Starbucks Gossip

OPEN THREAD conversation-starter: Your thoughts on the new Starbucks Card benefits

I only know what readers are telling me. [UPDATE: DETAILS HERE.] Here's one e-mail that came in.

Tiered benefits linked to the sbux card. 3 levels. You move up tiers by using your card and collecting "stars". Each level gets all the benefits of the previous level. Entry: 0 stars free birthday drink
Green level: 5 stars all current reward card benefits
Gold level: 30 stars all current reward card benefits plus a free drink for every fifteen stars you collect and a personalized gold cards. No more 10%.
Current Gold Card holders start gold. Current Reward cardholders start green. [Starts] December 26th.

Is this correct information? Discuss this or anything else Starbucks-related in the OPEN THREAD. || UPDATE: Starbucks has put out a press release about the rewards changes || Jump to the fourth page of comments.

Three teens sentenced to up to 25 years in prison for killing Starbucks barista

In sentencing the three teens for killing Philadelphia Starbucks employee Sean Patrick Conroy, the judge said he hadn't seen them express any signs of remorse. "I believe they're sorry for where they are," he said, "but I have no sense they feel anything like true remorse for what they did." || Read "Three teens sentence in death of Starbucks manager"

"From the Comfy Chair": Juan visits the University Village Starbucks -- and doesn't hear a thing about VIA!

University Village

4634 26th Avenue NE

Seattle, WA 98105

BY "JUAN VALDEZ"

By request, this week's visit is at the University Village Starbucks. This is the one that is actually in the Village and I believe is the remodeled version. For the uninformed, the University Village store sits in a fairly large assemblage of shops on the edge of the University of Washington campus hence the name “University Village”.

So let me just start out by saying I like it. Not that it doesn't have a couple of areas for improvement but, overall, I left with a good feeling. If I were a University of Washington student with an endlessly reloadable Starbucks card, this is where I would hang out. And, judging from the lobby full of UW students, they agree.

This is a large store with about 25 tables (two of which are 10 seat communal tables) and a couple of comfy chairs and a couple of comfy couches. There's nothing particularly exciting about the space itself (a simply large rectangle) however the designers did a nice job of arranging the various stations so as not to impede the general flow of traffic.

In particular, the clover machine sits over in its own section past the hand off pane rather than be attached to the serving line. The retail section sits on the opposite end of the serving line; easily accessible but not in the way./CONTINUED IN THE FIRST COMMENT

Do you care that Starbucks settled with an ex-employee who jumped to Dunkin'? Or that Starbucks endorses Referendum 71?

Those are the two SBUX-related items that are in the news this week. I suspect it's the latter story that will have conservative Christians screaming boycott again. Referendum 71 would uphold state of Washington law that extends marriage-like benefits to gay, lesbian and some senior couples.
* Starbucks reaches $500,000 deal with former executive
* Starbucks adds name to list of employers supporting R71

Let's get another weekend OPEN THREAD started!

Discuss the Halloween plans for your store -- or bring up anything else Starbucks related in the open thread. Customer questions for Starbucks employees are welcome, too. (Reminder: Keep the conversation civil.) || Jump to the fourth page of comments.

"From the Comfy": What stores should Juan review before he rides off?

Starbucks 1720 Commercial Avenue

Anacortes, WA 98221

BY "JUAN VALDEZ"

After working for SBUX and then doing this column, I honestly thought there was pretty much nothing I hadn't seen before.

Well, after my visit to the cafe store in Anacortes, Washington, I have to admit I was wrong...I hadn't seen it all.

Anacortes is way up in the northwest corner of Washington state, on the tip of Fidalgo Island. It's a sleepy little fishing town that's grown primarily by annexing pockets of commercial real estate (primarily Sharpe's Corner) that are completely disconnected from the town proper.

So let's figure out what it was I saw that was so unusual.

Normal looking exterior – check

Really crowded back bar (it's one of those unbelievably cramped stores where the back counter and cabinets literally are in your face) – check. I've not reviewed one of these kinds of stores but Ive worked in them. I don't know the general consensus on Starbucks Gossip but I always found them to be yucky to work in simply because there was no room to maneuver./ CONTINUED IN THE FIRST COMMENT

Judge says Starbucks' tips policy violates Minnesota law

A federal judge in Minnesota says that "Starbucks' policy violates Minnesota law by requiring employees who work on a particular shift to share tips received on that shift with employees who do not work on that shift," On Sept. 30, he denied class-action status for a lawsuit filed by two former Starbucks baristas, saying that the interests of the class would be divided, because some baristas come out ahead with the current policy. Read "Starbucks' tip policy violates Minnesota law"

Backpacker: I'll feel like I've reached heaven when I hear that Starbucks is selling VIA by the jar

When that happens, "I can measure my own amount of water, spoon in the amount I want and then savor the moment," writes Ray Ford. How about making his dream come true, Starbucks? Read "Starbucks leaves a bad taste in a very needy guy"

Ask questions. Make comments. Let's get the weekend OPEN THREAD going!

Join the OPEN THREAD free-fall-all, where anything Starbucks-related is up for discussion. || Jump to the fourth page of comments.

Starbucks customer wants to know why he can't get a slice of lemon with his iced tea

Anyone have an answer for him? The guy writes of his lemon problem: "Seems to me this is a serious mission disconnect for a company with the rather modest goal of giving people drinks they like." Read "Where Starbucks Fails"