Starbucks also sells Izze beverages. I'm especially fond of the grapefruit.

LTH,

I rarely go to Starbucks, though maybe I should go more often as every time I'm there I get a funny story or two.

I recently found myself next in line to a very, and I do mean very, pregnant woman who had a craving she just couldn't pinpoint, she and the baby-barista ran through pretty much every combination available.

She finally decided on decaf Banana Mocha Frappuccino with added chocolate, caramel, chocolate chips, chocolate drizzle, shot of white chocolate, light on the whipped cream please. There may have been one or two additional ingredients, but the list was so lengthy that when the baby-barista repeated it back to her they both started laughing.

So, now my turn, the baby-barista, all of maybe 19 and as uber hip as humanly possible, graces me with the Starbucks power look and says, "what's up Man?" How you doing Man?" What can I get you Man"?"

Me, smiling, "medium regular coffee please".

Baby-Barista, "good choice Man" "Room for cream, Man?" "That will be $*** with the NYT's Man" "Here's your change, Man" "Have a nice day, Man"

All in all he used the word Man, with emphasis, at least 7,000 times in less than 2 minutes.

Really very funny, I have to go to Starbucks more often.

Enjoy,
Gary

I have to pipe in here on the Starbucks convo. I, too, find their coffee too burnt tasting, usually. I do think their lattes are decent when I need a pick me up but I'd trade one large cup of Intelligentsia over anything at Starbucks any day.

That said, I will mention that the cupcakes they've been selling recently are actually pretty darn decent. I've not tried the chocolate but the Sunshine cupcake, basically yellow cake with white bejeweled butter cream, was pretty darn tasty and not too sickly sweet. And at the price of $1.50 for a nice piece of cake...you really can't beat it in this town.

so...my .02 cents.

s

I too once worked at Starbucks, although in my defense it was only because Starbucks bought out the Italian coffee shop Torrefazione. On a corporate level I think Starbucks makes great attempts to train their employees. All are required to taste and learn where the coffees come from, what the differences between them are, and which of their food offerings pair best with them. Managers, especially, should know their stuff.

Their downfall is really how big they are - with such a high-profile chain it attracts college kids and similar types that will work there for a month and then drop out. Obviously in those cases there is no motivation to learn, and there is also a constant turnover rate.

That - and then of course the burned coffee and fake lattes. I went from my Italian coffee shop, which took pride every last detail of a latte - the exact amount of foam to milk and no bubbles, tight foam that doesn't dissipate in two minutes, poured into the espresso rather then dumped on top. Starbucks method of heating the milk and letting it sit until it was needed horrified me, but what was worse was dumping leftover foam on top of lattes.

Intelligensia, is, of course, amazing. I might also recommend Cafe Ballou on Western for some great sandwiches and amazing drinks (try a mocha cappuchino). Service is slow but that's because it is personalized. Doesn't get much better then this little place.

Starbucks nationwide to close for emergency re-training Feb. 26

Cathy2 wrote:Starbucks nationwide to close for emergency re-training Feb. 26

Sounds like a marketing gesture more than anything else, especially given it's on a weekday (I'm assuming Starbucks sales are higher during the week). In the same vein as the Seinfeld episode with the striking doormen ("Now you would think, if any group of people would not wanna demonstrate what life would be like without them, it would be doormen"), does Starbucks really want us to find out what life is like without them? I mean, we may discover that McDonald's premium coffee is just as good, for instance.