"From the Comfy Chair": Juan stops by Howard Schultz's neighborhood

BY "JUAN VALDEZ"

Starbucks
4000 E. Madison
Seattle

This particular column should be called "From the Starbucks that used to be a Starbucks cafe but that got scrapped a while back so now it's just a huge Starbucks" because, this week, I decided to mosey on over to Howard Schultz's stomping grounds amidst the stately mansions of the Madison Park neighborhood of east Seattle and see what was going on.

Madison Park is quite the place. It manages the neat trick of being in an urban area without seeming to be urban. It sits at the bottom of a hill, on the edge of Lake Washington and if you weren't familiar with the environs known as downtown Seattle, you'd never know downtown Seattle sat just three miles over the hill. You'd also never know that, about half way between you in Madison Park and downtown is the hood otherwise known as the Central Area. And yes, I say hood knowing full well what it means.  Ahhh...the smashing together of cultures. But that's what diversity is all about, eh?

I knew this store was the original Cafe Starbucks but, still, I wasn't expecting it to be so big. I think it pushes 4000 square feet in size which is getting close to the size of a Denny's. There's two condiment bars serving two separate seating areas.  For our purposes, that means two separate condiment bars not to clean. And there's more tables not to clean. And much more floor space not to be swept. 

Honest to God, I really thought a store so close to Howard's heart would be more on the ball but they weren't. The only time someone came out from behind the counter while I was there was to replace a milk pitcher. That's it. And they didn't bother to look at any part of the lobby to see if it needed cleaning, which it did. The bathroom had the prerequisite scratches and phlegm stains on the mirror (I'm beginning to think they send them from the factory that way) as well as some paper towels scattered on the floor. /CONTINUED IN THE FIRST COMMENT

Comments

[JUAN VALDEZ]

No, the four partners on the floor weren't busy. Customers wandered in, were taken care of and then the partners went about their business behind the counter.

At one point, part of their business was to help me. I decided on a cup of the Clover coffee, in particular the Ethiopia Sun-Dried Yirgacheffe. I couldn't pronounce it when I ordered it however I didn't feel bad because the register partner couldn't either. Nor could the partner who wandered over to the Clover machine to actually make my drink.

The coffee itself was quite good. It was light and crisp with a nice, clean finish. The best thing about it, though, was it tasted fresh and not like old, burned rubber tires from the back part of the junkyard. What was missing, however, was any semblance of service.

I had just stood there, asking questions about the coffee and the machine, clearly not having ever had a cup made by the Clover process and all I got was my coffee and a thank you. That was it. During the rest of my stay, I periodically considered just how awesome it might be if that person were to come out from behind the counter (maybe there was an invisible death ray which prevented it) to see just what I thought of this crazy thing they call a Clover cup of coffee and did I like it? And how did I compare it to a regular cup of old burned rubber tire brew from the brewer? And the next time I stop in maybe I should try the Sumatra because that was the partner's personal favorite because the Clover managed to highlight the earthy, musky flavor of Sumatra without letting it deteriorate into that funky, four wheeler mud concoction you're still tasting in your throat a week later. Alas...twas not to be. What a missed opportunity and it would have been so natural.

Instead, all my $3.25 got me was the ole "churn and burn." And right in Howard's backyard too. Oh, how far legendary has fallen.

Time of day: early afternoon


# of partners on the floor: 4


Service time: 3.5 minutes


Business level: slow


Was the bathroom cleaner than a gas station bathroom?: no


Legendary service: no


Would I recommend to a friend: Probably because it wasn't horrible...just ordinary

COLUMN STATS


* # of stores reviewed where a partner has tried to connect with a customer – 7 out of 19

* # of stores where they've offered samples of anything – 2 out of 19



* # of stores that could have been considered "understaffed" - 0 out of 19

* # of stores with a clean bathroom – 10 out of 19

[JT]

or maybe, just maybe, that clover has been out long enough in the seattle area that the partners do not feel compelled to have to oversell it because it is the new thing.

[Ryan (SS)]

Or maybe, just maybe, these partners are like plenty of others in the stores and just tired of the stores and bitter. What we really need to do now is start hiring GOOD people. We need to bring back the stringent hiring requirements that I was hired under. Especially in this recession, isn't this the best time to "shop" for good baristas and get rid of the bitter ones and the ones that can't multitask?

