Study says most people don't know why Starbucks closed for a few hours on Feb. 25

A survey of 1,000 consumers finds that 75% of respondents know about Starbucks closing for a few hours one night last month. However, less than half know why it closed. (The answer: Barista training. Partial credit if you said "deep-cleaning," which some stores did.) Only one in 10 respondents to the survey said they had planned to purchase a coffee beverage during the three-hour period of closure. (Read the Advertising Age story)

Comments

[Matt K.]

Only reason I knew was the millions of tech blogs posting about it. But the branch in the local Krogers didn't close until 2 days later. And it was for less than 30 minutes.

[Renzo Lake]

The Haphazard Gourmet Girls blog covers the closures, and has fairly relentless Starbucks coverage:

Haphazardgourmet.blogspot.com

Check out these posts:
haphazardgourmet.blogspot.com/2008/03/starbucks-stockholm-syndrome_10.html
haphazardgourmet.blogspot.com/2008/03/haphazard-gourmet-girl-gets-married.html

Why are we even still talking/writing about this....We need a better new topic!

Well, here's a better topic. Did you guys know that the no sugar added banana nut coffee cake had 480 calories? And it's placed right next to the reduced fat coffee cakes. 225 of those calories are from fat. Could Starbucks have created a more misleading and disgusting pastry? Do any of you guys like it?

Starbucks never should have closed. It was unprofessional and not customer service-oriented.

It was a horrible PR stunt that Starbucks tried to play off, and, from the looks of it, a failed stunt at that.

Even if it was the "training opportunity" Starbucks touted it as, Starbucks failed there. Big, giant Fail. The coffee's the same (even after the "flavor profile upgrade"), the service is worse than ever and the whole brand is stagnant.

When a customer walks into a Starbucks, they might get a grunt as a hello, some entitled barista who thinks they're better than you deign to ask what you want, wait an inappropriately exorbitant amount of time for the simplest order, find out the order was done incorrectly and have to wait for a remake and in the end walk out with so much a thank you and only a subpar beverage.

The only good thing about Starbucks is consistency. You can consistently go just about anywhere for subpar service and subpar coffee. And, let's call a spade a spade here, subpar coffee is better than no coffee.

Either way. And for the employees that say this is another bitter customer, that's okay, too. It's just the simple fact that being in denial about your equally bad products and customers is easier than confronting and correcting the issue. Plus, being a cog in a corporate machine that probably couldn't care less if you stayed or left the company must suck, too.

Eh, either way.

Hmmm, "Eh, either way"...go back to Canada!

[maggiemunkee]

anon at 4:15, if you're going to spew the same derogatory bile over and over, at least have the decency to sign it with *a* name. it doesn't even have to be *your* name. just show some guts. please?

ps - i am not an entitled barista. i'm a barista who loves my job and wants everyone who walks through my door to be happy they did so.

[kimberly]

What do you prepare daily ? Please answear as .I am on the wire.

[Teresa Ruth]

I was surprised to see this topic today. I was just thinking about how the Starbucks barista training event came and went...and now it seems that everything is back to normal in the world of coffee. Even the independent coffee shop owners have stopped making fun of Starbucks on their coffee forum.

Someone shared the training agenda with them. I guess once they realized that Starbucks meant business, they backed off.

Check this out:
http://www.coffeeforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=7075

http://www.coffeeforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=7064&sid=52259cd8217414af5114c2957e05d75b

Most of the people I see at our local Starbucks seem to be happy with the new taste of the espresso and the various coffee drinks. I think the whole training/closing idea was a good move for Starbucks.

[that girl]

Speaking from Canada, to whomever seemed to want to banish people here, we closed our stores for the three hour Espresso Excellence, only on alternating days so as to accommodate our customers and partners alike. So far all the customer feed back we have gotten was very positive, our store moral and district moral is much higher, customers have been complimenting the noticeable improvements in our foam, the fact that we are only pulling double shots and often offering them the second shot for free to try a stronger coffee. I have had several customers ask how our training night went and comment on how upbeat our staff has been. Personally I think it was a great chance for our staff to meet together as one, reconnect and focus and the results are already showing with their passion of proving how they can connect with customers to give them an exceptional experience which goes far beyond just "beautiful velvety foam"

[Just me]

people like anon 4:15 are humorous. Trying to stir up another blog. Probably straight from a competitor, Oh well.

I just can't believe this is still being talked about personally.

[atownsbuxrules]

"some entitled barista who thinks they're better than you" ...HAHAHA what! Dude the barista in my district are the most mellow, awesome people I've ever met. We all go to each other's stores just to hang out. And we love our customers, duh. Stfd, anonymous.

