I still prefer Dunkin.....

Starbucks nationwide to close for emergency re-training Feb. 26
Posted Feb 13th 2008 7:46PM by Sarah Gilbert
Filed under: Starbucks (SBUX), Employees

I know I'm not the only one who's complained that Starbucks baristas don't know how to make a decent latte any more. Far from its roots as the reliable place to get coffee made exactly right, the chain has lately become famous for its automatic machines and the hit-or-miss quality of its products.

Howard Schultz is here to change all that: by shutting down Every Last Store nationwide for three hours on Tuesday, February 26. Starting at 5:30 p.m., baristas in the coffee giant's 7,100 stores will learn how to do things better. They'll learn how to make a perfect shot, how to steam milk, and (if we have anything to say about it) how not to burn coffee, and how to wipe the milk steamer before switching from dairy to soy milk. (Vegans everywhere will say thank you.)

While it's doubtful that three hours of training will reverse years of gathering mediocrity, it's certainly a symbol of a company that cares about quality. If Howard is serious about this change stuff (and it's obvious that he is), he'll consider switching back to manual latte machines, at least in some stores located in serious coffee markets (like certain neighborhoods in Seattle, Portland and San Francisco). Speed and convenience is no price to pay for really good coffee. Some customers will agree; others will probably mutter swearwords under their breath as they pull up to their local Starbucks only to find it Closed For Training in a couple of weeks. Which customer are you?

Re: I still prefer Dunkin.....

Dunkin rocks, Starbucks is overpriced anyway - I never go there

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I'm glad they're doing the retraining. Starbucks is nothing like it used to be. I worked at Starbucks when I was in high school - 10 years ago - and that place was no joke when it came to training. We even had to do blind taste tests of all the coffee and guess which ones we were tasting. I didn't realize they'd switched over to automatic espresso machines though - that's a shame considering how high the quality of their training and coffee used to be.

Re: I still prefer Dunkin.....

It won't matter. No matter how many times I say I'd like a tall cafe mocha with whole milk, I still see them put eh 2% in the cup to steam. Not a huge deal, but what's the point of me saying it?

I like 7-11 above and beyond anything else.

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Re: I still prefer Dunkin.....

I haven't been to starbucks since the summer. I rather go to either Dunkin donuts or 711 anyway...but since i gave up coffee i haven't been to any of those places for 1 week.

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I get Dunkin' every morning on my way to work. I go to Starbucks for a tea, or once in awhile if I am out shopping, I'll stop in and get a skinny latte.

I don't like their coffee, too bitter for me.

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Re: I still prefer Dunkin.....

Oh boy... time for a mini-rant.

It's about freakin' time. I have been hardly going to Starbucks since I started making my own lattes at home.

But it seems that every other time I am there they manage to screw something up with making my order. It's like the baristas don't care anymore and they are too busy yapping it up with the other workers. You used to have baristas that actually cared about the quality. Not anymore. Since Starbucks has expanded opening new stores, the average skill level of the barista has declined greatly.

Last week I asked for an Iced Venti Hazelnut Latte. Now I know an iced Venti latte has FIVE pumps of syrpup. This is well documented on the web by former baristas. How difficult is it to pump 5 times into my cup? The latte I received barely tasted like Hazelnut. I wanted to give it back to them, but I didn't taste it till I was halfway out the door. The day before that, I asked for a reduced fat cinnamon swirl, and I look in my bag and I have a scone. I was rung up for a cinnamon swirl too so I know she heard me properly. Again, yapping away with her co-workers and not paying attention.

Iced lattes are so easy to make too, yet the baristas constantly screw it up. Either they don't pump enough, or they put the ice in first which screws up all the measurements (I hate it when they do this), or they manage to do something else dumb.

When I was in the U.K. it was even worse. The baristas out there had no clue. They couldn't get anything right. Everything tasted watered down. And most importantly I was real ****** after noticing that I was paying close to $6.00 for an Iced Venti Latte (after the pound/dollar exchange rate), just to find out that an Iced Venti over there isn't even 24 ounces! Their venti is the same size as our grande. So I pay more, and get less.

That's one of the reasons why I started brewing at home. If I make the lattes, they would be done right.

This is a real bold move closing every store because they will most definitely lose a lot of money worldwide for being closed for three hours. But I am totally behind it if they actually improve.


Ok that is my weekend rant.

Re: I still prefer Dunkin.....

Re: I still prefer Dunkin.....

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I'm still loving my Starbucks ... especially around the holidays.

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Im a DD fan esp now with the Turbo hots. And my DH is happy since he's a DD fan from way back. I do like Sbux cappuccinos but it can definitely be hit or miss with how they make them and lately I have started to like keeping my $4.15 in my pocket.

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I love DD the best. I like Lattes from SBUX but lately..it's not worth the $$$. DD is my choice overall. Their lattes are really good too.

Message edited 2/17/2008 12:30:56 AM.

Re: I still prefer Dunkin.....

Message edited 2/17/2008 10:01:39 AM.