[Melody]

It's been almost a year since I've been to that store I think. Just don't get out there much. Last time I was at Madison Park store my experience was just like yours. Kinda blah. I will say, and I'm sure this is just a function of the neighborhood, that the store has a pretentious vibe to me. That's the feeling I got last time I was there, eons ago, and perhaps that's changed, or maybe if I went out there again I wouldn't think that ...

As to the Clover, it's been in Seattle for quite a while. I discovered it about Jan 2007. I get the impression that it's no longer exciting and unusual to baristas, but to customers, who are very much lagging behind in catching up to 'what is this cool piece of equipment?' it IS still exciting and interesting. Baristas simply forget that many customers don't know what the Clover is, and on top of that, we all realize that baristas are tired and more tired given the labor cuts.

I've seen the exact same thing happen with the Clover here in Seattle stores. I look and I see the customer before me or standing near me has wide eyes and a facial expression of curiosity about this thing called the Clover, but some how the moment gets lost too quickly. It would be super easy to do more sampling from the Clover since it's a lot less trouble than preparing a French press, and sampling coffee would be a wonderful thing for a coffee house to do! But alas, I haven't seen that in ages. A store near me with the Clover previously made a point of sampling every Friday at noon from the Clover, but then with a change of managers quite recently, the sampling seems to have just died away.

[OverCaffeinated]

When I first became a shift, it was my goal to do a coffee tasting with my crew 1st thing every morning, and make sure everybody finished their coffee passport. What quickly became apparent, however, was that if I didn't use that 20 min of downtime to prep for that day all h*ll would break loose. When I was finally given the green light to start working on my Coffee Master Apron, they pulled the program. The training for new baristas is practically nonexistant, I can't remember the last time I've seen a manager sit down with a new hire and a french press of coffee. I'm constantly amazed at the number of new partners who will not even touch a cup of coffee. Too much sampling skews our pastry markouts, and to be honest very few of our customers have any inclination to discuss coffee, most just want it two minutes before they ordered it, and run out the door barely looking up from their cell phone. I would say that the reason nobody engaged you in a conversation about your clover coffee is because they have absolutely no idea what it tastes like, how to describe it, or how to discern the various flavor profiles of the coffees they are serving. Come to think about it, I can't remember the last time I've even seen a coffee passport! It's sad that it's happening even in Howard Schultz's backyard, but honestly, he probably hasn't made an unannounced store visit in years. It's much easier to bury your head in the sand that way.

[Not Bitter, Just Sad]

There would be no need to hire GOOD people if the company hadnt weeded out most of them in the name of saving money. You have to be available 24/7 now a days to get hired or even get hours. What happen to staffing your store based on your specific needs? Most of my partners pretty much had open availibility but had preferences. By taking care of my partners, they took care of me and each other. I had the lowest turnover rate in the district, less than 25%. I was open almost a year before I lost my first partner which is nearly unheard of in any business like ours. My partners were happy and my average tenure was over 3yrs. My point, managers no longer run their stores, upper management does. They arent there connecting with the partners or the customers everyday making a difference but there they are telling us how to do our jobs. Its when they took away our individuality and what made each of our stores special & unique that things started going south. No matter how desparate a person needs a job, they will only take so much shit. You can multitask all day but if you have a line to the door, theres only so much you can do at one time. Ultimately, the customers suffer. We have the right to be bitter, we are parnters. This is our company too and we have no say. Wasnt it during the "old days" when WE had control of our stores that we were doing well as a company? Why wouldnt we long to have that back? WE are the ones in the trenches having to deal with the aftermath of their decisions. Sure the economy has some to due with our situation, but the downslide started long before the recession.

[Not Bitter, Just Sad, too.]

Not Bitter, Just Sad,
I love your ID. It says so much about you. (I wish I had thought of it first.)
Today, I saw a couple spend several minutes looking at espresso machines. I would have enjoyed showing/demo-ing them but I had a line and I was at the register. We don't qualify for a floater so it was just me and the barista at the bar. By the time I had time, they were long gone.
An hour later . . . some woman was picking up bags of beans looking for descriptions or something but again, I was tied up at the register. I did see her leave empty handed. She wont be back.
Please allow me to sort of use your ID just this once.

[SPORK]

If we're expected to hire the 'best' we need to pay a wage that is competitive. Right now the 'best' are going to indie coffee shops, where many are being given LIVING wages (yes... that means above the poverty line!) Or even choosing other career paths, where internships pay 10 dollars an hour (to start!)

