OPEN THREAD conversation-starter: "11 Things Starbucks Does Better Than Almost Any Competitor" (B.S.?...or true?)

This assessment comes from two Business Insider writers who worked briefly for Starbucks: They say:
* With two registers and a full staff, Starbucks can churn through 220 customers/hour
* Employees know the difference between a cappuccino and a latte * Starbucks never serves coffee that has been sitting for longer than 30 minutes * Select stores have the top-of-the-line single-brew Clover, which makes probably the best coffee you've ever tasted... ...and they go on and on in a piece that could have been written by the Starbucks PR department. (Watch for a lot of advertising to appear on BusinessInsider.com in the near future.) COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE, or discuss anything else Starbucks-related in the OPEN THREAD. || Read" 11 Things Starbucks Does Better..." || Jump to the second page of comments.

Comments

[Mike Pollock]

Actually, I travel with a portable JOOS Orange solar charger, so I am neither a cheap f### nor obtuse, but your preconceptions were most amusing. However, it still doesn't answer my question.

[frapatte]

P, I think I understand Simphony pretty well (especially since we were one of the early test stores so I've been using it quite a long time now) but your scenario doesn't make much sense to me. "1.13 is still owed, reload now? Yes, enter 5." But now the system says you owe 6.13. You hit the $5 pic, but it won't open the drawer until it sees the transaction is complete (the other 1.13 is accounted for). If the transaction isn't complete, it won't let you swipe through the card to take the remaining 1.13. I'm just confused as to how your scenario is supposed to work, maybe I misunderstand what you're saying.

[waltie]

"Actually, I travel with a portable JOOS Orange solar charger, so I am neither a cheap f### nor obtuse, but your preconceptions were most amusing. However, it still doesn't answer my question."

Your question was answered. Perhaps it wasn't answered to your liking, but that seldom happens when are asking a loaded, leading question just to be contrary. Availability of wi-fi and availability of power outlets are two completely different things. By your rationale, Starbucks would be limiting laptop use by not having an equal number of outlets for every chair in the store. That would be nonsense, and so is your concern.

[Coffee Soldier]

Hipsterdufus...that is why I said at least here in New England is how it is done. I didn't say at every store everywhere.

[TheRootinator]

Does anybody have any tips for reducing milk waste when one's deployment is Bar 1? I keep having issues with ending up with too much left-over milk once I'm done with bar drinks. I'm following the pitcher gradations, and I think it's just a matter of playing with how one fills the pitcher for certain types of var drinks.

So, partners, any tips for milk control?

[idselloutanyday]

@TorontoDude It's called a check card. Seriously, I don't understand people and cash. You know you lose a significant portion of your income to situations like this that create change? And how much change/bills have you dropped or lost in your life? Unless you absolutely have to pay in cash..which, in my life, has been pretty much never, there's no need to carry it. My bank gives me a check card, all my money's deposited to my checking account, I don't have a credit card, never in debt, never lose any of my money. Simple. And yes, I could have totally figured out your problem easy, but don't expect everyone to be able to do math problems in the middle of rush. Our minds are on other things and you're holding up everybody else and will be gossiped about after you leave. Don't think they didn't.

[Yes, the person that served you is a human being]

Mike please be specific about which stores in NYC have covered their outlets and I might be able to give you some insight. That being said, if you are one of those people who uses Starbucks as their office, sits in a store for 8+ hours a day, putting al your files on a table, using a separate chair for your laptop case/ suitcase enjoying unlimited free refills with your Starbucks card, asking for cups of water and refuse to to move until you are good and ready all for the $1.85 you pay as "rent," then perhaps your actions will answer your questions. Stores with cafes, like any resteraunt, need to turn tables to increase revenue or even just to satisfy the dozen customers that complain to corporate because they can't get a seat with all the "free wifi using, laptop junkies" that greatly abuse the system. I will tell you that the NY Metro leadership team has stated they are against covering the outlets because it is a passive aggressive way to deal with the issue. However, in extreme cases, they have approved this action because (and let's be real here) some people just cannot be reasoned with.

[Coffee Drinker]

Toronto, I identify with you having done same transaction numerous times. Granted I've learned to communicate exactly how I want to be charged/added before the barista starts hitting buttons--but sometimes they are too fast for me ; )

Now most baristas know how to do it all correctly, and/or fix it if the punched it in wrong (thinking they can read my mind faster than I can talk).

Also often in situation of out walking, no pockets, nothing valuable, high crime area. It's good for baristas and all of us not to assume we know a persons reasons. Sometimes they are actually quite practical and well-intentioned.

[Barista Ben]

I think the real issue isn't that its impossible to do what Toronto wanted. We can do it. It's just, kind of a pain, and not really easily done if you don't know the "tricks". W

hat I usually have to do in that situation is cancel the entire order, which means you have to cancel the card transaction and then re-swipe the Starbucks card to cancel it, then you reload the card with $5, then you re-ring the original transaction and then re-swipe the card. All the while dealing with the angry customer who has to wait twice as long because its a longer process.

I am willing to bet newer partners don't know how to do this. If you just try to end the order, it will tell you that you can't until you finish. You can't save the order, either. Is it possible? Sure, it's just kind of a long and difficult process if you've never done it before.

