Food critic: What's with Starbucks' absolutely awful pastries?

"How can they be uniformly dry and tasteless in markets across the country?" asks Maureen Clancy. "How can a company that prides itself on consistency and quality control of its coffee products be so hopelessly out of the loop with its edibles? (Starbucks is not alone in this quandary. Baked goods at local Peet's coffee shops are equally crummy.)" (San Diego Union-Tribune)

Comments

[MGR]

I'm sure Starbucks would love to have local bakeries do all their pastries. You are ignoring the economies of scale. In larger markets, Starbucks has to go with bakeries and distributors that can handle the sheer volume of 100s of stores that need 1000s of pastries delivered every single night of the year. I think Starbucks just has to try its best to "influence" that bakery into offering better products.

In remote markets, they use frozen pastries because there isn't a bakery to get anything from. And even if there was, it's probably in direct competition with us.

Starbucks has never touted itself as being in the food business to compete, ala Panera or Au Bon Pain. Just drink coffee and eat something else remotely healthy.

[Barista to the Stars]

Has anybody tried the Christmas cookies? Truly awful.......the chocolate ones taste like sawdust. If you tried them, did you like them? Just wondering because I think we've sold a total of three cookies at our store.

Barista to the Stars

[MGR]

The cookies are tanking BIG TIME. They should have had a clue when all the managers tasted them at the Holiday Roadshow and you could hear crickets chirping when we were supposed to clap about them.

They should have come up with another winner like the Gingerbread Loaf, rather than take up so much room in the case with them.

[-m]

BTTS,
The cookies aren't bad at all. I especially like the Gingerbread one. They are selling quite well at my store, and I have my baristas sampeling their little butts off. People LOVE to buy them in the demitas.

[cat]

the christmas cookies are doing well at our store - we are sampling ridiculous amounts of them out, and it seems to be working...
and scones are a relative of the southern biscuit - they are meant to be more dry...

[Teya]

The petite cookies are selling fairly well at our store. I've tried all 4 and so far the only one I'm not fond of is Gingerbread. People who actually try them usually end up liking them. That's what I've seen so far, anyways. If nothing else, they look cute

[MGR]

Looking cute doesn't make them profitable. They've already ceased production of them.

[fifi]

In England, scones are supposed to be eaten with jam and clotted cream, not dipped into tea or coffee, so why then are ones over here so dry?

Jeremy - I think the point that the people complaining about calories are making is that nice food is normally high in calories and therefore it is a nice treat - Starbucks pastries, however, are high in calories and are not a treat at all. But did you consider this before you called us all fat? I think not.

[Georgie]

I like sooo agree with you girl. It's like when people go round calling other folks names then it's gonna make us worried about our weight. So Jeremy sweetie, it's people like you - calling names - that create people like us - self concious folks. You are the monster behind the machine. Remember it's like every time you point a finger at someone you like point four back at yourself brother.

[Georgie]

P.S Barista to the stars - OMG, Sawdust cookies, they sound so nice. I have to whoop my ass up to Starbucks L.V to try one of them out. My hamster will love that, thanks for the tip off darling.

[-m]

well, maybe if y'all weren't so fat....

[Sultain]

I'm just reading some of the comments here, and with all respect.. am just a little curious as to why there is such concern over baked goods.

It's kind of funny how a corporation can attempt, and succeed at integrating itself so fully into our lives.

well, carry on I suppose.

Merry christmas all :)

[-m]

That wasn't me...I use a lower-case m.

[Roxy]

I work at starbucks, and after sampling pastries to my death i've concluded that we sample and sell dry pastries to up our coffee sale. I mean think of it. What makes you thirstier then a free sample of a dry scone ???

The banana nut bread is really moist though, but after two days out its real dry.

[deenie]

Both Starbucks and Peet's rely on regional bakeries for their products. Generalizing on which is best, only works if you also mention the area... such as Boston.