Matt K.--I'm pretty sure the reason the store at the Krogers didn't close is because they are a licensed stores. Only our company operated stores were mandated to close, licensed could do whatever they wanted.

[D]

I find it hard to believe most people didn't know why Starbucks closed for a few hours. I have never in my life heard so many sarcastic remarks by customers asking me "if I learned how to make coffee all over again." Literally...1 out of 3 customers it was the same damn question.

[Mary Mocha]

Starbucks is going to announce the purchase of Top Pot Donuts at the upcoming live shareholders meeting. All SMs are attending regional meetings to hear of this roll out in the next few weeks. You heard it here first.

........... who cares?

I find it remarkable that effort and time was actually put into performing a study on this

What idiots

You know, you can pretty much say whatever you like. You can say that the comment was from a competitor... or not.

Yet, I know a lot of customers feel this way, too. And, yeah, you're golden because, as mentioned, Starbucks is everywhere, and the consistency is what people look for when traveling, especially on business. Your mediocre service and products is just enough above the bar as not to drive away too many customers... yet.

Instead of blowing off the valid comment, you ought to give it merit and take a long, hard look at what it says. You'll most certainly walk away knowing how to better serve a customer. Currently, that facet of Starbucks is lacking hard, and the upper management is at no fault; it's the front line workers that share all the blame.

This is pretty much evidenced by the fact that so many employees got the sarcastic remarks about the meetings teaching you how to remake coffee. There's some seriousness behind it: they don't want to be mean or direct about it, but they're telling you in a roundabout way that maybe you needed to learn how to make a decent cup of coffee. You certainly need to learn how to treat a customer.

If the meeting was designed to provide training, it failed.

So much for all the cash that was spent and not earned in sales. We'll just let the investors eat it some more and suffer with an extremely low share price.

Let's hope, for all of Starbucks employees' sakes that this market doesn't continue to hammer Starbucks and the general economy. If it does, there will be a lot of -- what do you call it? -- partners "promoted" to customers really quickly.

[adam]

I completely agree with anon@4:15 that they should have just stayed open. After being to at least five different Starbucks in the past few weeks I can say that nothing has changed at all. The shots are still subpar. I'm sure the employees who post here care about the job but you are in a vast minority. Most still don't know what a good drink is.

I ordered an americano from the Basking Ridge, NJ store the other day and sent it back twice. It got worse each time. What is a customer supposed to think after three crappy drinks. Things are going to keep going downhill until the company discovers how to make quality drinks.

[javajohn]

"Study says most people don't know why Starbucks closed for a few hours on Feb. 25..."

...and outside of the people who frequent this board; most don't care.

[kelley]

Entitled to what?

[Melody]

Adam, I have a hard time imagining sending back an Americano twice? What kind of drink were you expecting?

At anon at 3-12-08 at 4:15:

"When a customer walks into a Starbucks, they might get a grunt as a hello, some entitled barista who thinks they're better than you deign to ask what you want, wait an inappropriately exorbitant amount of time for the simplest order, find out the order was done incorrectly and have to wait for a remake and in the end walk out with so much a thank you and only a subpar beverage.

The only good thing about Starbucks is consistency. You can consistently go just about anywhere for subpar service and subpar coffee. And, let's call a spade a spade here, subpar coffee is better than no coffee."

^
Anon, clearly you want to stay anonymous, but why don't you at least tell us what city you're in? ;) You're definitely not going to the same Starbucks stores that I am.

Since the training, I'm finding more enthusiasm for making perfect espresso beverages. Interesting you mention consistency because I find that coffee and americanos are always consistently great, but a short cap *can* be a bit hit and miss.

The coffee is never subpar, but rather the reason I'm there so often. I was excited to see my local close to home store doing a coffee tasting with Gold Coast Blend, pairing it with a chocolate graham. The americanos are very very good (I like whip on them - weird I know) 99% of the time. The caramel apple spice is a fabulous drink. The milk based drinks are very good to excellent about 85% of the time, to be honest. I'm no fan of steamed milky drinks, and will only have a cap now and then. The clover cup of coffee is beyond-belief-fantastic wonderful 100% of the time.

What I've seen lately is a lot of enthusiasm for the espresso beverages, and a lot of interest in your drink being wonderful, and the experience seems to just as wonderfully fast as always.

Decaffing that beeyotch that thinks he's better than us. I'm entitled to do that. Don't like it? too bad. come into my store with that attitude and you will get it in return plain and simple.

[Pat Nerr]

Just visited some stores in NYC and the service was really bad. No smiles or customer connection and 2 out of 3 of my drink orders were wrong.