[bayareamgr]

P directed us to hit the five dollar picture then hit the remainder sbux card with the 1.13 however the problem was the customer never stated to put the 1.13 on the card. so the barista was confused about the change. and im suprised no one mentioned had there not been an issue he obviously had space for his dollar bills perhaps he could have given his change to his barista as a tip

[Mike Pollock]

Well, actually, my original question from my original post in the #3 position--about how prevalent this practice is--hasn't yet been answered, although I appreciate "...human being's" apparent willingness to give it a shot.

To answer HB's question about specific locations: the first one I noticed a couple of months back, and the only one I'm sure about from memory, is store 18444 at 39th and 8th/600 Eighth Ave. I've noticed at least two or three other stores that had their outlets re-plated, but haven't kept specific notes about which ones they were. I will do so as I make my way around town tomorrow and make specific reconnaissance visits to the stores I'll be near in Times Square and Chelsea.

And since you've alluded to my specific outlet usage, as a working actor, I'll usually stop at Starbucks when I have gaps in my schedule between auditions and bookings throughout the day. Not having a normal office, and leading a nomadic working lifestyle, Starbucks is a handy place to refill both my belly and my smartphone's battery as I bide my time until my next appointment. I rarely have enough baggage with me to spread out over an entire table or extra chairs -- It's usually just me and my phone, and I'm just as happy at a counter seat as I am at a two-top table. I seldom log in to the free WiFi, since the phone has its own data connection, and even though I have the solar charger, I prefer to keep that as a last resort -- an outlet adjacent to a table is obviously far more convenient. In fact, I'd gladly pay for the privilege of an AC outlet, if pay-per-charge was an option. (By the way, my clients let me plug in at their offices, too, when I'm working for them, so SBUX isn't my only mobile power connection.) I prefer not to sit for hours in the store if I don't have to, but I do make sure to get some type of beverage and food and/or pastry to pay my "rent" at every visit. I also prefer Americanos, so free refills aren't an option for me.

As for the controversy I've sparked, again I'm amused by the adjectives ascribed to my post, such as "leading, loaded question" and "contrary," when, in fact, my original post was meant to be nothing of the kind. I used the term "disturbing" because I personally find it so, and I speculated that the outlet removal was done to discourage loitering, which would seem to run contrary to the company's "third place" philosophy. I had been meaning to post my question in an open thread for some time, because I hadn't seen it addressed here before. I happened to choose this week's thread before reading the article. After subsequently reading the linked piece, seeing the bit about WiFi, and realizing my issue had been overlooked for a day, it occurred to me that maybe if I add a subsequent post -- pointing out the previously unnoticed connection -- someone would chime in with some useful information. The Internet being what it is, people certainly chimed in. Whether they did so with any useful information beyond the flaming is another matter.

[Mike Pollock]

We can add #6756
14 W. 23rd St New York, NY 10010

[Mike Pollock]

And #11203
750 6th Avenue New York, NY 10010

I think that's a large enough sample size.

[P]

Frapatte. It says you owe 1.13, reload? you hit yes and it immediately pops up with the screen to enter the amount you wish to reload. so you enter five dollars. now you're back at the 'tender' screen and yes, at the bottom it says you owe 6.13 (5 dollars reload, 1.13 original debt). now you hit the $5 button to tell the computer that money has been tendered to back up the 5 dollar credit you just put on the sbux card, so you can then hit the sbux card button and pay the remaining 1.13 with the sbux card which now has a balance of $3.87. Voila.

[John]

This might be a total shot in the dark, but last week I was in my hometown on vacation and hanging out at the local Sbux each afternoon.

A song was played with the chorus, "Wonder if, wonder how, wonder why." I Googled like nuts but no luck. Anyone know it?

[Rufus]

Starsucks Coffee sells the worst awful coffee I have ever had. It's horrible!

The service is awful.

The music is awful.

There is nothing good about Starbucks. They do nothing right at this point, and I don't remember their doing anything right in the past.

[Rufus]

@Jim Romenesko

Complementary would suggest it complements the crap coffee you just bought.

Complimentary says it is a compliment, which makes no sense.

[chicagoshift]

Rufus is hilarious. Did mommy and daddy not hug you enough? Your cries for attention are pathetic yet somehow amusing. You can tell us how awful we are over and over, but that won't change the fact I serve over 800 people a day, and they LOVE our friendly service and coffee. Have a great day!

[hcg injections phoenix]

Along with your usual workout you will want to add a plyometric exercise program, these are workout.

[Civil Coffee Man]

Here's a problem in New Orleans. No, it's not people setting up office, or homeless, or cheap bast****. It's students--students who are paying $40K+ per year at the nearby university. They camp out all day, or at least for many hours. Go in during finals and you'll just have to get your drink to go. I'm sure they're buying drinks, but why stay there all day? Plus, there are another three independent coffeehouses within walking distance that aren't packed. It's been a long time since I was in graduate school but we used libraries, dorms, or our apartments. I guess coffeehouses are the new study halls? Just the way everyone looks up when someone walks in the door tells me it's more of a social scene than actual work. Just an observation.