Starbucks does have some recipes that are made nation wide, such as the low fat blueberry coffee cake.... by their local bakery. However you also will see different selections depending on where you are. And you're right there are no "fake Starbucks"... the airports generally have higher sales and therefore fresher products.

[Tracey]

Well freinds i've bought many many cinnamon twists from strarbucks that's in our local target store and i find them alway's to be fresh and oh so delicious, im from england and scones are typically a dry item, it's kinda like an american biscuit i alway's find them to be dry and crumbly, whats the difference? you eat them dont you, never seen a posted item about american biscuit's.

[STEVE WINKLER]

IN REGARDS TO THE PASTRIES, I LOVE STARBUCKS COFFEE AND GO VERY OFTEN, BUT THE OTHER DAY I BOUGHT AN APPLE FRITTER AND FOUND ROCKS INSIDE AND CHIPED PART OF MY TOOTH - HAS ANYONE ELSE COME ACROSS THIS PROBLEM?

[Jimmy]

Does Starbucks sell "Grandpa's Original" bakery products (muffins)? If so, what kind of muffins are they (flavor) and how popular are they among customers?

[OK]

Why are the pastries at starbucks - more specifically - berry scones - so good in England, while they are so horrible in the US? You would think for consistency's sake starbucks would use the same recipe, and hopefully switch to the English scones. I'd be very happy to get my hands on that recipe, personally.

[BaristaIND]

Actually sometimes the pastry dryness can be affected by the baristas not always checking the pastries as often. They should always be moist and fresh and if they are not, you should tell them. Also, Starbucks is introducing its new hand frosted cupcakes! I got to sample the chocolate one and the yellow one [it tasted like yellow cake and has a little daisy on it]. They are very pretty and taste pretty great but they are going for a steep price of like 2 bucks a cupcake!

[Kelly]

I just wanted to mention that Starbucks partners are not allowed to microwave anything, due to mostly Health Code. Also, a lot of smaller Starbucks do not have a microwave...

[Christina]

Can anyone tell me whats in the 7 layer bar? I cant find the recipe anywhere online. There is something that Starbucks puts in theirs, that is not in any one i have ever tasted

[Barista to the Stars]

Reviews of new pastries:

(the ones I've tasted anyway!)

Cinnamon toffee crunch loaf -- excellent! Like a moister version of the cinnamon scone, but with more/better icing.

Nut bar thing -- not bad but wouldn't be my first choice. It's caramely with nuts, the topping is sweet and sticky. The base is like shortbread.

Mango bar -- eh, not my speed and not anywhere near as good as the banana crunch bar. That thing is amazing -- every single layer stands on its own then you mix them together and it's almost like there's too much going on but it's great.

Tropical doughnut -- wouldn't give it to my dog and I don't think she'd eat it anyway. I had to spit it out and rinse my mouth to get the taste out. And I'm not kidding. It's got this really weird taste to it and that weird taste lingers, which is why I had to get rid of it.

Just my opinion.....thought I'd share!

Barista to the Stars

[Raj]

Does anybody have a recipe that is somewhat similar to Starbucks low-fat fruit bar? I absolutely love it, but it get expensive to buy from Starbucks.

[kristy wong]

I love starbucks oatcake do anyone know how to make one similar to it possibly?

[Anna]

I totally agree with Raj. I have been desperate for a similar recipe to the low-fat fruit bars that Starbucks sell in Canada (they may sell them in the States too, I wouldn't know though!)
Please please please if anyone knows it post it!

[Pat]

the reason why an apple works is because they release vast amounts of the pheromone ethylene, which causes fruits to ripen and get mushy which releases moisture.

i've just had a scone at a B&N starbucks, and in fact, it was dry at the first bite, but got moist in the center.

i love chocolate cream cheese muffins at my local starbucks, they are never dry.