[baristajack]

Is it just me? I have been a partner for almost 2 years now, I do my best to do my job well, care about my customers experience, and have learned the hard way not to make waves with fellow partners. I have learned that it is part of a person's make up to care, or not to care. I myself cannot believe the changes in just 2 years, when i was hired it was about 20 hours a week to be eligible for benefits, because God knows you cant make a living off the pay, but this company has gone from caring about coffee, service, people, and it's partners, to just caring about making cost cuts. they want 7 days a week all day long availabilty in the hopes you'll be put on the schedule, Moral is all an all time low, everyone is on edge, and Starbucks is foolish if they dont think this comes across to customers. I agree we have been able to do more with less, we work a little harder but it can be done.providing eveyone " IS" working. no complaints, but this not knowing if your going to have a job next week sucks. I was told we were in the people business, and happened to sell coffee. Isn't that what set Starbucks apart from the others? If this whole cutting cost priority above all doesnt change, we will be in worse trouble than we are in. let's get back to what we started. slow and steady wins the race...

[NOT JUAN]

I don't get it. Several of you have responded to Juan's column by relating stories of how you have had lines out the door or were stuck by the register. He's telling you (again) about a store that is fully staffed, not busy and yet is not being kept up to even minimum standards. Also, bitter or not, it shouldn't take a customer hitting you over the head to start a conversation about your product. That is the thing that gives you a reason to open the doors! How hard is it, when there is no line, to be just slightly curious as to whether what you just served your customer is at all satisfying?

There are probably twenty-five good reasons why Starbucks sales are down; economy, product, fill in the blank. A total lack of interest in the customer just adds another one. The typical partner can't do much about most of these reasons, but personal attitude is something that each partner can control, frankly, very easily.

[Going! Going! Gone!]

Not Bitter, Just Sad,

You are exactly right. Management shot itself in the foot and now it’s up to us to heal their wounds. What a crock. You’re also right about the slumping economy coming after management destroyed the company. There probably was no group of people happier to see the economy have problems than our upper management. That way they could hide some of their mistakes and not take all the blame for their screw ups. Is his name Howard Shultz or Coward Shultz?

[Not Bitter, Just Sad]

Not Bitter, Just Sad, too

Use it all you want, I think many feel this way or at least the tenured partners that are left. Ive been in the service industry for over 25 years, God I feel old, and love it. I may not be able to speak in front of a group but I can act like a fool with my customers. I hate that they are the ones who ultimately suffer, just as the ones you mentioned, because we dont have the time to give them the attention they need or deserve. Yes, there are many who are jerks and plain out just rude but there are many more who are not and look to us for knowledge and are unable to get it. I hate that the partners who truly love their jobs and want to focus on custmer service cant and are left frustrated and exausted. Im no longer with Starbucks because of the decisions upper management has made. I cant sacrifice my dedication to service for money. I know there are share holders, but werent we share holders too? I longed for what was and it seems more and more everyday, from what I read here, that its a thing of the past. Todays Starbucks isnt the one of years ago. The commitment to service that made the company legendary has faded. Starbucks set the bar and now upper management had lowered it all the name of sacrificing its partners for money. Im sorry to hear about your customers and Im sure youre only one of many who has to endure this daily. You can only do the best you can and hope that it will be enough. Kudos to all of the stores out there who have managed to maintain the levels of service but unfortunately, they are the minority. Thanksfully Ive moved on to a better place where I can focus on my customers hence my name Not Bitter, Just Sad..... that a company I loved and admired so much is gone.

[Not Bitter, Just Sad]

@NOT JUAN - Ryan (SS) stated:

Or maybe, just maybe, these partners are like plenty of others in the stores and just tired of the stores and bitter. What we really need to do now is start hiring GOOD people. We need to bring back the stringent hiring requirements that I was hired under. Especially in this recession, isn't this the best time to "shop" for good baristas and get rid of the bitter ones and the ones that can't multitask?

Posted by: Ryan (SS)

Thats where my comment came from. We had plenty of GOOD partners and not everyone is bitter, they are just sad at the direction the company has taken and what it is doing. There is no connection anymore. During Juans visit no one seemed to care, not 1 of the 4 partners showed any interest in him. Thats todays Starbucks vesus the one of long ago. The GOOD baristas have almost all moved on or been shipped out

[Not Bitter, Just Sad]

NOT JUAN

I do agree with you. We can control our attitudes and we should be interested in whether or not our customers are satisfied, thats why I moved on. Its just sad that the ones who do care dont have the time to show it and the ones who do have the time dont care to ask.

