Starbucks People

[Pengwin7]

Chai latte, eh?
Is that really worth $4 or $5?
Gosh - that seems expensive. You guys must love your bevs!!!

[CascadeFilly]

Maybe I'm a bit slow, but how exactly do you pay for the next person's order? Do you hang around and pay after they've ordered (awkward)? Or does the establishment keep your card number in their system and charge it once the other person orders? I'm assuming the latter is the case, but I didn't even know that this could be done. Maybe I don't frequent enough coffee shops...

[blayze]

I think a lot of "blue collared" people tend to view Sbux customers as elitist jerks with too much money to blow, but the truth is that starbucks coffee is not much more expensive than Tims or McDs.

It only appears more expensive because Sbux customers tend to order fancier drinks like lattes, fraps, etc. If you buy their standard brewed coffee, it's $1.94 a cup, that's about the same size as a medium from Tims.

Having said that, I don't think Sbux patrons are any nicer or meaner than your average customer. They are definitely wealthier on average though.

[gainerama]

Whether it's worth $4 or $5 is subjective. Money could probably be better spent, but it's never stopped me from eating out at lunch or buying coffee for my team every day either. I treat my co-workers well and I'm overly generous when it comes to money and gifts. I find that the more I give, the more I end up getting back in weird and mysterious ways. It gives me piece of mind I suppose.

[Dutch]

for $4 or $5 bucks I prefer a booster juice, but I don't buy those really either.

too cheap for that shit

[Axeman33]

Personally I am not a fan of their coffee and it has nothing to do with the price. I just don't like the coffee. The fact it's so expensive makes it even easier to walk/drive past a Starbucks. To each their own.

[27Blue]

Not a fan of either, but Tim's is a REAL stretch to be even considered coffee.
More like hot, grey water...
it has almost no caffeine and nobody can even handle drinking it without two creams and two sugars.
tells you a lot.
starbucks might be burnt, but at least it provides a jolt and tastes a little bit like coffee.

[LawMan]

Maybe I'm a bit slow, but how exactly do you pay for the next person's order? Do you hang around and pay after they've ordered (awkward)? Or does the establishment keep your card number in their system and charge it once the other person orders? I'm assuming the latter is the case, but I didn't even know that this could be done. Maybe I don't frequent enough coffee shops...

You're not the only one I was about to ask the exact same thing. I've never seen a payment system in a fast food or coffee place that charges an actual amount after the customer left. In theory they could authorize every card for $100 and then only charge the actual bill behind them but in reality I doubt that happened. Further, what about people paying cash, they leave $5 and a $20 order comes up I doubt Starbucks absorbs the extra cost.

My guess is this happens:
1. First person adds an extra drink to their tab- is charged $5 extra.
2. Next person shows up and is told "your first $5 is on the house, they offer to contribute $5 to the next car in line (many people I suspect are informed its been going for 8 hours if you don't pay forward you suck)
3. And so on and so on. The longer it goes the more social pressure to "pay it forward" (which the cynic in me will point out is not actually putting anyone out anything, only the first person loses and the last one gains).
4. Eventually some cheapo/Scroog refuses to pay it forward, everyone hates him or her.

[Savvy1982]

I'm a pure caffeine addict -
Starbucks? Sure.
Tim Hortons? You bet!
Local micro-roaster? Absolutely.
Sketchy as hell gas station second-run Folgers? Sign me up!

As long, as it's large, hot, and has no cream or sugar, I'm your huckleberry. I appreciate a good cup of coffee, but it's not a "want" or a "luxury" for me in the morning so much as it is an iron-clad NEED.

[Grapes]

When you pull up to the drive thru window to pay for your order you ask about the order placed behind you. Then ask them to add it to your order.

In the store "Starbucks", I have just spoken up after the person in front has ordered, I just tell the barista that I'm picking up the tab along with my order.

Random acts of kindness, pay it forward, whatever you want to call it, makes me feel good and I believe it comes back in time.

$4 for. Chai tea is all realities, Don't drink or smoke so I can justify the cost. Gotta treat yourself sometime. If you don't look after yourself, who will ?

[vitun-tyhmä]

I'm a pure caffeine addict -
Starbucks? Sure.
Tim Hortons? You bet!
Local micro-roaster? Absolutely.
Sketchy as hell gas station second-run Folgers? Sign me up!

As long, as it's large, hot, and has no cream or sugar, I'm your huckleberry. I appreciate a good cup of coffee, but it's not a "want" or a "luxury" for me in the morning so much as it is an iron-clad NEED.

There's a word for that, I believe it is spelled j..u..n..k..i..e

[davidgoodburn]

the random acts of kindness occur quite frequently at Tims as well, at least out in my neck of the woods.

Starbucks drip coffee runs about 2.50 a cup and it pretty crappy, overroasted and burnt. Starbucks does a decent enough espresso that runs 4-6 bucks. It is passable and will do in a pinch. As mentioned above it gets by more on the perception that it is a good fancy coffee house rather than its product.

[Savvy1982]

There's a word for that, I believe it is spelled j..u..n..k..i..e

I know I have a problem - it's just that coffee is just so damned GOOD in the morning.

[plug]

I've got 2 32 ounce refill cups that I fill up for the wife and I on the weekend for 2.39 at the gas station at the corner, and it's actually good with 5 or 6 choices.

[STLblues]

Canada sounds like a nice place....free coffee and acts of kindness....hmmm sounds like a magical fairytopia compared to St. Louis.