Now you have more than Starbucks' "secret shoppers" to worry about

The 24/7 Wall St. website is sending people out to evaluate Starbucks stores. They're judging wait time, cleanliness, bathroom conditions, personnel and other factors. Here are reviews of New York and Conn. stores, a San Diego store, and Texas stores.

Comments

[CuteBarista!]

OMG the store in Houston is the one i worked at last year. TOO funny. of all the hundreds of starbucks in Houston, they had to pick River Oaks II. Hilarious.

i'd say their evaluation is spot on, at least when i was there. i've heard they've since been remodeled.

How many shots are in a grande? Is it 2 or 3?

Please note, your answer should be cited from the Starbucks training manual...

[Sheik]

The DMV...
The post office...
The bank...

Wait times are HORRIBLE at these places EVERYWHERE yet everyone is focusing on "horrible wait times of 3 minutes" at Starbucks?

Makes ya think!!

[seattlesuburb]

First I was like wow good wait times, but then I saw they were only ordering drips. I dont think you can tell how quick the service is only ordering that.

[LIVE FREE OR DIE]

I can let you know that the Starbucks in Ridgefield, CT does in fact suck. I was there before and guess what, they didn't have decaf iced coffee and it was during the summer. Also, there were six(6) partners on the floor and only one of bar who looked quite overstressed. I can let you know that the people were definetely not friendly and even less knowledgable. I'm not surprised that after I sent in a customer comment card that they have not improved the situation. I know for a fact that there store manager sucks. I wonder if their RDO, Bob, knows what a terrible store that is. Hopefully, they will try to fix the situation but doubtful. I hope Howard Schultz reads the Wall Street Journal.

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[baristacee]

Live Free or Die - None of the stores in my district brew decaf iced coffee. Ever.

We offer an iced decaf americano.

[chi-town's best/angriest barista]

no decaf iced coffee here either. are we even supposed to brew it? i've never heard so. however, this store sucks, and it's rare that we even make decaf frappuccino base mix. and decaf light? forget it.

and as for the comment about 6 partners on the floor and only one bar person flustered to high hell? that is totally what happens to me. sometimes i have to ask them to mark some cups for me since i can't keep up writing them myself and making drinks, and they sort of look at me like "wha? you want me to do work too? no way!" and just keep yelling. and they wonder why i seem to be the angry partner?

[Samplezzz]

We brew decaf ice coffee at my store..we also brew the mild blend all day I've been to many stores who don't.

[LIVE FREE OR DIE]

Sorry about writing "BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL" above there. I was writing the BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL a message accidently left the name there. Boy do I feel stupid. The BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL just called me and wanted to know why the impersonation and said I had to write an official policy. Mea maxiima culpa.

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[c money]

decaf iced coffee is for pussies. i always give 'em full test no matter what. never had a complaint, probably wouldn't care if i did.

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[SATX]

Which beans do you use to brew the decaf iced coffee? This is news to me.

[Pasaro]

Starbucks does not brew iced coffee. These clowns are in their own world making up their own rules.

Pasaro

[NewShift]

Er, yes we do.

Why would you say we don't brew iced coffee? Did somebody change that policy since I got off work this afternoon?

Yes, I was wondering how we did decaf iced coffee. I never knew there was a decaf terraza blend. Unless its the double-strength decaf coffee we brew to also make the decaf frappuccino base?

[LIVE FREE OR DIE]

Turns out we brew our own in my store.
Rock on!

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[rahul]

Did any outlet opens in india or not?

If yes , than where is it

[LIVE FREE OR DIE]

I heard that one opended in Mumbai.

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For Iced Decaf, you use the remaining decaf espresso that was double brewed to make the decaf frappuccino base. The double decaf has a 48 hour hold time if not mixed with the frappuccino base, and I've never worked in a store that needed more than one decaf frappuccino in a day so this has always seemed to work fairly well. Hope this helps.

[Jessi]

we don't either.

i just pour some drip over ice, if it's ever ordered.....which it's not.

at least that's what i WOULD do

[Taylor]

Decaf IC and Decaf Frappuccino Light are optional for stores based on VOLUME. Amazing the arrogance in many of your comments regarding quality of a store and the variety of decaf options available. According to policy, mild must only be available until 12, then based on the SM decision, it can either be brewed all day or not.

My store does not offer any of the above. At 12, our mild ceases to exist. And to be honest, with the introduction of CBB Light, we wouldn't even have room in our fridge for light decaf.

[CuteBarista!]

christ...CBB light?!

where am i supposed to put that?

[Jessi]

((Starbucks does not brew iced coffee. These clowns are in their own world making up their own rules.

Pasaro))

uhhhh......yess....we do?...:\

[VKW]

I am amazed at the ignorance. YES, we brew Decaf Iced Coffee. And YES, every store SHOULD be brewing it.