[bythebook]

Juan- I would appreciate in your next visit if you would to try to order a "pairing" but ask for a substitution- but still request the lower pricing. I wonder whether these stores (in the home market)"just say yes" or stick with the stated "pairing" policy of no substitions.

BTW- the way, thanks for these field reports- I read weekly & take to heart.

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

Juan,
I like your posts. But how was the pastry case? Were there crumbs in it? Did it look full.

[Cali-mgr]

@ Ryan (SS)- when I think about some of the tenured partners who think they know the good ole' days and are great multi-taskers, they are the partners who have some of the worst attitudes. They don't care about too much except themselves...how hard they work.....how many years they've worked...how much respect they feel is owed to them. Some of the new partners have that spirit that maybe you had when you were hired...they care about the customers, the store and the business. Managers can be much more "stringent" when they need to hire, but most are already. It comes down to how many burnt beans are in the store already that aren't going to give the new "green bean" the tools and resources to do the job like SB lays it out during first impressions. Remember why you come to work and if your not happy then get another job or quit. Please don't be a burnt bean, it ruins the experience for everyone at the store!

[Mrs. Tillinghamshackles]

bythebook,
I am in the Seattle area, and, at least at my store, we only allow the substitutions stated in the promotional materials (iced coffee, decaf, or morning pick in place of PPR).

Our manager will allow us to substitute the blueberry coffee cake but IF and ONLY IF we are out of the cinnamon swirl and the customer specifically asks for the coffee cake / latte pairing.

[Going! Going! Gone!]

@Cali-mgr & Ryan (SS) –

You may call me bitter, but I multitask better than most anyone and serve the customers in my store in a more than legendary fashion. My store is great and the partners are top notch. We welcome new partners warmly and train them well. Those are the responsibilities that go along with being a seasoned barista and partner. However, if the upper management is so dead set on holding me to my part of the bargain, why should I not expect the same from them? They have proven incompetent in their positions, they ran this company into the ground (long before the economy tanked), and continue to disappoint partners and customers with their misguided decisions. With all this going for them they have the audacity to tell me how to do my job while their performance is a catastrophe. The only reason I continue to post negative truths on this site is to keep corporate management held responsible for their actions. This is the one thing they don’t want; partners with a memory. This wasn’t their company they ruined, it was ours; all of ours.

[jenn]

Are there any other readers bored to death with the store review articles? I don't think I'm going to read this site anymore.

[not bitter, not sad, just not interested in drivel]

Yes Jenn. I find the store review articles boring and self indulgent and don't read them. In fact, I read this thread merely out of curiosity to see whether anyone even reads or cares about the drivel.

Lots of people crediting the front lines for the success of the company and blaming "management" for its failures. Simple analysis, simple minds.

Who was to blame for the company's hard times around 2001-02?
If the company begins seeing improving comps and foot traffic improving over the next few months and years, who gets the credit?
Those bashing the stock/share price on this website have been mum of late. As they should.

[Ryan (SS)]

@ Everyone

I hope my comment wasn't taken wrong! I simply meant that most stores I've worked in now have the "bitter, burnt beans" and the new hires that tend to come in aren't given the necessary tools to learn their job. This is DEFINITELY a corporate issue, and I was trying to point this out with the comment. I agree that things are tough and corporate needs to realize this, even with a highly spirited new hire it's hard to be a learning coach and teach them correctly when you're given 0% training hours. I am not a burnt out bean. I may have lost a little faith in corporate, but I still believe in my own store and our own connections with our customers. It saddens me when I go into a store and hear all the cynical talk about how the company is going down. I'm all for green beans, it's just the ones I've seen hired in my district recently have high turn over and don't even make conversations with customers when they have the chance =(
What I meant to convey earlier was that this is the perfect chance to hire the right people in the company in bring back the face for Starbucks that everyone fell in love with in the beginning. But there is only so much we can do when corporate keeps piling new things on us and slashing hours. Even still, I'm happy to be a part of my store, making connections with customers every day. I hope other partners can dedicate themselves to their own stores too.

[NOT JUAN]

@ Jenn (and you with the nine word name)

That little arrow thingy is called a cursor. Hover over something you like and click! I'm already not missing you.

