Ok, so back when Starbucks first opened in September of 2009, I decided (and wrote a blog post about it) that I would NOT be one of the people that frequented there. I had thought long and hard about it, and I just didn’t like the idea of it possibility putting some of the other coffee shops out of business.
Well, apparently there’s more money in coffee than I thought – as those shops are ALL still in business and doing quite well… but this is about MY first visit to Starbucks tonight.
So I went there tonight to meet a couple getting married next year whom want me to be their photographer.. I couldn’t be happier as they are an awesome, fun, exciting couple and I think it’s going to be a GREAT time. Ok, onto the experience..
So I just wasn’t in the coffee mood tonight, so I decided to go with a Hot Chocolate. My first thoughts on the whole experience.. THIS PLACE IS CRAZY PRICEY! Sure, they have lots of varieties and have lots of different choices, etc.. but good lord, average price of their smallest drink was $3.10 ++. WTF?? I’m assuming most people don’t frequent this place like they do a Timmies do they?
Getting past that, my Hot Chocolate was only around $2.50 or so, which seemed ok to me – so I ordered it. The ‘barista’ or whatever they call themselves took my order and she was quite friendly. Of course – it helps that I was also quite friendly as I had mentioned this was my first time here at Starbucks and she said that if I had any questions and ‘Welcome to Starbucks’ and the whole thing. The HR department did right by their staff, everyone that I spoke to was very friendly and nice – and they’re talented as well.. you have to be if you’re going to remember all those different drinks types! Moccha-Frappa-Half-Caf-Chino-Choco-Moccha-Venti with a blah blah blah…. good lord.
Really the only other thing to talk about is the actual location itself. Obviously being where it is, it’s at a prime real estate location.. one of the main corners of downtown but who gives two hoots about that anyhow – was it nice inside? Yep.. it was.. very cozy. There were lots of people sitting doing laptop work, reading, chilling out.. I guess this is where I sort of thought I ‘could’ be a Starbucks person.. Why? Well.. on occasion, where I wanted to get out of the house, do some work on my iPad or laptop or read or whatever .. just chill out, I could go to Starbucks.. order an over-priced drink and sit and enjoy it while doing whatever I wanted with their free wifi.
If Liz and I wanted to research our Vacation that’s coming up and perhaps look into what we’re going to do for the last part of the week, it would be a great way to just get away from everything and concentrate on that.. (we were thinking of heading to New Orleans, or getting an Outer Banks vacation rentals and just relaxing) – in any case, it would be a great spot to do that.
So I guess my feelings towards Starbucks has slightly changed.. I still think they are really expensive, but I also think that everything else about them perhaps warrants a little higher price tag. What do you think?
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Ha! It finally happened. I will admit to being pretty biased against the place until I got sucked in by the allure of the latte. I also used to make fun of the people whose coffee order sounded long and complicated but then – oh lord, it’s true – I became one!! It may be overpriced and so I don’t go often BUT as a treat once in a while, nothing beats my “non-fat, decaf, toffee nut latte…” YUM! Also, for the record, their stainless steel insulated coffee mugs are beyond compare and worth every single penny of their pricetag. I’ve had mine for over 2 years and it never leaks. Love it!! Anyway, this is a much longer comment than intended but welcome to the dark roast side, Len!