Guess the training made no difference.

Sad days for SBUX up ahead.

[Sacman]

Love the final stat...."only" than 1 in 10 were planning to buy a coffee during that 3 hour period? They make it sound like it should have been more? 1 in 10 already suggests that 10% of the population was planning to buy coffee at SB that night? Would love to see what sample they used for the survey.

[Sacman]

Love the final stat...."only" than 1 in 10 were planning to buy a coffee during that 3 hour period? They make it sound like it should have been more? 1 in 10 already suggests that 10% of the population was planning to buy coffee at SB that night? Would love to see what sample they used for the survey.

Pat Ner...

The only sad day for Starbucks would be if you were still with them.

[Super Shifter]

Ok, when you publicly attack someone like that, at least have the courage to leave your name. Or just don't say it at all.

That said, I doubt Pat has more than a clue to who you are anyway.

Oh please.......like Pat Nerr is a real name.

or super shifter for that matter

[Pat Nerr]

I guess we're back to the "Pat Nerr" impostor thing... It's a sad day for Pat Nerr and Starbucks when that happens...

[Kat]

I keep hearing about bad service, but aside from one of the stores in my city, all the others have excellent service. I'm almost always greeted the minute I walk in the door, the employees are friendly and upbeat, and I've rarely had to wait more than a minute for my drink unless it was incredibly busy. I find it almost always pleasant going into the local Starbucks.

The independent shops, on the other hand? The places with supposedly superior coffee and atmosphere? I'm barely grunted at, the people at the counter can't even look me in the eye and the drinks are not all that great. I will say their pastries are better, but otherwise I can't say the coffee is. It's not to say some independents are not great places, but I'm sort of tired of it being made out that if it's independent, it's always better. It's not. Starbucks, at least in my city, is preferably to the 'locals'.

[Darleen]

I think the reason this anonymous poster keeps trolling here is because he/she is losing money on the stock and is very bitter about it and looking for someone to blame, so it is all the baristas fault. It has nothing to do with the fact that baristas just follow the orders sent down from CORPORATE. I almost choked on my coffee on that one!

[Darleen]

I guess we're back to the "Pat Nerr" impostor thing... It's a sad day for Pat Nerr and Starbucks when that happens...

Great come back my friend! Kudos

DARLEEN - sorry to burst your psycho-babble bubble, but trolling on the Internet is a sport totally without motive.

[Blondie]

"I ordered an americano from the Basking Ridge, NJ store the other day and sent it back twice. It got worse each time. " Adam

How the hell do you send back an American back twice? How could it have gotten worse? lol

Decaffing that beeyotch that thinks he's better than us. I'm entitled to do that. Don't like it? too bad. come into my store with that attitude and you will get it in return plain and simple.

Posted by: | Mar 12, 2008 9:47:27 PM

That is what's wrong with Starbucks. That. That, right there. Can you see it? It epitomizes all that is wrong.

"Baristas" who THINK they're entitled to do as they wish, but then turn around and say they're only doing what corporate sends down. "Baristas" thinking they can ALTER a PAYING customer's beverage. Ha! If I ever found out that this happened to me, I would find any and every way to have that employee terminated. If the manager decided to stand up for the employee, they'd be gone, too. It's far too easy to be a thorn in a corporate office's side to the point where they'd believe it easier to let someone go than it would be to deal with several customers complaining constantly. Besides, corporations almost always side with their customers over their employees.

As a customer, I get exactly what I want and every time, too. That's how the rest of my life it, why shouldn't the part where I pay low-wage workers to make my decent coffee be?

As employees, you make exactly what I want and every time, too. It's not a hard concept. I can NOT believe Starbucks would hire this caliber of people.

It's very little wonder this company is in the mess it is in.

[justsayno]

I gave the new flavor profile and supposed new steaming techniques a try. I ordered a two pump white mocha, with whole milk. The barista aerated the milk for a couple of seconds, then let it steam itself- nothing changed from when I was with the bux- resulting in the same old soap buble foam. The espresso did have a better flavor, although still very week. Didn't have that bitter, cigarett ash tray flavor at least. My name was not taken nor written on my cup, I guess that changed after I left? We were to get everyones names when I worked there. I was greeted by the counter person, but she did give me a little eye roll when I asked for whole milk, guess she dind't like that. I was not thanked for my purchase, nor was there any "connecting" with me, other than the eye roll. The barista never made eye contact with me nor thanked me.

That was my experience since the training. I'll stick with Peet's where I get real foam and strong, smooth expresso.

[jane]

the fact that so many have no idea how an americano could be wrong speaks volumes about starbucks and their knowledge of "perfect espresso".