[Barista Ben]

I like the reviews -- it shows that I am not the only one noticing the decline of what once was. Being in a store full of old time partners who still remember coffee seminars and making the third place, we keep seeing what we once cared about being chipped away.

As for you people who are not interested in the article, welcome to the internet. Feel free to go else where if you're bored. No one cares.

[smtss]

maybe just maybe the reason you didnt get a clover happy ending juan is that you're a stuck up douchebag and your column stinks like old man ass! mad park is one of the best stores ever, you obviously need to get over yourself!

[Going! Going! Gone!]

@Ryan (SS) -

I understand what you’re saying now. I misunderstood you before. I agree there are a lot more people searching for a job now and managers have a lot more to pick from. Managers will still need to look for people that aren’t just going to quit again once the economy turns around. So it still might be a bit difficult sorting through the pile for the best candidates while eliminating those that will most definitely be transitional. It is better from a hiring point of view though.

[Damien]

I love these reviews
It's good seeing a store from a customer's point of view
Albeit a very SBUX management-savvy customer

[tallgrandeventi]

Juan Valdez, started out on this quest of visiting stores with an open mind, but apparently has somehow turned bitter and jaded along the way.

Before you pounce on me... I was a Starbucks partner for 6 years, working first at the SSC and then in a store as a manager. I left less than a year ago, not because I had lost faith in Starbucks, but rather I was seeking more stable working hours than those I had to deal with as Store Manager.

I still frequent Starbucks and likely always will. When I see a problem, I pass it on to the local management team so they can deal with it. But, I have NOT become anti Starbucks as JV apparently has become in his posts.

[Just Curious]

Juan should go through a busy drive-thru in the morning and see what that experience is like. I like the columns and would like to see his "third-place" experience in the drive-thru.

[SMD]

I enjoy the reviews. I don't read them as being anti-Starbucks, just honest. 7 out of 19 trying to "connect with a customer" sounds about right to me.

[Going! Going! Gone!]

There is a huge difference between jaded and realistic. Juan has a realistic approach to how things should be. There’s also a difference between reality and fantasy. This is the true problem that every Starbucks retail partner must endure on a daily basis as a result of upper management’s incompetence. They seem to believe that much more can be accomplished every day with massive labor cuts than is possible. It’s our job to fix the company that it’s taken them seven years to destroy.

Keep up the good work Juan!

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

I think as we see the rollout of L.E.A.N. management, it’s interesting to note the first target of it was the pastry case. Does it seem for them that the pastry case takes too long to setup and maintain? I think instead of focusing on how to setup the pastry more efficiently, we should focus on leaner pastries? Does anybody know how gross carbs and sugar are? How about we use natural or organically-certified pastries instead that was locally grown? I know that Starbucks is working to roll-out pastries that will use better ingredients but I don’t see a fundamental change in the number of calories or fat in them, other than being trans-fat free. I personally, believe that we while we should not try to tell people how to eat, I do think that it is horrible the number of obese people who come into the store each day. We should at least offer brochures on how to a healthier lifestyle. Yes, I am saying obese people; make unhealthy choices that result in them being overweight. A recent report by the UN, has pointed out that obese people cause climatic change. With this program called L.E.A.N. and Skinny platform, shouldn’t we want slim people working at Starbucks. We should not hire fat people to work at Starbucks and encourage other partners who have trouble with their weight to stop eating and exercise. It would be more profitable to keep partners and customers longer so they can get more money out of them. Although I am willing to believe that obese people don’t always make choices to be fat, sometimes they aren’t educated on how to be thinner. Starbucks should make it part of their mission to promote lifestyles that are healthy by educating them about the dangers of obesity and how they can lower their risks. For example, stop eating sugars and carbs. Eating vegetables and fruits are very good for you. But just by choosing to eat healthy you have to also exercise. That means, Starbucks should close the drive-thrus. Customers can waddle into Starbucks to get their beverages and pastries instead. At not a few Starbucks I work at there is a common crowd of spinsters who can’t see why they can’t find a date. Oh wait I see it, its your fat ass. Only 30 minutes, three times a week can make your junk in your trunk go away and you can finally wear that thong you’ve wanted so much but been afraid that others will throw up in their mouth. The Western ideal of beauty can be traced to our Hellenic roots. If you don’t fit then, that’s too bad. But for all you fuglies out there, try a paper bag next time. Miss California, BTW, is much more beautiful although I believe the question on gay marriage should be left to the people, therefore the states to decide. All the smart gay people can move to one area, and all the ignorant people can move to the others. It’s a proven economic fact that gay people are more affluent, educated and physically attractive than straight people.
L.E.A.N. management in the end should not only be focused on efficiency but also on educating customers on eating too much of the wrong things. It personally grosses me out when I see the fatties walk in and order some disgusting beverage that they obviously don’t need. They are either uneducated or have no willpower to make a healthy choice in their life. I just want to give them a cup of water and tell them to stop killing themselves slowly. See I really care about them because sometimes they can’t see their feet or what they’re doing to their bodies.

BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL
PRIMUS INTER PARES
STARBUCKS REBEL ALLIANCE
AIM SN: BOSTONSTARREEBEL

[barist]

Skinny people only ever make good choices, you can tell by their slim waistlines!
Do you ever read this repetitive, stupid drivel that you post?
sbux should have healthier, ethically grown, local options not because baristas should patrol the fatties, but because those options can be more delicious, sustainable and attractive for our customers.

[the watcher]

Life is full of choices..rebel...your mentality is we are doing it to them...they like everyone else can make decisions....not hire fat people...where do you come from....people are fat because of their choices...keep coming to my store i need the sales...life is tough but we have free choice...i will keep my fats and sugars

[Yay 4 healthy food]

Boston Starbucks Rebel:

I really hope that was sarcasm... genetics cause everyone to have a different healthy weight, and figuring out if a person is there is between them and their doctor.

Though that did remind me of a time we had a morbidly obese woman come into our store. And I'm not saying that to exaggerate or be rude, the poor lady was something close to 300 or 400 pounds. I wasn't about to pass judgement on her choices, this could be something rare for her. Until she started complaing, loud and condescending, that the drink I made her was gross because it didn't have enough white mocha or whipped cream. Jesus...

But yeah. I wish Starbucks had garden salads. Though the dried fruit and nuts are awesome, so are the fruit salads.

[spence]

Boston Starbucks Rebel,
I think you were downright nasty and mean. Do you take it personally when you see a gay fat man? Do you worry that they will give gay people a bad name? Are you so judgmental of everyone else because you are hard on yourself?
I don't know why you enjoy knocking so many people down but you might want to try to figure that out yourself.
By the way, I'm originally from Boston and I find your verbal behavior embarrasing and offensive.
P.S. I am not overweight or even a little too heavy.

[spence]

Lastly Webmaster. I like Juan. (in case this becomes a number game.)

[BSR is a bigot and a turd]

All I have to say to BSRs post is... ...What a bunch of bullshit!! I am a heavy set girl, and I deserve the same respect and dignity as everyone else. Starbucks prides itself as diverse, and it takes all kinds to make it that way.

BSR>>>>>> I apologize if you do not want to look at "fatties" like me, so guess what biotch...CLOSE YOUR FUCKIN EYES!!! You are always talking about this one and that ones fat ass BSR...Could it be that maybe it is you with the fat ass and the obviously closed mind and bigoted attitude?? I am ashamed to know that you work somewhere in my district. I can always lose weight if I choose, but BSR you will always be an asshole
PS It isn't fat people destroying our environment...its blowhards like you spewing your diarrhea of the mouth everywhere.

[SM]

On a side note:

Does anyone else, SM's and above, have a conference call scheduled for tomorrow? Have any ideas what this call is about?
Haven't seen anything on the financial sites that would warrant a call. Whats the deal? Would happen on my day off too :{

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

Why would somebody chose to be obese. Lack of motivation to live a healthy lifestyle. If I even became a little fat, I would probably stop eating and diet. Yes, we all deserve dignity and respect. I'm not saying don't come into Starbucks, but you should avoid the fattening, sugary foods. Obesity leads to numerous health problems and is practically an epidemic in this country. Don't you want to be beautiful and wear a size 0 like me??

[Mysticboi]

Woah woah woah... Beautiful and Size 0? Where I'm from, that's a girl thing. BSR is a girl? Haha, funny how I thought you were always a guy.

[lets get real]

I severely doubt you are a size zero, people who believe they are perfect seldom are.

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

"Believing oneself to be perfect is often the sign of a delusional mind."

