Starbucks Gossip

Fireworks? You get them every weekend in the Starbucks Gossip Open Thread!

There are always controversies, questions, disputes, comments and Starbucks-related observations in the Starbucks Gossip Open Thread. Let's get the Fourth of July chatter going. (As always, keep it civil to avoid being banned from the site.)

"Coffee entrepreneur" to open Sacramento's first barista training school

Sean Kohmescher, who owns two Temple Fine Coffee and Tea shops in Sacramento, thinks he has a lot to teach aspiring baristas. Students could spend as long as a year downing a three-level certification program being finalized by the barista guild. He hates "chain" coffee shops, and says calling their employees baristas "is like saying they have a chef at McDonald's." Ouch! || Read "Local barista school to start this fall"

"From the Comfy Chair": Juan gives a Starbucks store an A and a big pat on the back

BY "JUAN VALDEZ"

Starbucks
1450 190th Street

Torrance, CA

I wandered into the Starbucks cafe store in Torrance, California on a classic Los Angeles bright, sunny morning.  It was busy and folks were making ample use of the outdoor patio to catch some rays.  There was a short line most of the time I was there but that wasn't a bad thing.  Instead, it meant folks kept coming in but were quickly and efficiently taken care of so the line never really had a chance to balloon into something serious.

The register partner was very friendly and even, gasp, asked if I wanted something to eat with my drink. Moving over to the bar to wait for my drink, I was greeted by an equally friendly bar partner who, despite being busy, managed to keep up a running line of  banter with waiting customers. It was the perfect combination of being efficient and being welcoming at the same time and it really made the five minute wait seem like nothing.

After sitting down, I watched the team in action and it was wonderful to see the focus on all things customer related. Temporary break in the line? They got the pastry case cleaned up and stocked. Even as the others handled the shortened line, a partner zipped out into the lobby to do spins and keep the condiment bar clean and stocked.

They even managed to get a break in while handling the business. Now, it helps that this is a smallish cafe store so there wasn't quite as much ground to cover as some of the larger stores. Still it also helps that, after they ran the line, they didn't just stand around gabbing and playing grab ass like I've seen in too many stores up til now.

And, of course, the bathrooms were clean.

As has been often noted on Starbucks Gossip, these are ambiguous times and there are great pressures to do more with less which  has to make operating one of these stores a real challenge. It's really great to see a store manage all of this in a way which doesn't affect the customers at all. For all they do, this store gets an A and a big pat on the back.

Overall rating: A

Time of day: morning
# of partners on the floor: 4





Service time: 5 minutes

Business level: busy
Was the bathroom cleaner than a gas station bathroom?: Yes
Legendary service: Yes
Would I recommend to a friend: Yes

COLUMN STATS




* # of stores reviewed where a partner has tried to connect with a customer – 13 out of 30
* # of stores where they've offered samples of anything – 3 out of 30









* # of stores that could have been considered "understaffed" - 0 out of 30
* # of stores with a clean bathroom – 17 out of 30

"Juan Valdez" is the nom de cyber of a former Starbucks manager who became disenchanted with the increasingly bitter taste of the Starbucks experience and fled to the mountains of Colombia where he now rides his burro and ponders the glittering sunsets. On a crisp clear day, when atmospheric conditions are just right and the moon is in the seventh house, Juan can be reached at juanvaldezsbux@gmail.com

"The largest food launch in Starbucks' history"

That's how Ad Age describes today's new offerings -- an overhaul of 90% of the bakery case at Starbucks stores. What kind of reactions are you getting at your store? Read "Starbucks Continues Food Push With New Menu" || Starbucks' press release || Jump to the second page of comments

"This needs to be stopped for the good of the company"

A Starbucks Gossip reader e-mails: "Could you make a thread on the incorrect ringing of promotional drinks, a topic that caused much discussion in the open thread? The behavior of DMs [District Managers] and RDOs [Regional Director of Operations] in regards to this is borderline criminal and fraudulent, and needs to be stopped for the good of the company." || Jump to second page of comments

Mini Starbucks Card hits stores on June 30

That's Tuesday. Chuck Davidson of the Starbucks Card team says of the new mini-card: "Just clip it to whatever you like (keys, gym bag, etc.) and continue to enjoy your on-the-go lifestyle. ...The Mini Starbucks Card works just like a Starbucks Card; register it to enjoy rewards, benefits and to protect your balance too!" Read "You asked for it: Introducing the Mini Starbucks Card"

Weekend OPEN THREAD: Let's get the coffee-talk going!

Ready for the big July 4 weekend? Discuss your holiday preparations, or anything else Starbucks related in the open thread. || Jump to the second page of comments.

