Starbucks

[Say]

*waves everyone*

Hey ppl!

I wanted to gather some of your attention because I'm in a need of some help only you could provide me. I'm going to do an activity about work next month, but I must hand out a paper work by this weekend, it is about Starbucks.

What I want your help in, is specifically tell me
- as much as you know about it (ANY kind of info)
- a personal perspective on that matter (I like it/I hate it and why)

I don't have any single one of those here, neither been to one...  Hopefully some of you would be will be as nice to help me out and post on here about it
pleeeeeeeeeeeease? thankies

[Grundy]

Starbucks are rarely seen here in Aus... and that is because of their s*** coffee and crap cafe's!

The coffee is too weak, tastless and american.

Compared to a coffee shop that I had in my home town, where they raosted the coffee beans freshly every morning, Starbucks pales in comparison.

The only thing they have that no one else does is that annoying American branding, 'StarBucks'.

To me, it's liek the MacDonalds of cafe's.



Hope that helps, Say.

[koko_99_2001]

The only thing I get from Starbucks is the Vanilla Bean Frappechino.  It's REALLY good and it doesn't have any coffee in it...mainly because I *gasp* don't like coffee.  They also have a Vanilla Frappechino which does have coffee.  Unfortunately, that's all I know about Starbucks.  Sorry I can't be more help.

[Mary Jane]

The only thing I know about Starbucks is that it was parodied as Starbuccaneers in Escape From Monkey nIsland, So sadly, I can't help you.

[J-ROC]

Say's already spoken to my offical Starbucks consultant.

And I have to take menu pictures tomorrow afternoon.

[dew7]

I like the Vanilla Bean drink too -- just like Cat  

[B'rrr]

The only thing I know about Starbucks is that it was parodied as Starbuccaneers in Escape From Monkey nIsland, So sadly, I can't help you.

same as Mary Jane, never seen starbucks xcept with MI, but I guess it doesn't matter cuz i don't like coffee  

[Jeysie]

Well, I guess Starbucks isn't as pervasive as everyone claims!

There literally are no Starbucks in Western MA, from the New York border to Longmeadow, which I think is something like 50-70 miles. Instead, we have Dunkin Donuts. Lots of them. You could say that Dunkin Donuts is our Starbucks. At least the interiors of Dunkin Donuts are more colorful.

They do however sell bottles of that Starbucks Frappuchino stuff in the grocery stores here... I like the chocolate varieties myself. I seldom drink coffee, so I can't really offer any detailed description of how they taste other than "Not bad".

I did go with Katie into a Starbucks in NYC, but I didn't order anything, so I can't help much there either. It was just sort of, "Oh, so this is what a Starbucks looks like. Kind of boring." That, and a bit of disbelief at the fact that they had a little ten-page instruction booklet on ordering coffee. I guess I just don't get the coffee culture.

Last, and most definitely least, a tangently related story...

I still remember the time that Harrison and I were in the grocery store, and a yuppie-looking fellow randomly comes up to us and asked us if we knew where the nearest Starbucks was. We told him that Starbucks just didn't exist around here, and the nearest true coffee cafes we knew about were the one in Barnes & Noble bookstore or a place called Nancy's in the mall. Rather odd encounter...

Peace & Luv, Liz

[racx_00]

I think i saw an advertisement for a Starbucks, but i have never seen one or been to one
And I probably dont wanna go to one though after what Jon said

[Drunken Chinchilla]

In birmingham town centre we have about 7 starbucks I think with a new one opening at the train station.

Coffee wise I dont dislike it, the mochas nice and their novelty xmas and other holiday drinks are always a laugh to drink. Last year we had Ginger bread man latte, eggnog latte and I think some strange spicy coffee and basically I think that sums up the entire chain - they're a novelty. They aren't trying to be a serious coffee company with teh uber best coffee for serious arty types its just fast, cheap and most of the time quite good.

Another thing is I've noticed with all major chains that each countries product is majorly different to each other. If say someone from the US came here they'd be shocked at McD's as its about 50% less the size or if people from france came to ours they'd be shocked to find out they dont sell beer! Starbucks may well be the same deal with different strengths of coffee, sizes, types etc in different regions.

[koko_99_2001]

Hmmm...what are the sizes of the different drinks?  I'll try to see what I can find.  Maybe that way we can compare.