Data, Star Trek: First Contact

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

Hippocrates recognized that obesity was a disease that could lead to many others. I think that obese people for some maddening reason choose a lifestyle which could result in multiple health issues in their later life. But why should Starbucks be so concerned about obese customers and removing the temptation of unhealthy choices? In the long run, Starbucks must offer these choices as a default and not as the norm. What’s next, in the cafes will we have to built reinforced café furniture so that their superfluous weight won’t break it? Just as we switched over to 2% milk, shouldn’t we make frappuccino light the default and crème light also the default. And lets really get rid of signature hot chocolate, because we all know how much fat is in it. People who are obese have much lower life expectancies than healthy people do. Therefore, the amount of money that they’ll spend at Starbucks will be significantly lower. Stop giving them lethal venti cup fulls of frappuccinos!
People don’t like it when they’re told they’re fat. But I’m sorry the truth sometimes hurt. But also the truth will set you free and on the road to wellness. You just have to get off your butt and decide to make some changes. We at Starbucks need to help customers make those healthy life choices for them. We should not be enablers towards this gross, epidemic disease. Would a bartender in good conscious offer a pregnant woman an alcoholic beverage knowing it could hurt the unborn child? Wait, I forgot the unborn aren’t really people, they’re just a bunch of cells.
Moderation and temperance seems to be lost upon our society of excess and waste. Put that chocolate chip cookie down, right now. You’re killing yourself one bite at a time.

BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL
PRIMUS INTER PARES
STARBUCKS REBEL ALLIANCE
AIM SN: BOSTONSTARREBEL

[green_cup]

I, for one, found BSR's comments to be hilarious!

That's Starbucks' new angle: only hire thin people. All the fatties are going to be fired next quarter!

I will say, seriously, that several companies have started to "force" employees to either lose weight or pay more for than insurance compared to the thin folks. I mean, I assume it's been studied and concluded that obese people (anyone that's overweight) end up having more medical expenses. More medical expenses mean more insurance claims which means more cost to a company, who, in turn, turns that cost over to the participants.

So, even though BSR was wildly insensitive in her (?) comments about larger people, she does make an excellent point that Starbucks could realize significant savings in regards to the benefits it offers employees by firing all the fatties.

Stop eating all the pound cake!

(And, by the way, why is it always the fat baristas that wear low-rise pants and thongs? It's so disgusting and totally makes me want to not buy anything from that store. As well, it's inappropriate. People in public should not be displaying their undergarments. Is that addressed in the Starbucks' dress code? If not, it should be.)

[usorthem3( figure out the jist yet)]

not that it counts here but since u brought it up a bartender has no right in deciding a pregnant womans' drinking habits. i would never impose my judgements on others in that manner. such a logical mind that you seem to reference would question the comment about size zero being the ultimate perfect when clearly perfection is one's own personal opinion. what you find beautiful i might find distasteful. i agree that "over" everything is an issue in the world hence the crisis of perception we humans are destroying ourselves with, balance and understanding are the keys to a healthier lifestyle. i have quite a few regular(daily) customers who have achieved this wonderfully. before a tongue lashing, look in the mirror for your own balance. being truthful can also be harmful as well. have a cup of french press sanani and chill dude or gal which ever you wish to be.

[green_cup]

Well, there's a huge difference between a bartender giving a pregnant woman a beer and a barista at Starbucks giving a morbidly obese person a extra whip, made-with-heavy-whipping cream 10-pump white chocolate mocha with caramel drizzle.

Legally, I guess refusing service on either counts could be considered discrimination, but I think there's a huge difference of degree in ethics here. While, yes, one could argue serving a morbidly obese person a white mocha is unethical, I think serving a pregnant woman a beer is even more unethical.

I do agree, though, that service ought not be refused. It's not up to the server to decide (unless it is a bartender and the person wanting service has had too many drinks.)

[Mysticboi]

I thought the states is full of obese people? Offering lots of unhealthy choices is the way to make money. It's very hard to suppress a large appetite, expecially when there is a store almost every other block. Lets be honest...obese people like taste and low calorie foods have no taste.

[(former) FLA SM]

To everyone who is SO appalled and horrified at BSRs comments about fat people: we smokers have been taking that kind of abuse and prejudice for a LONG time. Funny how it's OK to disparage smokers, but God forbid we should point out someones obesity. Strangers have no problem walking past me and fake coughing as if somehow they are so superior. Maybe I should walk past fat people and make chewing noises.

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

http://www.starbucks.com/sharedplanet/customGR.aspx