Starbucks wants new stores to be more eco-friendly, have more local materials

"Ultimately, we hope customers will feel an enhanced sense of community, a deeper connection to our coffee heritage and a greater level of commitment to environmental consciousness," says Arthur Rubinfeld,  head of Starbucks' global development. Starbucks will seek LEED certification -- an indication of environmental friendliness -- for all new company-owned stores beginning next year. || Read "Starbucks unveils eco-friendly store designs"

"From the Comfy Chair": Juan visits a Starbucks that Howard would shut down in a second

BY JUAN VALDEZ

Starbucks stores
150 N. Wilma
 Ripon, CA
1402 Colony Road 
Ripon, CA

Does anyone remember Lisa Suender?  She's the professional activist who found her way to Starbucks Gossip a couple of months ago, put up several comments about the fight to save her store on Main street in Ripon, Ca., and, when challenged, finally played the "I'm saving the world – what are you doing?" card before drifting off into the gentle night.

In one of her many posts on the subject, she stated "I know if Howard Schultz came to our store he would know in 5 minutes that this store should not be closed."  And that got me thinking: I wondered what Howard might see if he did go into that store, not with the pre-announced five ring celebrity dog and pony circus that normally accompanies Howard on his travels but, instead, unannounced with no fanfare at all.

Since the chances of that happening approximate the chances of Starbucks getting rid of Frappuccinos, I realized we were going to need someone else to stand in. Being relatively fearless, I jumped at the chance.

In the course of her comment exchange, Lisa finally admitted, after some prodding from yours truly, that there was actually another Starbucks in town so it wasn't as if the town was actually losing a Starbucks – they just didn't like losing the one on the list. Lisa went so far as to say that the other one, supposedly in a truck stop, was entirely unsuitable for the kind of warm, people focused atmosphere which wafted through the halls and walls of her beloved third place. 

So,  I went down to Ripon to see what all the fuss was about. /CONTINUED IN THE FIRST COMMENT

Starbucks' Pike Place is the "unanimous favorite" in a coffee taste-test

Starbucks' mild roast beat Dunkin' Donuts' Original Blend in a taste-test conducted by the St. Petersburg, Florida Times. In the Iced Mocha test, McDonald's was the winner, with Starbucks coming in second. Dunkin' Donuts finished last. || Read "Coffee Wars: Taste test of different coffee products"

"The idea that Starbucks would drive out independents was obviously incorrect"

The Break Espresso coffee shop in Missoula, Mont. -- barely 100 feet down the street from a Starbucks -- is busier than ever, thanks to a great physical space, good coffee, and free Wi-Fi, writes Jonathan Weber. "Last week, we learned the Starbucks would be closing; it couldn't compete with the excellent alternatives. And I don't see that as a good thing." || Read "Frappuccinos Work for Mom and Pop"

Weekend OPEN THREAD: Let's get the chatter going!

Here's another chance to post your rants, questions and observations. Anything Starbucks-related is up for discussion. || Jump to the third page of comments.

"From the Comfy Chair": Finally, Juan has an awesome Starbucks experience

BY JUAN VALDEZ

Starbucks
6637 S. Virginia St.
Reno

And so we complete our little trip down South Virginia Street in Reno. One visit was pretty decent, one was pretty bad so we're down to the rubber match. Which will win the series? It all rests in the hands of the partners at 6637 S. Virginia St. 

I'm pleased to announce that this store tipped the scales firmly in the direction of good. 

This was an awesome visit. From the moment I stepped through the automatic doors at the entrance (no chance of ripping my right arm off here) I knew this was gonna be a good one. 

To start with, they were sampling. Wow...only the third store out of just under 30 that have been sampling when I walked in. And I got a hearty hello from the bar partner as I walked past on my way to the register.  I already had a smile on my face and I hadn't even started looking around. 

The pastry and cold cases were spiffy nifty; clean and well stocked. The dining room was clean. The bathroom was clean. The condiment bar was clean. The window ledges were clean. There was a window sign that was askew and someone actually came out and fixed it.  I'm  not being sarcastic when I say I was impressed.

Even better,  the store stayed clean; not out of sheer, blind luck but, instead, because someone kept coming out from behind the counter and made sure it stayed that way. 

The gal at the register was nice and friendly. She connected with me. She was willingly explained the differences between bold coffee and PPR without missing a beat. It was clear she wanted to make sure I got the right cup of coffee for my tastes. After declining PPR, I got my latte in about a minute and a half along with a  hearty thank you and well wishes for the day. /CONTINUED IN THE FIRST COMMENT BELOW

WSJ: Starbucks to refresh methods for grinding, brewing coffee

The Wall Street Journal has picked up on what's been recently discussed on Starbucks Gossip. Here's an excerpt of its subscription-required story:

Starbucks Corp. is making changes to the way it grinds and brews coffee as it tries to win back customers amid economic weakness and increased competition.

Instead of grinding coffee only in the morning, baristas will grind beans each time a new pot is brewed. Timers will buzz to signal when it's time to make a new batch, according to internal Starbucks documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.

