I'm a total oddball..Starbuck's coffee.......

Jillis · #21 10/27/06, 06:56 AM

Haha! This reminds me of a forward someone sent me! Here it is:

Quote:

Here's Jackie Mason's take on Starbuck's. Imagine Jackie Mason's voice as you read...
If I said to you, "I have a great idea for a business. I'll open a whole new type of coffee shop. Instead of charging 60 cents for coffee I'll charge $2.50, $3.50, $4.50, and $5.50. Not only that, I'll have no tables, no chairs, no water, no free refills, no waiters, no busboys, serve it in cardboard cups, and have the customer clean it up for 20 minutes after they're finished."
Would you say to me, "That's the greatest idea for a business I ever heard! We can open a chain of these all over the world!" No, you would put me right into a sanitarium.
And it's burnt coffee! It's burnt coffee at Starbuck's, be honest about it. If you get burnt coffee in a coffee shop, you call a cop. You say, "It's the bottom of the pot. I don't drink from the bottom of the pot. But when it's burnt at Starbuck's, they say, "Oh, it's a special roast. It's a special bean from Argentina....." The bean is in your head!!! I know burnt!!! You want coffee in a coffee shop, that's 60 cents.
But at Starbuck's, if it's Cafe Latte: $3.50. Cafe Creamier: $4.50. Caffe Suisse:$9.50. For each French word, another four dollars.
Why does a little cream in coffee make it worth $3.50? Go into any coffee shop; they'll give you all the cream you want until you're blue in the face. 40 million people are walking around in coffee shops with pitchers of cream: "Here's all the cream you want!" And it's still 60 cents. You know why? Because it's called "coffee."
You want cinnamon in your coffee? Ask for cinnamon in a coffee shop; they'll give you all the cinnamon you want. Do they ask you for more money because it's cinnamon? It's the same price for cinnamon in your coffee as for coffee without cinnamon - 60 cents, that's it.
But not in Starbucks. Over there, it's Cinnamonnier - $9.50. You want a refill in a regular coffee shop, they'll give you all the refills you want until you drop dead. You can come in when you're 27 and keep drinking coffee until you're 98. And they'll start begging you: "Here, You want more coffee?"
Do you know that you can't get a refill at Starbucks? A refill is a dollar fifty, two refills, $4.50. Three refills, $19.50. So, for four cups of coffee - $35.00.
And there're no chairs in those Starbucks. Instead, they have these high stools. You ever see these stools? You haven't been on a chair that high since you were two. Seventy-three year old Jews are climbing and climbing to get to the top of the chair. And when they get to the top, they can't even drink the coffee because there's 12 people around one little table, and everybody's saying, "Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me....." Then they can't get off the chair. Old Jews are begging Gentiles, "Mister, could you get me off this?"
Do you remember what a cafeteria was? In poor neighborhoods all over this country, they went to a cafeteria because there were no waiters and no service. And so poor people could save money on a tip. Cafeterias didn't have regular tables or chairs either. They gave coffee to you in a cardboard cup. So because of that you paid less for the coffee. You got less, so you paid less.
It's all the same at Starbucks - no chairs, no service, a cardboard cup for your coffee - except in Starbucks, the less you get, the more it costs. By the time they give you nothing, it's worth four times as much! Am I exaggerating? Did you ever try to buy a cookie in Starbuck's? Buy a cookie in a regular coffee shop. You can tear down a building with that cookie. And the whole cookie is 60 cents. At Starbuck's, you're going to have to hire a detective to find that cookie, and it's $9.50.
And you can't put butter on it because they want extra. Do you know that if you buy a bagel, you pay extra for cream cheese in Starbuck's? Cream cheese, another 60 Cents. A knife to put it on, 32 cents. If it reaches the bagel, 48 cents. That bagel costs you $3.12 . And they don't give you the butter or the cream cheese. They don't give it to you. They tell you where it is. "Oh, you want butter? It's over there. Cream cheese? Over here. Sugar? Sugar is here." Now you become your own waiter. You walk around with a tray. "I'll take the cookie. Where's the butter? The butter's here. Where's the cream cheese? The cream cheese is there." You walked around for an hour and a half selecting items, and then the guy at the cash register has a glass in front of him that says "Tips." You're waiting on tables for an hour, and you owe him money?
Then there's a sign that says please clean it up when you're finished. They don't give you a waiter or a busboy. Now you've become the janitor. Now you have to start cleaning up the place. Old Jews are walking around cleaning up Starbuck's. "Oh, he's got dirt too? Wait, I'll clean this up." They clean up the place for an hour and a half. Starbuck's can only get away with it because they have French titles for everything, And I say this with the highest respect, because I don't like to talk about people.

Alice In TX/MO · #22 10/27/06, 07:00 AM

Real coffee drinkers don't like Starbucks.

:baby04:

WisJim · #23 10/27/06, 07:36 AM

We have a local coffee shop that roasts its own beans (I suspect that is common at the quality places) sells a wonderful selection of coffees, and they are under $2. I only stop for "special occassions" such as having enough time on the way to work, or on a Saturday after running errands, but would much rather have my "coffee money" go to a local business than a chain like Starbucks.

triana1326 · #24 10/27/06, 07:50 AM

I hate the Starbucks coffee. It's like oil sludge. But I drool over their Mocha Frappichinos. So I looked up their recipe online and found it here: http://www.redrocksunrise.com/starbucks.htm

So I occasionally make one at home. But for real coffee, I stick with Green Mountain Coffee. Eventually I plan on roasting my own...

Chuck · #25 10/27/06, 07:55 AM

I have starbucks as a last resort, usually in the airport while I'm traveling.