That was my experience since the training. I'll stick with Peet's where I get real foam and strong, smooth expresso.

That's good, because Starbucks doesn't sell EXPRESSO.

[Darleen]

DARLEEN - sorry to burst your psycho-babble bubble, but trolling on the Internet is a sport totally without motive

Ahhh, I'd watch my temper that vein in your forehead looks like it's about to pop.

[COFFEEISLIFE]

Personally, I think it's a little ridiculous to blame the tanking stock prices on the baristas or to put it solely on corporate's shoulders for that matter... Let's be honest, the economy sucks right now in general... we can thank good ole' W for that one... and gas prices are through the roof... when you have to cut corners, luxuries like Sbux visits are the first thing to go...
I'll be the first to admit, when it started costing me up around $30 to fill the tank on my "fuel efficient" car, I started brewing my morning coffee at home and limiting my Starbucks visits to once, maybe twice a week... usually a weekend treat. I love their coffee but it's just not financially feasible right now...
So let's stop trying to place the blame on the poor baristas who, like the rest of us, are just trying to make ends meet...

OK, sermon over... :)

americanos can be really crappy if the shots are bad. I think it's easier to get a bad americano than a bad sugary milky drink.

"Baristas" who THINK they're entitled to do as they wish, but then turn around and say they're only doing what corporate sends down. "Baristas" thinking they can ALTER a PAYING customer's beverage. Ha! If I ever found out that this happened to me, I would find any and every way to have that employee terminated. If the manager decided to stand up for the employee, they'd be gone, too. It's far too easy to be a thorn in a corporate office's side to the point where they'd believe it easier to let someone go than it would be to deal with several customers complaining constantly

Are you several customers now? Do you have alter ego's? Believe me, I know without a doubt that with your attitude someone has already altered your drink.Wish I could've been a fly on that wall.

[imaproudbarista]

Hm I really don't see the point in people bashing starbucks, if they hate it so much. If you do, do something more valuable with your time. Anger gets you nowhere.

Welcome to the trollfest ANON at 6:34
Doesn't feel too nice does it? So from now on keep your bashing to yourself.

[Zipy]

Personally, I think it was good -- overall. Even my store which is pretty good on training/standards/making drinks -- learned some new things. It's hard to teach every new person everything and sometimes things slip -- like how to foam milk "correctly" sometimes it seems so easy you just assume everyone can do it.

Will this make every starbucks everywhere, better? No. Will it raise the bottom standard? Probably. Overall the general starbucks experience should suck less.

Still, stores that sucked before will suck now. They suck, not because of corporate lack of training or the lack of effort on them -- they suck cause they are full of people who suck. The DMs of such stores suck, the SMs of such stores suck, and in general the partners tend to suck.

The sad nature of Starbucks is its so easy to suck and spread your sucking all throughout your store.

Welcome to Retail.

[Nerfebarista]

Anon 6:34

I'd never condone alstering a customer's order, but I posted that to give you a taste of what I feel when you come here and troll for angry posts.

I know you'd never speak to anyone in real life the way you speak to people on this board, so I played the same angle to get you in a rage. feel good?

see ya

[OHS]

Ever since the training day my drinks have been much better, except for this morning, and the service has been even better (its usually pretty good at our starbucks)

But what I don't get as a customer is why some of you baristas think that its ok to mess with a paying customer's drink just because they have a "bad attitude." I'm not bashing starbucks or anything, but no business should ever do that to a paying customer. you just serve them their drink, they leave, and you don't have to see them again. If its a good drink, they might have a better attitude, and if its bad, then maybe they won't come back and you don't have to worry about him or her again.

[adam]

"the fact that so many have no idea how an americano could be wrong speaks volumes about starbucks and their knowledge of "perfect espresso".- Jane

One of the best posts I've ever read here Jane! The americano really exposes the weakness of Starbucks shots. It doesn't help that most employees probably aren't coffee drinkers. Most of them are drinking frapps when I see them on break.

[Real Partner]

Hey PartNerr Darleen,

Is Pat Nerr and Partner or is any Partner a Pat Nerr?

[Kittymoose]

OHS:

The messing with a person's drink thing really doesn't reflect on Starbucks as a company. It reflects on the people that work at Starbucks. And believe me, this isn't a phenomenon limited to Starbucks. I know plenty of waitresses that will give decaf to customers that are exceedingly rude. (or sometimes to the cooks when they're rude). No matter how nice you think a person is being, a good rule of thumb is NEVER be rude to a person serving you food. It may or may not come back to bite you. Personally, I'm not that way, but you never know.