Pike Place Roast gets an OK review from Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports taste-testers found Pike Place Roast to be "a smooth cup of coffee with some bitterness, but not particularly complex." Its conclusion: If you're a confirmed Starbucks drinker and like the taste you're familiar with, this may not be for you. But if you're looking for coffee with a mild, medium-roasted flavor, Pike Place Roast might be the one to try. (Read the Consumer Reports review)

Comments

[APPL]

My first though would be, do a comparison on McDonald's Premium Roast vs Pike Place Roast. It puts the whole "test" on a more level playing field since PPR is the coffee that Starbucks is priding itself on. I believe in their last test where McDonald's won, they did a comparison vs House Blend.

[McD-gross]

I highly doubt McDonald's won vs. House Blend. Nice try.

[mpwalker]

gotta say, even in my days of being a sbux partner, I prided myself on enjoying a french press of Arabia Mocha Sanani paired with some really hight cacao content chocolate, or a cup of Kenya with an orange, BUT I have been truly, truly enjoying getting a big cup of black PPR over McD's and Dunkin D's (both of which are brewed too weak/watery and have too much acidity, gives me heartburn)

[Ace]

All this talk about a new blend and the "big turnaround plan"...geez...I wish my store (which is less than a year old) would merely keep itself clean !! When you walk in, you are met front-on by an oven area which is so digustingly dirty its pathetic. In the evenings, the old muffins are piled in a heap on top of the muffin racks and best of all....ready for this?...two or three see-through bags of garbage are in plain site literally touching you as you line up for a "Starbucks coffee". Where the heck is the regional boss because obviously the store manager is blind !!

[Barista Joe]

Ace,

If you have any problems, ask the partners in your store to speak to the store manager. If he/she doesn't get the picture, then ask him to give you the contact info for the district manager. If it really is as bad as you're saying, you have every right to do that.

-J

[Ace]

I mentioned the see-through bags of garbage to the girl behind the counter and asked her if the staff was aware that it was the first thing people encountered when approaching for a purchase ...she said "we're suppose to store bags of garbage in the back but its a hassle moving them all the way there". Wow...how appetizing to be showing off the days garbage six inches from the desert counter. Clueless !

[momnan]

That's probably why their stock is in the garbage too.

[APPL]

MCD GROSS -

Actually McDonald's did win over House Blend. The test was done by Consumer Reports. Don't know how you don't know about it since it officially marked the point when McDonald's truly became noted as a competitor of Starbucks. In Howard Schultz's investor conference address, he specifically said "we refuse to be #2 to anyone."

There was also a topic about it on this site.

[PartnerAmbassador]

I apologize that this is off topic, but I am working on putting together a weekly newsletter for my store, possibly surrounding stores and am trying to get some feedback as to what partners would like to see in the newsletter.

I already know it will include the Benefit Tip of the Week, Conversations and Connections as well as Partner responses, a few reminders about standards that I notice we have been slacking on, questions from Baristas as well as answers, etc.

I have gotten a few responses from my co-workers and am reaching out because I know Partners from all over the US and Canada post here and I would like some more great ideas (including a title- I was thinking something like The Partner Blend).

Let me know what YOU would like to see in a newsletter! TX
-PA

[Cubana on the Rocks]

Regarding the trashbag store:

All I have to say is "wow". Stores like that are what's giving Sbux a bad name. Where the hell is their manager?? Even though Sbux is a huge chain with manuals and policies, so much is determined by the individual partners at each store. It is WAY against both Sbux policy and health code to keep trash bags out front. I highly suggest you report this to the corporate Starbucks customer service hotline. It sucks that there are partners and stores like that. Sheash.

[HeartOfVerona]

Regarding "Consumer Reports"-

Let us all take a moment to remember the many factors that contribute to consumer reports. Not only is it taste but also cost. A consumer report also tries to see where a consumer can get the most "bang for the buck" so to speak.

So why pay more for a good cup of coffee when you can go to another less expensive place, that serves coffee, and walk away with the same feeling that you are actually drinking coffee?

[Juliana]

Cubana, I have no idea what Starbucks policies are, but it's not against health code to keep trash out front, provided it does not pose an imminent biological hazard (read: human waste, blood, etc) in which case they would need special bags.

It's a cosmetic issue, not a health issue. Please don't speak on something if you don't have a clue as to what you are speaking about. It misleads people.

For the record: I'm an Environmental Services Inspection Specialist, better known as a health inspector.

[lattegal]

partnerambassador:

How about putting a drink of the week and include the proper way to make it, call it and mark the cup. It's a great training opportunity especially if you have drinks that aren't being made consistantly correct.

You could also have tidbits about coffee, using the morning pick to talk about it's taste, acidity, washed or dry, etc. You don't have to just limit it to morning pick since we are in the coffee business.

Also, tidbits about coffee history, what country produces the most coffee, how is it roasted, etc.