Before Terraza, we used House blend for Iced Coffee. House and Decaf House. Yes, there is no decaf Terraza. A full batch of decaf house brewed on half over 2 liters of ice is how you make decaf iced coffee. Idiots.

And it is totally unacceptable to use leftover Decaf Frap Base for iced coffee, I've never heard anything so stupid. It's brewed too strong (.63 vs .56) and is not meant to be a good cup of iced coffee.

I don't care if your store doesn't brew Decaf Iced Coffee, screw you. But don't say that we were never supposed to or that it's not standard, because that's a lie.

It's also shameful to put regular hot coffee over ice and say it's Iced Coffee. If you/customer wants it that way, fine. But it's not Iced Coffee.

You all are the reason why people are shitting on Starbucks for bad service, bad products and a lack of consistency.

Disgusting.

[Jessi]

((It's also shameful to put regular hot coffee over ice and say it's Iced Coffee. If you/customer wants it that way, fine. But it's not Iced Coffee.))

I actually didn't know it made a difference. Now that I think about it we do brew it on a half so that would change the strength.

Sorry...I just never really thought about it.

((I don't care if your store doesn't brew Decaf Iced Coffee, screw you. But don't say that we were never supposed to or that it's not standard, because that's a lie.))

It's not a lie if people are misinformed, and isn't it based on volume?

I really just don't know.

[DrinkBox]

Ongoing debate...does the number of pumps go in the syrup box or the drink box?
A - Tall, 2 pump Mocha, Nonfat, No Whip, Mocha...

Or...
B - Tall, Nonfat, No Whip, 2 pump Mocha.

I was taught B as were most baristas, however, we have lately had transfers doing A and being rather mean and nasty about their rightness.

Is it a regional thing?

[rightattitude]

How do you abbreviate "Pumps" anyway? If you do P then it would be confused with Peppermint. There is no official abbreviation for it in the Textbook. Is it P with a period? Who does what?

Iced coffee:
Use decaf house blend. Follow the directions just like you would with the Terraza Blend. Brew .56 (full batch) and use one liter in a clear pitcher. Add ice to the one liter line. In my store we don't brew iced coffee during the winter months: October through March. We start to brew it again in April. I have been in my store for two years and we have two customers who order decaf iced coffee every day, it's only two, but sometimes our regular iced coffee drinkers want a change. These customers appreciate that we brew decaf iced coffee b/c other stores in my district don't. I see the decaf iced coffee option as I see the decaf light frappuccino- if you want to do and have the volume to support go ahead.
The pump rule:
I was always taught to put the number next to the syrup. If it's a vanilla non-fat latte it would be 2V,N,L and a vanilla non-fat mocha would be a V, N, 2M. If the drink is a latte with syrup it would go in the syrup box. If it is a "special" drink: mocha, dolce de leche, white mocha etc. it would go next to the syrup abbreviation in the drink box b/c that is where the syrup is written.
I think there are a lot of store specific variations. I think those make the stores unique, but i hate it when stores don't know certain standards, like not knowing how many shots an iced americano gets or that you can actually make a soy cappuccino.

Iced coffee:
Use decaf house blend. Follow the directions just like you would with the Terraza Blend. Brew .56 (full batch) and use one liter in a clear pitcher. Add ice to the one liter line. In my store we don't brew iced coffee during the winter months: October through March. We start to brew it again in April. I have been in my store for two years and we have two customers who order decaf iced coffee every day, it's only two, but sometimes our regular iced coffee drinkers want a change. These customers appreciate that we brew decaf iced coffee b/c other stores in my district don't. I see the decaf iced coffee option as I see the decaf light frappuccino- if you want to do and have the volume to support go ahead.
The pump rule:
I was always taught to put the number next to the syrup. If it's a vanilla non-fat latte it would be 2V,N,L and a vanilla non-fat mocha would be a V, N, 2M. If the drink is a latte with syrup it would go in the syrup box. If it is a "special" drink: mocha, dolce de leche, white mocha etc. it would go next to the syrup abbreviation in the drink box b/c that is where the syrup is written.
I think there are a lot of store specific variations. I think those make the stores unique, but i hate it when stores don't know certain standards, like not knowing how many shots an iced americano gets or that you can actually make a soy cappuccino.

sorry about the double post.

[Kitty]

I use a lower-case p to denote pumps
and call it out using the amount of pumps in the syrup spot,
so I'm in the "A" catagory.

[rightattitude]

OK, I do my pumps as a number next to the syrup just like you suggest. So a 1/2 Grande 3 pump Sugar-free Vanilla Non-fat Latte would be:

1/2
3SFV
N
L

Sometimes, a Zebra Mocha looks like a 2 Pump Mocha (ZM or 2M).

