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Old 01-26-2015, 11:53 AM
 
Location: The analog world
17,077 posts, read 13,278,867 times
Reputation: 22904

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Quote:
Originally Posted by vision33r View Post
I just love it when I ask some people why Starbucks coffee taste bad and they said it taste burnt.

The burnt taste is a darker and richer roast that Europeans love. It's not even close to Greek or Turkish coffee which taste like charcoal.

You can always ask Starbucks to give you a milder brew like Pike or Blonde roast.

Dark Roast taste great cold, while milder roast taste better warm. That's my preference.
I disagree. The dark roast coffee I enjoy occasionally at my favorite French restaurant is head and shoulders above anything I have ever gotten from a Starbucks, even when I splurged for a Clover-brewed cup. I think Starbucks is popular for the same reason McDonald's used to be popular. It all boils down to real estate, and the free wifi doesn't hurt either.
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Old 01-26-2015, 12:02 PM
 
Location: Chicago - Logan Square
3,396 posts, read 7,181,137 times
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I think they're a company that came along at the right time to fill a need in the market. While I don't think their coffee is that great, any dedicated coffee shop is going to be better than the other common options that were around 30 or 40 years ago (i.e. gas stations, convenience stores, and McDonald's). Way back in the 80's I was really happy when a Dunkin' Donuts opened up along my route to work - before that I had to get coffee at a 7-11, which had awful coffee that varied wildly from day to day.

It's also not just Starbuck's, there's been an incredible increase in the demand for chain coffee places over the last 30 years. Dunkin' Donuts has expanded almost as much as Starbuck's, and other chains like Tim Horton's, Caribou, and Au Bon Pain, have grown significantly as well.

I think they also get a lot of business by selling milkshakes and calling them coffee.
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Old 01-26-2015, 12:07 PM
 
Location: The analog world
17,077 posts, read 13,278,867 times
Reputation: 22904
Quote:
Originally Posted by Attrill View Post
I think they also get a lot of business by selling milkshakes and calling them coffee.
That's definitely a good portion of the business they get from the middle school crowd. I think the high schoolers just want the caffeine.
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Old 01-26-2015, 12:28 PM
 
Location: Middle America
37,409 posts, read 53,321,025 times
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I imagine it's popular because it's ubiquitous.

If I'm buying coffee while out, and the opportunity arises to get it from somewhere OTHER than Starbucks, I'm gonna do that. If Starbucks is right there and nothing else is, I'll drink it. Typically just brewed coffee, as I don't care for their espresso drinks.

When I was in the UK this past fall, Starbucks, while present, wasn't THE ubiquitous coffee place. The chain Costa was. If we had Costa here, I'd hit it up before Starbucks every time.
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Old 01-26-2015, 12:31 PM
 
Location: Middle America
37,409 posts, read 53,321,025 times
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Also, I feel like, at this point, we can retire the "Starbucks is pretentious/a status symbol" thing. As saturated as the market is, there's nothing "special" about Starbucks. It's pretty damned pedestrian.
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Old 01-26-2015, 02:05 PM
 
2,202 posts, read 2,286,755 times
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Marketing..
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Old 01-26-2015, 02:07 PM
 
Location: City Data Land
17,156 posts, read 12,878,151 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth View Post
I have no idea why it's popular. I tried their coffee and didn't like it. It seems to be extra-strong, maybe to make it more addicting? But the atmosphere inside is too sterile and institutional. There are locally-owned chains in different regions of the US that have much better coffee, a much better selection of teas, and a warm inviting atmosphere inside. The Starbucks shops have no personality.
I went to Starbucks for a while because it has no competition in TX. I soon got tired of it and just drink coffee at home. In contrast, Alaska has more coffee shops per capita than any other state. Thus, Starbucks has heavy competition. It is not the most popular coffee shop there by a long shot. It's wonderful how popular the mom and pop places are. The coffee in those coffee shops taste a lot better and is less expensive. Starbucks coffee tastes too strong and is very bitter tasting to me, and I like my coffee strong.
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Old 01-26-2015, 03:46 PM
 
Location: Heart of Dixie
12,441 posts, read 14,777,692 times
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I like the snob appeal when I walk around with my Starbucks cup.
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Old 01-26-2015, 03:55 PM
 
12,115 posts, read 33,569,016 times
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prior to 1994 when I first went to a Starbucks in Manhattan (E 78th and Lexington Ave to be precise) my favorite coffees were either McDonald's and Dunkin Donuts. Tho I loved DD's since the late 80's I noted a steady decline in taste and effect over the years.

i immediately took a liking to Starbucks both for the taste and effect. I cannot even count how many times total Ive been to Starbucks in the past 20 years

with the further deterioration in taste and effect with DD's and McD's Starbucks seems to be getting better and better. I like the decor which is relaxing. Employees always seem polite and patient. Their iced coffees are getting better and better and really hit the spot in the summer time.

Despite all the public criticism of Starbucks, i can't find anything wrong with them
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Old 01-26-2015, 03:59 PM
 
12,115 posts, read 33,569,016 times
Reputation: 3865
there are 3 coffee chains that i find are better than Starbucks, Caribou, Timothy's (now defunct here in NY City) and a place called Juan Valdez Coffee that closed down in NY around 2009. had they remained in NY I would prefer them instead but Starbucks certainly is more than adequate
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