[Escape]

partnerambassador

I love that you are doing this idea..I've wanted to do the same thing for some time. You could include customer's drinks and see if partners can guess who it is..
good luck with it

[Patty]

We had a customer come in last night and order five, count them five, ventis of brewed coffee. We were brewing half batches since it was almost 10:00 pm at this time, but he completely flipped out when I told him we had enough for four ventis, but not five. I explained that our batch sizes were smaller, and that we rebrew coffee every 30 minutes to maintain peak freshness. There was no calming him down. I even offered to not charge him for the fifth cup, and I gave him a recovery coupon while he waited for it to rebrew. I recall him saying, "I don't have 4 minutes to wait! You're a coffee shop! If I want a half gallon, 1, 2, or 5 gallons of coffee, you should have it ready!! You all can go to hell!" It really bothered me that I treated him with such respect, tried to make him happy, but he thought I was just some doormat to take out his frustrations. Does he realize how much ground coffee it would take to brew 5 gallons of coffee? Probably not. It was one of the very few unpleasant customer experiences I've had working with Starbucks. ..sigh.. To better times....

[SumatraLover]

I've been hooked on Starbucks coffee for many years, because of the 8 "coffee shops" in my town, Starbucks was the only one that made coffee that was more than a hot, convenient cup of caffeine. Now that we are forced to drink this bland, weak PPR, I'll just go to whatever place is closest. I feel like my favorite restaurant has discontinued its extensive wine list in favor of saying "the average man of the street doesn't like those complex wines, so we've decided only to sell Gallo hearty burgundy and Pinot Grigio. They suck, but its easier and we'll make more money." My store used to make two caff coffees and one decaf per day. Why can't they offer another kind of caff. The pre-ground, sealed bag type is just fine with me. No one brews a better cup of coffee than Starbucks, but it just isn't possible with PPR.

[David Weitz]

Fact of the matter is, every Starbucks I go into seems to have their own policy regarding the Pike Place (we call it Puke Place). In any case, the company is really trying to shove it down our throats, as I see 20 new 5 lb. bags of this stuff in the New Paltz,NY store, just waiting to be used/sold/whatever. It's not terrible, but it certainly isn't that good either. I was originally attracted to Starbucks because I liked the constant variety of dark roasts, medium roasts, etc. If I liked something , I would actually buy a pound of it. No more, since I avoid going in there after 12 noon, as Pike Place is the only coffee that is sold, and a french press will cost twice as much, and take 10 minutes. I don't even like to ask for it, as I get attitude from the staff. Why is it that companies like to screw with a superior product? Bring back the bold!! Even Consumer Reports says Pike Place is a mild coffee; not what I need after work at 5pm. I might add that there are numerous blogs on-line dealing with this issue , and they are all overwhelmingly negative with regard to PP. The manager in the Fishkill,NY store told me that PP was the finest coffee Starbucks had ever offered to the public (what bs!). The Poughkeepsie, NY IBM Starbucks is offering free Americanos (shots of expresso) with the PP, because they feel bad about the lack of choice. Starbucks is trying to attract a lower common denominator of customer (weaker coffee drinkers), and blowing off their hard-core coffee drinkers; the people who put them on the map in the first place! This is so upsetting, because I always defended Starbucks because I thought their superior product trumped other factors, but no more.

[Melody]

[quote]No more, since I avoid going in there after 12 noon, as Pike Place is the only coffee that is sold, and a french press will cost twice as much, and take 10 minutes. I don't even like to ask for it, as I get attitude from the staff.[/quote]

If you're getting superb customer service, your should only being paying for the size of coffee you want from the french press. So if you want an 8 ounce cup of Verona from a french press, in your personal mug, it should cost you $1.42 with your personal cup discount (or maybe more less depending on things like the taxes in your area?? I don't know.)

It makes me sad to hear that you're getting attitude from baristas. That just shouldn't be happening! Fill out a comment card and complain! Once in a while I'll get the attitude of PPR or the highway, but I think that Starbucks customer service is better here (Seattle) than in other areas.

[barabus]

I hate Pike Place Roast. Give me back Verona, Kamodo Dragaon, and Cafe Estima.

[LenaMalina]

I gave this more thought, and reached a conclusion that SB only offers PeePee coffee after 12 on purpose. Nobody would hate PP if there was an alternative to it after 12. I never hated Lightnote or Breakfast blends (which are better than PPR, imo), I just never bought them. Same applies here, if I had a choice I would not hate the PPR, I just prefer brighter bolder blends. SB, if you are reading this, I am begging you, please bring the bold varieties back the way they were - all day long - and switch the PeePee to the mornings optional.

[Wade]

Has anyone actually bought and brewed it themselves? I find starbucks brewed at the store to be a little charred, but when i buy, grind, and brew myself at work its absolutely delicious.

[JCS]

I have been a faithful Starbucks customer since 1981 and am accustom to the bolder, richer coffees. I guess my complaint is now all they server are lighter coffees which I find tasteless and that is my opinion of their new pike place roast.

I’ve bee told that they will brew anything you like but the problem is you have to ask and then wait, while everyone else can just walk in and buy a cup of drip coffee, but I want to be able to just walk in and buy a cup of bold flavor coffee without having to wait, they way it used to be.