Want coffee that makes starbucks taste like water with a brown crayon dipped in it? go to ebay and order ten pounds of green Kenya AA coffee beans for about $3 a pound. when they arrive, roast them yourself. (it's easy!) You'll never go back to store-bought beans.

If you're one of those for whom time is more important than money, just order your beans already roasted from the best coffee roaster in the western hemisphere: Mayorga Coffee. (right, Dean?)

nduetime · #26 10/27/06, 08:02 AM

No starbucks for me either, I can buy a 2-3 pound can of Folger's for what they charge and like the coffee better. Bonus, I can drink it at home, take it with me or whatever no extra charge and as many refills as I can make. I love my thermos! lol it keeps me frugal.

mj1angier · #27 10/27/06, 08:05 AM

Adding up the cost of coffee is like adding up the cost per pound of fish caught fishing! Some time the pleaure that you get out ways the cost. I might get a special coffee once a month, normally at Barns and Nobles when book shopping. To me this is like a nightout at a nice resturant- not someting to do every day but nice as a treat.
I guees to me this like people who smoke. Even here in N.C. I would hate to add up a pack a day smoke bill. But some folks will put off paying there bills just so they can get cigarettes.

shelljo · #28 10/27/06, 08:11 AM

I'm still not old enough to drink coffee, so no starbucks for me.

(Don't think I'll EVER be old enough to drink coffee!)

sullen · #29 10/27/06, 10:01 AM

Just a note, folks, Starbucks at the grocery store and the mini mart is distributed by Altria, formerly known as Phillip Morris.
http://www.altria.com/about_altria/1...niesbrands.asp

MarleneS · #30 10/27/06, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DenverGirlie

Cost aside, the coffee is awful! It tastes like 3 day old burnt sludge.
No thanks

Ditto -- I thought I was the only one who felt that way

I do like the bottle chilled coffee...I thought getting a cold one made "fresh" at a Starbucks would be the same...nope -- tasted like cold 3 day old burnt sludge.

texican · #31 10/27/06, 10:14 AM

I'm with you Shellgo, I'm not old enough either....

I'm sure I could fall in love with coffee, if I added something besides coffee to it, to ease the bitterness... sugar, cream, flavorings, etc... But if I did start drinking it thataway, I'd have to deal with my father's ghost visiting me every night, givin' me the 'evil eye' for turning into a nancy boy, drinking my coffee with cream and sugar... if I were to add some flavorings, I'd probably get some daytime 'visits' too... so, all in all, it's not worth riling my father's ghost...

I'll stick with my tea... which will double as paint stripper in a pinch...

sullen · #32 10/27/06, 10:20 AM

Oh and Tea is not a sissy

drink.....

Kazahleenah · #33 10/27/06, 10:40 AM

LOL... I had never even heard of Starbucks till Holly told me what it was. Didn't see my first one till I went to Vegas this May. lol... no, I don't drink Starbuck's coffee either.

Kaza

Natalie11 · #34 10/27/06, 11:17 AM

Well I will agree with you all, but not for the same reasons! We just got Starbuck's in our City Market here in town a couple of months ago, but thank goodness to say that it has done nothing to our profits.

I am one of the "bad gals" in this situation because my DH and I own a drive through espresso shop.

I am right with you though, I wouldn't pay $3.00 for a latte, but I will take your money and make you the best tasting coffee around. We started our shop because of the easy income in a tourist town and we have been open for 3 years now. Let me tell you all that we have found our dream farm and we are in the process of getting a loan on the place. When we sell our business this spring, it will pay off the farm completely and it will give us some income for the next couple of years.

So, I agree with you all about making coffee at home, just as long as you aren't one of the locals here that feels like they need to stay away from our shop!!

~Natalie~who is happy to take the "addicts" money!

Jeff54321 · #35 10/27/06, 11:29 AM

Starbucks is simply high priced low quality coffee. It wasn't that way 20 years ago but it is now.

As for their business practices I would rate them in a class with Walmart........not all that good.

sullen · #36 10/27/06, 11:40 AM

They are just part of a conglomerate, jeff.....

1GandJ1 · #37 10/27/06, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff54321

Starbucks is simply high priced low quality coffee. It wasn't that way 20 years ago but it is now.

As for their business practices I would rate them in a class with Walmart........not all that good.

Awww come on. To make a blanket statement like that is uncalled for. My DD and DW both work at Starbucks and I have good first hand information that the statement above is not fair. The amount of non profit volenteering done is very high by each store. It is heavily encouraged and rewarded. The corporation pays fair wages to the growers. They have specificly kept certian beans high so that the money can be passed back to the poorer areas so a LIVING wage is made. I can go on but I'm not sure why you make such a statement....

As for the real topic. I have more then enough weekly free coffee so you know what I drink. But in the past my DW and I would go out for a special time and enjoy an evening talking over a hot drink. Coffee for me, Chai for DW. To each taste bud enjoy what you like.

Ramblin Wreck · #38 10/27/06, 11:54 AM

I like Caribou better Starbucks, but the earlier comment about buying and roasting the beans sounds interesting. It should make the house smell great, and you could mix in some hazlenuts if you had a notion to do so.

hollym · #39 10/27/06, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kazahleenah

LOL... I had never even heard of Starbucks till Holly told me what it was. Didn't see my first one till I went to Vegas this May. lol... no, I don't drink Starbuck's coffee either.

Kaza

Kazadee, daaaahhhhliiinnng, please tell me you aren't still drinking FOLGERS!!! lolol. You know I have you in my life to remind me that I'm a hedonistic pill, right?

Man I wish I had an independent espresso drive through around my area! We do have one very nice one-but not a drive through. But it is usually closed by the time I head home.

hollym

kmaproperties · #40 10/27/06, 03:44 PM

we buy starbucks beans at Sams and make our own. one -1 1/2 pots a day for 20 bucks a month. I can justify that.