Ask me about Starbucks - Page 49

smk67 · #**481** 08-03-2007, 10:40 PM

Does SB really use 10g coffee per 6 oz. of water? It it precisely weighed? Do you think that is too much coffee? I personally use probably 3-5g/6oz. and think that is best. Finally, off topic but where does Seattle's Best get off? Their coffee is the worst crap I have ever drank and it is popping up everywhere, including being the official coffee on my college campus.

ClassicBob · #**482** 08-03-2007, 10:48 PM

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Does SB really use 10g coffee per 6 oz. of water? It it precisely weighed? Do you think that is too much coffee? I personally use probably 3-5g/6oz. and think that is best. Finally, off topic but where does Seattle's Best get off? Their coffee is the worst crap I have ever drank and it is popping up everywhere, including being the official coffee on my college campus.

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That's about right, and yes, we measure accurately each time. Don't know what to tell you, I haven't had Seattle's Best in a long time. Pretty much all I know is that Starbucks bought them out a few years ago.

Death Valley · #**483** 08-04-2007, 05:20 PM

Outsmarting the system or being cheap?

Iced venti, no water Americano = about $2.80 (4 shots on ice, where I then add my own cold milk at the fixins bar)
Iced venti latte = about $3.80 (3 shots on ice with cold milk added

To me it is a crazy price discrepancy that when you factor in the extra shot is roughly a 50% difference.

I basically only order the Iced venti NWA in the summer and venti drip with room in the winter. I am a big fan of coffee and hate how they kill it with all those syrups.

2 More Questions:
when you empty the garbage from the fixins bar, in general how much coffee is there in each garbage bag?... Seems everyone pours some in there (one could only assume it is for their fallen homies).

Does Strabucks charge for simple syrup (ie. the one that is just sugar, but unflavored?)

Hoi Polloi · #**484** 08-07-2007, 12:08 PM

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Also, am I just a coffee moron or does anyone else have problems with spillage coming out of the base of the lid where it's supposed to be tight.
I don't think I have this problem with other coffee-lids. But with Starbucks all the damn time I am always spilling a few drops out of that area.

GF laughs when there's yet another coffee-stain on my shirt from the Starbucks lid and thinks I'm a total coffee-noob for still having problems with this when nobody else she knows has had any such issues.

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In my experience, the cup is too full and the sipping hole in the lid is right over the seam in the cup. Bad combo.

Try having the coffee only come up to about 1/8" below the top of the cup when unlidded, and move the hole away from the seam.

Also, if there are any obvious ugly spots (bulges, creases) on the rim of the cup, forget it, it's either going to leak or it's going to start to leak soon.

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Ask for "travel room." This should usually get you a bit of room so it's not too full, but not a ludicrous amount because they thought you wanted room for a lot of cream.

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I am an idiot as has been well documented. I should have prefaced my question with that caveat.

In any case, I imagine back in '89 Short/Tall seemed like a cute idea. Now, it all seems a little absurd with grande as medium and venti as large or 20oz or whatever. What is the change Starbucks may one rationalize their sizing?

BTW: I think Starbucks makes a damn fine cup of Joe no matter the various complaints about corporate homogenization, etc. I am always happy to stumble across a store when I'm needing a fix. My sister lives in Seattle where I got my intro to SBux in the late 80's. When I saw a store at O'Hare in Chicago in 95 I started by their stock. Profit!

QuadLaser · #**485** 08-07-2007, 07:52 PM

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Yes, Americano is watered down espresso... I dont get it either ... may as well buy folgers ...lol

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In Italy, coffee is referred to as "cafe". It is really espresso, they dont have what we call "coffee" over there. Since americans bitched about it, they made up "cafe americano", which is adding hot water to their normal "cafe" (espresso) to "simulate" our regular coffee. It tastes a little different so its become its own item over here in America. Its a little more bitter and oily-er than a smooth normal cup of joe.

ClassicBob · #**486** 08-07-2007, 09:22 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Outsmarting the system or being cheap?

Iced venti, no water Americano = about $2.80 (4 shots on ice, where I then add my own cold milk at the fixins bar)
Iced venti latte = about $3.80 (3 shots on ice with cold milk added

To me it is a crazy price discrepancy that when you factor in the extra shot is roughly a 50% difference.

I basically only order the Iced venti NWA in the summer and venti drip with room in the winter. I am a big fan of coffee and hate how they kill it with all those syrups.

2 More Questions:
when you empty the garbage from the fixins bar, in general how much coffee is there in each garbage bag?... Seems everyone pours some in there (one could only assume it is for their fallen homies).

Does Strabucks charge for simple syrup (ie. the one that is just sugar, but unflavored?)

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You're cheap, but whatever.

There's not a ton of coffee in there, but it happens. I hate people who do that.

We do not charge for it in Iced Coffee, but I think we do for everything else. I've never actually gotten official word on this.

donfairplay · #**487** 08-09-2007, 06:52 PM

Hey ClassicBob, hopefully you're still watching this thread. I have a question, today I went into Starbucks and ordered two venti fraps and got a 30% discount, it comes up on the receipt as "employee disc -30%". Is it common to give a discount?

I go to Starbucks maybe once a month, never had it happen before.

I read somewhere else that someone got coffee for free once for being nice. I suppose I was nice, but I didn't really do anything other than smile and say hi and thanks. I asked the barista who gave me the discount, he said "its a starbucks thing." I dropped off 94 cents into the tip container on my way out and he said thanks.

El Diablo · #**488** 09-26-2007, 01:01 PM

CB,

If I go to Starbucks and ask for a "Double Latte to go" what should happen?

ClassicBob · #**489** 09-26-2007, 02:16 PM

Well, they'll probably explain to you that both a grande and a venti comes with two shots of espresso , and ask which of the two you want. That's what I'd do, anyway. I'm assuming since you posted this, that wasn't your experience.

ClassicBob · #**490** 09-26-2007, 02:19 PM

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Hey ClassicBob, hopefully you're still watching this thread. I have a question, today I went into Starbucks and ordered two venti fraps and got a 30% discount, it comes up on the receipt as "employee disc -30%". Is it common to give a discount?

I go to Starbucks maybe once a month, never had it happen before.

I read somewhere else that someone got coffee for free once for being nice. I suppose I was nice, but I didn't really do anything other than smile and say hi and thanks. I asked the barista who gave me the discount, he said "its a starbucks thing." I dropped off 94 cents into the tip container on my way out and he said thanks.

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I never saw this question. This is not a "starbucks thing," it sounds like a guy who is trying to give people discounts so they can give him bigger tips. As partners, we get 30% off on everything, so someone typed in their (or someone else's) partner numbers in to get that. Sounds awfully fishy.