Also, since CDL is no longer a "promo" drink as well as TNT, et cetera, should I write:

TN
L

or TNL

CD (or SDCD),
L

or CDL (SFCDL), et cetera?
L

[Kitty]

Zebra Mocha?

We don't have those in our area.

[rightattitude]

Kitty, Zebra Mocha isn't officially a drink -- it's equal pumps of dark mocha and white mocha -- so a Grande ZM would be 2 pumps of each. It's very popular in own disctrict and I think it should almost be on the menu. Some people call it a Penguin Mocha.

[PhillySM]

We still write CDL b/c all of my partners were around for when that was a "promo" drink. I consider that it sill is b/c it will eventually go off the menu (I've seen on the portal or in email mid-summer). If I'm at the bar I still write TNL, but a lot of my partners write
TN
L,
b/c they weren't around when the TNL was a promo drink.

[sbuxgrrl]

VKW,

It is NOT standard to brew decaf iced coffee. It is definitely an OPTION. Here's one way to figure out what all stores SHOULD have, and also to realize which products are not standard: Look at the writing on the lids of those new 2L pitchers...you know, the ones with the square-shaped, colored lids? Here is what is written on those lids: Frappuccino, Frappuccino Light, Decaf Frappuccino, Creme Beverage Base, Iced Coffee, Passion Tea, Black Tea, Green Tea, and then there's a gray lid for other product. When Creme Base Light rolls out, then they will send us some more lids for that product. Please note that there is no lid labeled "Decaf Iced Coffee" and no lid labeled "Decaf Frappuccino Light." I assure you that these two products are not required in RNA stores.

[Darleen]

its also called a black and white mocha, or a tuxedo in my area, I like it with a pump of raspberry syrup.Yummy

[DrinkBox]

Hmm...very interesting. Three years with the company and I had never met anyone putting the pumps next to the syrup until recently. (For core drinks like Mocha or Chai). I do not really care, it just sounds funny to put something there when Mocha is already called at the end. Does that make sense?

[DrinkBox]

To clarify what I do... of course added syrups and syrup lattes markings go into the syrup box.

[RainGrlBarista]

In response to the question on here from (?)...There are 2 shots of espresso in a grande drink.

[Lou Sussler]

C Money, if I order iced decaf and you give me full test, I'll wait outside your store and punch you in the nose.

[chi-town's best/angriest barista]

kitty- doens't a lowercase "p" look a lot like an uppercase "P"? i usually just write it as 2V or 2M or 2M, 2R in the syrup box. seems to work pretty well for everybody at my store.

[Boston Starbucks Rebel]

Just to clarify, there is a reason why the SYRUP box says SYRUP!
Also, I call a tuxedo mocha a Michael Jackson.
LMAO

[NICK]

I offered someone a decaf iced americano istead and they loved it.

[NICK]

the new lids for the creme base light is BRIGHT purple, it almost glows! You guys know there's gonna be orange-laced pastries too right? :-)

I'm pretty sure for cup ID's
Mocha pumps are put into the custom box, not the syrup box, it's read as "MO" so 7MO...M (thats the funky call thats read as " tall 7 pump mocha..mocha"). a "zebra" or "tuxedo" mocha is technically a "white Mocha..Mocha" or "Mocha..White Mocha" w/ the pumps the customer desires.. so if you want half mocha half white mocha you'd ID "2MO 2WM...WM(OR M)" for reg syrups.. I just put the # pumps next to the ID in the syrup box.. so 7SFV seems to be easy enough..

[Boston Starbucks Rebel]

I've also made a Venti half/half Mocha Vanilla Chi tea.

It rocks!

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

Whoever is trying to be me should really try at least to match my grammar and syntax. Mine is obviously alot more verbose and complex than the above stated one. Also, I tend to use the correct way of writing out the beverage, not to mention I learned my lesson about venti(r) being a registered trademark of Starbucks. And somehow, that other person seems way to positive and happy to actually be me where I am sarcastic and cheerful but somehow still mention living the Mission Statement everyday. I know everybody really wants to be, yet I need to break it to the world, I am unlike any lifeform you have encountered before, so lets keep it that way.

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[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

I am the real Rebel!

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I am amazed at the ignorance. YES, we brew Decaf Iced Coffee. And YES, every store SHOULD be brewing it.

VKW, you sound like the ignorant one. Not every market brews decaf iced coffee, so before you start telling us we are ignorant do us all a favor get the facts okay? If your market brews decaf iced coffee good for you, but don't come on here telling people that EVERY store does, then the ones who don't get disappointed customers.Get over yourself!!!!!

You all are the reason why people are shitting on Starbucks for bad service, bad products and a lack of consistency

WTF!!! You come on here calling us ignorant and idiots and you don't even know what you're talking about! Every market is different. Some have decaf iced coffee some don't. What a bitch you sound like.