Reviewer gives Starbucks' Ham, Egg & Cheddar Sandwich an A-

One critic's comments on the Starbucks Black Forest Ham, Egg & Cheddar Breakfast Sandwich: "Larger than an Egg McMuffin, and subtler flavors than similar sandwiches at McDonald's. Great, full flavor on the ham. Nice texture contrast." Meanwhile, the White Hen Egg, Ham & Cheese Croissant gets a C. (Chicago Tribune/reg.-req.)

Comments

[Chris Meisenzahl]

Sounds tasty! ;-)

It is .. but just one more thing to do without extra coverage.

I use an oven (not just a warming oven, but a true one) and a meat slicer every day when I work (at *$) and I don't get extra coverage. Stop your whining.

[deusx]

You don't work at a starbucks. You work at a place that sells starbucks products. You are already set up flow wise and employee wise for a the products you sell. The OP's point is that the stores are set up to do one thing, which is make beverages. The deployment is set up for that, the scheduling is set up for that and the layout of the stores is set up for that. Just dropping a warming oven on a counter (really, at some of the proposed stores, thats about as in depth as the planning is) does snarl stuff up a bit.

[Lauren]

Our food UPH today was 36, our bakery dollars are usually about $400 a day, and our pastry per transaction is close to 80 cents. Our customers would KILL for an oven. I on the other hand am hoping they don't see the potential in our market (until they figure out that they need more coverage) because I'm 5 on in the morning and sometimes our heads are barely above water. Add in the small things like training new people and just general out of sync-ness and you're...screwed.

I see a tsunami of "hold on one second, ma'am" coming my way.

[CoffeeBoy]

The DC market was one of the 1st markets to have the ovens on a large basis. Does it slow stuff down - I have not seen it (much). When they were brand new the stores had alot of extra help. But as with anything - baristas learn how to make a latte and warm a sandwich at the same time.

Are they as good as McD's? I think so.

[DC Partner]

FYI. You get labor credit for all warmed sandwiches and bakery items. Also, there is a deployment standard for the oven. Its not like they just plop the oven on the counter and hope the manager can figure it out.

Its not like they just plop the oven on the counter and hope the manager can figure it out.

Sorry I was laughing to hard to respond.....

[deusx]

FYI, I've spoken to managers in test markets and the labor isn't enough. And the deployment suggestions are often not even tailored for the store layout. Kind of like how alot of Siren's eyes are generic and want you to put up an table where some wacky like a wall is.
It seems in my personal experience that the people who come up with deployment charts, siren's eyes, etc. are very removed from the enviroment of real day to day business and business issues.

[deusx]

Wow just please ignore the first posting, as it reads like I'm drunk. Reposted here:

FYI, I've spoken to managers in test markets and the labor isn't enough. Also, the deployment suggestions are often not even tailored for the store layout. Kind of like how alot of Siren's eyes are generic and want you to put up a table where something wacky like a wall is.
It seems in my personal experience that the people who come up with deployment charts, siren's eye's, etc. are very removed from the enviroment of real day to day business and business issues.

[healthwatch]

The breakfast sandwiches in the Bel Air,md. store come pre-packaged with ingrdients listed. They have trans fats. So do some of the cookies. It's your life.

[Mike]

What if Starbucks sold gum with an intense coffee, latte, or cappuccino flavor? It could be loaded with caffeine to get your buzz as well.

Does anybody have an opinion on new products entering the coffee businesws like Coke Blak and caffeinated bottled water?

Would anybody be interested in trying caffeine patches (like nicotine patches) or a sleep inducing blend?

Are self-heating and self-cooling coffee cans (with chemicals inside that you push a button to activate) a good idea?

[Theolaxor]

hmmm i wonder what the difference between a latte and cappuccino falvoured gum would be?

The "cappuccino" flavor would be some nasty dusty cinnamon dried coffee flavor like most "cappuccinos" out there!

[kuppa]

Mike, how about some caffiene loaded cinnamon dolce latte gum...but you would have to make sure to capture the taste of the whip cream and dolce topping...yummy!

A self-heating coffee can. Sounds interesting! It could work if you could make it taste super fresh and could have varieties that are black, w/cream, and w/cream and sugar. Wasn't a beer company going to try a self cooling can?

[kuppa]

I have been working with the warming oven for a few months now. I love what it does for our food line-up, hate how it kills my deployment.

Usually the floater gets tied down at the oven for a while in the morning. Fortunately, I have a super-experienced crew, and they continue to move the line if the floater gets stuck.

If I am lucky enough to see it coming, I will deploy the second register partner to warming and carry on. (we usually run a 4-person floor)

I agree Ham, Egg and Cheddar is a huge hit. My customers love it. Sadly, they are going to change it out for a different version really soon-huge mistake I think!

[coffeecat]

In those markets with warming ovens, there difinately has to be the warming button on the POS, but you can't be so pesimistic in your thinking that your store would fall apart if you started to sell breakfast sandwiches. Our's is a new store and we could use some more hands, but the bottom line is just that. These little sandwiches are selling so well and we are managing just fine with our serving times in line with where we need to be. It just takes a positive outlook and some work in order to make things run smoothly IMO.

[Darleen]

"It just takes a positive outlook and some work in order to make things run smoothly IMO."

Well said coffeecat, well said.

[Donuts]

Are there any GOOD Pastries at Starbucks? All I have tasted and read about are not GOOD?

[Just Tried One]

A-??? BS. While not directly offensive. That particular sandwich is nearly tasteless. If it weren't for the necessity of chewing I wouldn't have believed that I was eating actual food. On the blandness scale, if styrofoam is a 10, then the Starbucks ham, egg, and cheese sandwich is an 8.5. Sorry. That reviewer either has magically sensitive taste buds, or was paid off. Or perhaps he/she thinks that anything that doesn't make you gag warrants at least a B?