallingwater said:

WHAT?!

That's more than €3! For ONE cup of bad coffee?!

Man, I can believe Starbucks don't have stores here in Italy. We pay anywhere from €0.60 to €1 for a cup of coffee that actually tastes like coffee.

Click to expand...

Yeah, yeah, rub it in... there are very few people in the States who know what good coffee is because a) it was made predominantly with percolators for at least a generation so that's what a large percentage of the population is used to, and that's possibly the worst way to make coffee, b) we're stupid and we believe advertising, c) as long as it has caffeine, we'll buy it.

Kinda like booze, really. Thanks to Prohibition, when a whole generation went through their "prime drinking years" without alcohol, we lost our traditional knowledge of how to drink alcohol. Few people in the States know how to make a good liquor drink... lots of people know how to drown out the taste of alcohol, or how to mix lots of different types together randomly... but those who actually know how to accentuate or appreciate the subtle nuances of a decent liquor, there just aren't that many...

I'm with you on the percolator! My grandmother thinks it is the best way to make coffee; I drink it when I have to, but it is some funky tasting stuff.

I want to get a french press, because I have heard that is one of the best ways to make coffee.

Back OT: Starbucks coffee really isn't all that good. A lot of my family members buy me gift cards from there because they just that it is good stuff. There is another coffee shop in our town that is half the price, but it makes anything Starbucks taste like ****.

My dad bought one of those $3000 comercial expresso machines and make better coffee than starbucks since we buy premium beams. At $4 for a cup it doesn't take too long to get your money back. I'm pretty sure 99% of the people that goes to starbucks don't know how to appreciate a good coffee. They go because is oh STARBUCKS!!

One time i had a girl come over and i asked her if she wanted a coffee. She said "Does it taste like starbucks?", Being the nice guy i am i asked her how does starbucks taste which she didn't know what to say .

First off, quit bashing sbux, a large cup or coffee from them is 2.18, what i order (large mocha latte) is 4.38 after tax, i doesnt bother me or the person in front or behind me in line. they make damn good coffee i dont care what consumer reports says. also, heres another nice point to consider, they use fair-trade beans, thats partially why their coffee is a little more than other places, i dont see mcdonalds using fair-trade do you?

Only good thing at StarBurned is their music CD sales.

We are not bashing sbux but their coffee is mediocre at best.

greenstuffs said:

We are not bashing sbux but their coffee is mediocre at best.

Click to expand...

well, in some places i can agree, but in chattanooga they are pretty good, they have to much competition not to be.

and they are working on their quality to, remember like two weeks ago when every starbucks across the USA closed from 5-9 for a course on how to make better espresso?

I'd invest in a modest home expresso machine for $1000 you have something that will give you enough steam and psi's to make a great coffee. It should really give you a run for your money at $2.00 a day it will pay itself in couple yrs plus your family will benefit from it. Getting premium beans is a good start and you will also enjoy more variaties of coffee such as arabic, colombian, brazillian... Sbux is good for a quick fix just that. I'm not trying to say Sbux is bad but i really think i enjoy my coffee better at home with my own music and not have to hear some teenagers story in the background. Coffee is pretty easy to make you should get the hang of it in couple tries.

mossyoak said:

well, in some places i can agree, but in chattanooga they are pretty good, they have to much competition not to be.

and they are working on their quality to, remember like two weeks ago when every starbucks across the USA closed from 5-9 for a course on how to make better espresso?

Click to expand...

Starbuck's coffee tastes burnt to me. I will not pay more for a coffee I like less than the cheaper alternatives. To each his own.

I also don't like the the idea that they force the servers to fork over a percentage of their tips to management. There ought to be a law against that. Wait, there is a law against it.

"Starbucks coffee" is not just one thing. There's the cup of pre-brewed nasty stuff you get if you just ask for their pre-brewed. I bet that's what CU reviewed (I'm too lazy to check) against the McD's stuff. Okay. I believe it.

But the stuff the barista makes is totally different thing. You can get a reliably good cup of something coffee-ish from the bar. It's not super best but it is reliable as something dependably drinkable when on the road.

What am I saying? You guys know this. It's just that from the posts above it sounds like there's some unnecessary harping on all of the Starbucks stuff. They do go off course sometimes. They even use artificial flavoring in their stuff. When I get a hot chocolate that chemically burns the back of my throat then I know I need to go back and complain that they used Vanillin in it. Heck if I wanted Dunkin quality I would have gone there. That nasty fake flavoring stuff keeps coming back even though I'm being charged a mint for what should be the real thing. When they get it right though it's really good. Plus, only at Starbucks and the Whole Foods Market chain can I get a hot chocolate made with half-and-half.