BTW, Say, I forgot to mention in my previous post...but the frappechinos (at least, the vanilla bean ones) are chilled.  

EDIT:  for future reference...it's spelled "Frappuccino"

[Drunken Chinchilla]

Just found a Student pack with some useful info in Sayd, check it out:

Click meeee!

[koko_99_2001]

And I just found the different sizes of the drinks.  I only looked up a few different ones, but it looks like they are the same:

Tall: 12 fl. oz.
Grande: 16 fl. oz.
Venti: 24 fl. oz.

[Yonkey]

I've only been in a Starbucks once or twice (mostly cuz I don't drink coffee ) but they're fairly common here.  The other coffee shop equivalent which I see way more of is called "Second Cup", though I think that's a Canadian-only franchise.  

[Say]

Woo, that was really really helpful so far guys, thanks a lot! believe it or not it does help me even if you said "Ok I love Starbucks" or simple "Oh no, I hate it", because I'm curious what you would have to say about it, I got really curious when I started to search for it online, that I found like 5 fan sites of it, and instead 2 serious links of starbucks, the "fan" community either "fan clubs" and "hate clubs" of it is really amazing, and that was that got me interested and decided to do my paperwork/special activity about it for work.

Alex that link is so amazing! thanks a lot I had no idea where the logo or concept for the name came from, that's certainly something I'm gonna put in my report now. BTW, I'm going to need your skilled brittish help on something I'll probably finish my second paperwork this weekend and email it to you

On other stuff, Oh yeah, I've been trying to txt James since before noon, and my phone is being stupid, I haven't been able to contact him, so, James if you see this... I'm gonna email you hope you remember about today lol He has already done so much to help me out, he introduced me to Tricia a friend, and she's not only an uber sweet girl but also a Starbucks living book lol wow, I never had a clue it would be so hard to order a coffee (or something that looks like coffee but seems to not taste like such)

Thanks a lot guys, if you have anything else to say don't hesitate

[Shadowfax]

Hmm, well Starbuck's is slowly infecting the U.K at the moment (in London we are slowly getting overwhelmed!) On the whole I do not like their  tactics of buying several shops down the same street, all in the name of Starbucks! As for the coffee, well I don't drink it so I can't help you there!

[Kimmie]

there seem to be a lot of haters on here. as for me and julie, welike it. they have different drinks than normal boring coffee places and i suppose its a novelty to go *omg american coffee place in the uk...only its probably more expensive lol!* and they hav the most yummy looking cakes..and also tose little melty waffles u can put over the top of ur cup so they get heated and all the caramel melts and omg i need to go to starbucks!!!

we have one in borders, its like a biiiiiiig music/dvd/paper/book place so after i hav spent money or pratted about dancing to michael jackson i go and hav a drink!

i do like the frappuccino especially the tropical  one ...

The only thing I get from Starbucks is the Vanilla Bean Frappechino.  It's REALLY good and it doesn't have any coffee in it

is that different to the iced vanilla latte...coz that does hav coffee in it  

http://starbucks.co.uk/en-GB/_About+Starbucks/Contact+Starbucks.htm im sure u've seen this but there u go![/glow]

[Shadowfax]

Well, as I said, I do not like the tactics used by Starbucks on the High Street but I certainly do not hate them!

I suppose Kimmie is right with the idea of Starbucks being a bit of a novelty in the U.K (and I suppose that I am a bit of a novelty having never visited one before!)

Mind you, the idea of coffee coming in more than one flavour in the U.K is a novelty in itself... people where I live get confused with the idea of "quadrupel purgulated cappuccino de-la Rosa el-Sato" where the bean has been hand picked by beautiful ladies and has been stored in a whiskey jar for the last 30 years with Holy Prayers muttered to it every hour and only removed when the alignment of the Sun and Venus has crossed the 38th Parrallel (basically we just have "coffee")!  

[Jeysie]

I don't hate Starbucks... it's just sort of a non-place around here. Plus, I'm more of a tea person... all this weird double-mocha-whipped-foam-half-latte stuff is beyond me! The fanciest I ever get with coffee is a French Vanilla with milk and two sugars at Dunkin Donuts.

Peace & Luv, Liz

[Say]

Plus, I'm more of a tea person... all this weird double-mocha-whipped-foam-half-latte stuff is beyond me!

hahaha! count me in!! when tricia was explaining to me I couldn't believe the many many ways you can customize your drink lol