The changes are part of the Seattle-based company's effort to reinvigorate the "Starbucks experience" in the face of competition from less-expensive rivals such as McDonald's Corp. and 7-Eleven Inc. With Starbucks' changes, customers will be able to hear the whir of grinders and smell the aroma of fresh coffee all day.

The adjustments will begin to roll out next month, a company spokeswoman said. ...

Currently, baristas decide when to brew fresh batches "based on multiple signals ranging from demand (quantity), to expiration and timing," the new documents say, explaining that the revamped process "reduces this complexity by eliminating many of these signals."

Now, depending on how busy a store is at a particular time, baristas will use 24-, 12- or eight-minute "cadences" to brew coffee so that no variety runs out. And instead of dedicating one coffee brewer per variety, the new procedures require that containers be rotated as necessary through different varieties so customers don't have to wait for a certain type to brew.

Some baristas said the extra grinding and brewing might slow service and turn off customers with added noise.

But demonstrating to customers that coffee is ground and brewed on the spot could help Starbucks maintain its premium position, especially as rivals tout less-expensive alternatives.

Do you sense that McD's McCafe launch has affected Starbucks?

A research analyst writes to Starbucks Gossip: "I’d love to get everyone’s take on whether the McCafe launch (including the recently increased advertising spend - $100 mil budget) has hurt or helped recent business trends at Starbucks. I know some comments on the site have speculated about it, but now that McCafe is almost fully launched in the US , I’d love to hear from partners if/how it is affecting traffic trends."

OPEN THREAD conversation-starter: Are you hearing anything about a Starbucks alumni network?

A Starbucks Gossip reader writes: "I have heard that Starbucks intends to launch an official, alumni network for its ex and current employees with multiple chapters across the US. So I wanted to create a post to start a discussion about what the network should contain." An "alumni network" sounds ...well, a bit odd. Who's going to track down former baristas? Anyone have information? Discuss this or anything else Starbucks-related in the open thread. || Jump to the second page of comments.

"From the Comfy Chair": Juan isn't looking to bash Starbucks stores, really! But...

BY JUAN VALDEZ

Starbucks
4809 Kietzke Lane
Reno, Nv

When I walked in the floors were dirty.  Wow. Big surprise there, eh?  Not only was the bathroom dirty but the mirror was completely covered with stains and phlegm. What a great first impression.

The service was friendly and drink delivery took 2.5 minutes. The pastry case and cold case were clean and full...hooray. There were  2 partners on the floor when I came in...it was slow.

A 3rd partner came out...they must have been on break. A fourth partner came in and everyone just sort of stood around, talking.

Then, one of the other partners went on break and another partner went in the back leaving two partners on the floor. Then, almost as if by divine magic, the floodgates opened and they got slammed. At one point they had three or four people waiting for drinks and 10-11 were waiting in line.

Right in the middle of this sudden rush, the bar partner went in the back leaving unmade drinks and the register partner to handle things by himself. The register partner did the best he could running the line but the drink cups piled up at the bar. Then, after 2-3 minutes the bar partner came back out and started making drinks again. He wasn't carrying anything so I don't know what in the hell he went back there for unless it was to tell one of the two partners back there they needed help out front. /CONTINUED IN THE FIRST COMMENT BELOW

From the Starbucks Gossip mailbag: Which Starbucks app for the iPhone/iPod touch is the best?

Starbucks Gossip reader Sharon sends this e-mail:

For those of you who have iPhones, there are multiple apps that claim to find Starbucks stores. Some of them are Find A Starbucks, My Starbucks, Go Grande, Bucks Me, Grande Getter, Coffee Finder, and Starbux Locator.  As well, Starbucks stores can be searched for in apps such as Yelp.

Has anyone ever evaluated these apps?  Which one is the best?  Most accurate?

Additionally, is anyone aware of Starbucks coming out with their own app?  Should they?

Up to a million Starbucks customers were double-charged over Memorial Day weekend

Starbucks confirms that on Friday, May 22 and half of Saturday, May 23, up to a million customers were double-charged for their order when they used their debit or credit cards because of what Starbucks calls a "settlement processing error." A spokeswoman says: "All of our customers saw resolution" and that "as soon as we noticed the error, we had it fixed right away." || Read "Starbucks double-charges a million customers"

Starbucks touts its #1 rankings in new Zagat survey of chain restaurants

Starbucks has been voted as No. 1 Best Coffee in the Fast Food and Quick Refreshment categories and as the No. 1 Most Popular Quick Refreshment Chain in Zagat’s 2009 Survey of National Chain Restaurants released Monday. A Starbucks press release says: "In other categories, including overall experience and providing healthy options, Starbucks, ranked No. 8 and No. 9 respectively, acknowledges that it has room for improvement." || Read "Starbucks Voted Best Coffee in Zagat Survey"