In todays Consumerist.
http://consumerist.com/consumer/insi...sta-271348.php
I dislike starbucks-and despise their predatory buisness practices.Nice to see one of the cult coming clean.

I like starbucks for the reason that when you travel you can be certain that the coffee tastes the same everywhere.

Not just that - it may be pricey but they use fairtrade.

The barista's not actually saying anything that most folks who frequent Sbux don't already know.

It's an interesting read, though.

Only a wee tiny amount, at least on a chain-wide basis.

"I like starbucks for the reason that when you travel you can be certain that the coffee tastes the same everywhere."

Wrong. I drink iced americanos in the summer. Airport 'Starbucks' are not starbucks. Ever notice how their food is terrible? Starbucks licenses out their brands to companies who operate these locations. Their staff are poorly trained. Their idea of a venti iced Amiercano is a venti cup filled completely with ice with a few shots poured over it and then filled with ice again. Two sips and it would be done. This is made very differently in an actual starbucks store. Up to a year ago I would agree with you, but 'bucks has decided to dilute its brand by licensing the airport locations.

"Not just that - it may be pricey but they use fairtrade."

I'm yet to drink this from any starbucks anywhere. They all carry the propaganda though.

I've read the article by the barista. I drink venti americanos all of the time and I can guarantee you that they're not 2 shot drinks. Other than that, it's nothing that everyone didn't know already.

Starbucks buys and sells the most Fair Trade coffee than any other company in the US ... that would seem to be a 'wee bit' more than referenced!

This read more like an advertising feature for Starbucks than a real insiders account -if this article had been published in the UK I'm pretty sure they would have had to have labelled it as such.

This article, along wth giving people fancy job titles like barrista (what next, Chef de patty for a burger worker?) is just another part of a sophisticated campaign to keep us paying 3x over the odds.

Another tip: A hot chocolate with a shot of espresso is cheaper than a mocha latte. I learned that one a long while ago.

"This article, along wth giving people fancy job titles like barrista (what next, Chef de patty for a burger worker?) is just another part of a sophisticated campaign to keep us paying 3x over the odds."

Perhaps if you buy the liquid desserts then you pay that much. Last time I checked, their standard drip coffees were competitive with every other fast food franchise and their Americanos aren't that much more.

In terms of fancy names, barista is just italian for someone who works at a coffee counter. It's not a fancy job title. They're serving italian style coffee and thus the italian name for them is used. Perhaps if you knew the origin of the word, then you'd not have made that comment. If you're so offended, where are your posts decrying the use of venti in describing the size of their coffees.

From the sounds of it, maybe you should just go to McDonald's for your coffee. Of course, they use terms like BigMac for their hamburger. Why should they use such fancy words for a hamburger?

...and this is why Dunkin' Donuts' coffee is better.

I despise Dunkin' Donuts coffee. They serve it ridiculously hot to mask the taste; when it cools down enough that you can actually drink it you taste how terrible it is.

Two strikes against Starbucks IMHO. The third strike is the taste. Way too bitter. Strong coffee doesn't have to be bitter. I'd like to know what the "fair trade" price Starbucks pays to the coffee bean growers which causes their clientele to feel less guilty about drinking coffee.

Italian "style" --- not Italian but Italian "style". I guess that explains the bitterness.

Do you prefer your coffee luke warm? It's supposed to be very hot.

Hey all,

I have to agree with most of you ... to me, Starbucks sucks:

- African coffee being acidic? Pipe-dream ... some of the best coffee come from Ethiopia, and I have yet to taste acidic Ethiopian coffee (on a sidenote, Starbucks just signed a big agreement with Ethiopia on the usage of coffee names)

- Personally, I don't drink coffee when I go to the US. I'd rather use my own espresso machine at home. Yes, in the past, I've drunk 2 double espressos from SB at 9 pm (while the barista was in total shock ... 'You just had one?' when I ordered the second), however, I still prefer my home coffee. (When in the US, I brew green tea or rooibos instead)

- Americano ... bad coffee with water

- "Because Starbucks follows SCAA guidelines strictly, they won't put two shots into a tall or three shots into a Venti because that technically would be too much espresso." Is there such a thing as too much espresso? I guess the SCAA never heard of the ristretto in Europe ... little water for even more of a coffee boost.

Anyway, I won't get carried away, but this "Jesse" sounds like a Starbucks ad to me.

Cheers,

GenevaFlyer