[Dy]

Scones have to be eaten uber-fresh, as in right out of the oven - those who think they are supposed to be dry, have never tasted a good scone (which is not surprising in america really). They are not supposed to be dry like a biscotti. Starbucks scones are the most vile thing I've ever had the misfortune to taste. None of the pastries are any good at all - they're pretty tastless to start with and then refrigerating them just makes a bad situation worse. There's nothing quite so horrible as biting into the still frozen middle of their savory filled croissants - ick. Their only saving grace is that at least they don't have the philistinic urge to ruin the products even further with a microwave.

I just simple refuse to review their food offerings anymore, unless they make a major change in suppliers.

As for the coffee, it's palatable enough, I guess, as long as you order espresso-based beverages. However, after being in Italy for awhile, I find I have to pull my own ristretto now to be impressed. So much for my Starbucks fix... I just treat it like fast-food now - I'll grab a Latte there when I'm away from home or in a hurry...

If you want a great pastry, go to France (or my kitchen). If you want great coffee, go to Italy. If you want to eat cardboard and drink glorified but unimpressive coffee in the interest of a big corporation making an even bigger profit - go to Starbucks...

[p-diddy]

the hawaiian oat bar is horrible! it looks like a horse turd!

[co_co_nuts.]

i like 7 layer bars yall
=]

[Nicole]

The reduced fat cinnamon coffee cake is super moist and yummy! I can't believe it's "reduced fat" but then again, a reduction from what I am not sure?

[Stevo]

OUT OF DATE (DANGEROUS AND STALE) BAKED GOODS AT STARBUCKS!!

Recently I met a couple of young students who are traveling through Europe. They both worked at Starbucks drive thru's and the stories they told me were rather revolting. They both said they became instant barristas and were shoved on the coffee making line without any training. Thier local DM told their manager to strip the "use by date" off the baked goods and "sell them anyway" as he was under pressure to keep up his "profit" They said they never washed their hands even after taking a leak and there was little or no supervision. This is not "cool".

[Darleen]

Again with the grapevine crap! That is totally not true! Most stores have freezers and our pastries are delivered two to three time a week, not stale. Do you believe everything you hear STEVO? Spreading gossip and non thruths are not "cool" All partners are trained using the same development plan. Come on people, you guys are getting really pathetic now.

[Darleen]

Webmaster,
Can you please delete Stevo's post? It is untrue and surely not what we need some easily swayed customers to be reading. Plus, I'm no lawyer but couldn't this be construed as slander?

Does anyone know where Starbucks gets their pastries from? They never have teh same one twice and I am looking to buy the Kiwi Crumb cake and the Lemon Wedges in bulk. PLease respond to:

childogd@aol.com

[Sara]

Honestly the best scone I have ever had was from Primitive Baking, Inc, they are an online store. I ordered my baked goods for my tea party, I was very pleased. Their scones are moist and flakey. They also sell at farmers markets. it's a small store but they kick ass!.

[SBUX22]

Really what is with all these complaints. Much of Starbucks pastries and food is just great and local baked. I keep finding great stuff there. Look at the Raisin Panino Dolce rolls from a couple years ago. Award Winning. I special order them now that they have stopped stocking them at our Seattle Starbucks.
As a few have mentioned here why don't you complainers go get some donuts at the 7-11. That will leave more for us that enjoy. I am curious at the fact that many pastries and other items sell out as the day goes on...curious at how this can happen if every thing supposedly tastes like Cardboard. Geeze?

[SBUX22]

I read the post from ==Sharon Mead | October 21, 2005 at 07:21 PM == above about something in Starbucks pastries that make them all smell bad and taste bad?
Wonder how this gets by so many in line who are buying and enjoying them.??
What other stores post all the ingredients and health contents of the stuff they make and sell. Have you been in say a TExaco hot dog , corn dog place lately. ?? Or a am/pm ? trying smelling around in there. . or finding a health content info flyer?
So again Sharon go smell some where else please , stay out of my Tasty Starbucks.