# I give up on Starbucks **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 1, 2006, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-give-up-on-starbucks/337940 "2006-01-01T10:04:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-give-up-on-starbucks/337940/61 "2006-01-05T07:49:06Z")
> [@Anastasaeon](#): > > Is that one still there? Even if it has been transformed into a modern day Starbucks… that might be cool to see. > > [sub]You remember you made a Ballard joke many threads ago, about shutting your coat into your car door so you could fit in? My husband recently explained that one to me, since I’m not a local. So, a belated HAHAHA! That’s cute! 😉 [/sub] Sadly, no, it’s been gone for many years. It was on Broadway, which has gone through so many incarnations. There were many memories on that street which have been unceromoniously swept away. ☹ Like Charlie’s with the brass dance steps on the sidewalk. [sub] For men it was a seat belt.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-give-up-on-starbucks/337940/62 "2006-01-05T07:57:13Z")
> [@Anastasaeon](#): > > Is that one still there? Even if it has been transformed into a modern day Starbucks… that might be cool to see. > > [sub]You remember you made a Ballard joke many threads ago, about shutting your coat into your car door so you could fit in? My husband recently explained that one to me, since I’m not a local. So, a belated HAHAHA! That’s cute! 😉 [/sub] Nope. Years ago they expanded the QFC next door and down came the funny Starbucks building. Wait, now that I think about it was it just across the street by Fred Meyer? That was so long ago I don’t remember. I do remember the old wood floors, the barrels and they would scoop the coffee beans from large bins. And the smell. That shop smelled GREAT. In any case, both the QFC and the entire block south of there were all torn down or reworked by 1989-90. ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-give-up-on-starbucks/337940/63 "2006-01-05T07:59:38Z")
> [@picunurse](#): > > (snip) Like Charlie’s with the brass dance steps on the sidewalk. CHARLIES IS GONE?!?!?! I had my first _legal_ drink there. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-give-up-on-starbucks/337940/64 "2006-01-05T08:04:31Z")
> [@Seven](#): > > In any case, both the QFC and the entire block south of there were all torn down or reworked by 1989-90. I can’t walk a friggin’ block around here without bumping into a QFC. If it was announced tomorrow on CNN that QFC was taking over the entire world… well, I’d think they were lying. But I wouldn’t be surprised. All that cool old stuff being torn down is kind of sad, though. I would have liked to see it, and take my kids there someday. My husband tells me that even the now-familiar to me Market Street is drastically different than it was five years ago. Hell, there are condos (by QFC!) that weren’t there a year ago. The hell? **Picunurse** : [sub]BWAHAHAHA![/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-give-up-on-starbucks/337940/65 "2006-01-05T08:08:40Z")
I suppose I should add that I’m from a very small town. A slow town. It takes five years to fix a pothole. When driving along Rothesay Avenue in Saint John, you go bumpbumpbumpitybumpbump… then two seconds of smoothness… then bumpbumpbumpity… In that two seconds, all will look at each other in mild awe, then as the bumping starts again, someone will say, “O-h-ho! Th-th-ey f-f-f-ixxx-ed-d o-o-n-e!” ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-give-up-on-starbucks/337940/66 "2006-01-05T20:24:00Z")
Qfc ?? ---
**Author:** ![slaphead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@slaphead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slaphead)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-give-up-on-starbucks/337940/67 "2006-01-07T16:14:26Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > one eighth tsp per full pot of coffee in the basket of cinnamon Whaaaa? 😕 Am I missing some obscure coffee terminology here or did you cunningly switch ‘case’ to ‘basket’ for some obscure reason? And starbucks are in the habit of ladling so much cream and sugar into most of their stuff it’s actively nauseating. I really miss the old Seattle Coffee Company, who were a starbucks knockoff that made better coffee. Unfortunately, Starbucks bought them out as part of their Invasion UK ™. And as regards the Tall/Grande/Venti thing, I’m not sure whether that is some sort of marketing (it’s not small, it’s tall!) or some kind of coffee tradition. But over here lots of the chains do it. Costa Coffee do the same but have different words (eg Massimo rather than Venti). In fact, I have no idea whatsoever how Venti came to be used, since it makes no sense. Windy? Twenty? Huh? ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-give-up-on-starbucks/337940/68 "2006-01-07T17:07:18Z")
Starbucks is swill, plain and simple. Nasty burnt taste, they never serve it more than lukewarm, a mocha has that gross powdered chocolate taste that makes me feel a bit ill, and it IS about four bucks for a 20 oz mocha which only gets (IIRC) two shots of espresso. My local coffee house, Pappaccino’s (I’ve been going there for almost ten years) trains its new employees to remember the favorite drinks of regulars, so I pretty much never have to order–it’s up by the time I get to the cash register. A 20 oz gets three shots (Coffee People, another local chain puts in four, and it’s good but a little intimidating!) and rather than using the powdered chocolate ick they use chocolate milk from a local dairy (Alpenrose rocks!) The temperature is always perfect, the Longbottom beans are a flavorful but not overly dark roast and with a touch of cinnamon it’s perfect. Oh, and the cost is about .50 less than Starbucks. I was in a quandary after receiving a ten dollar gift card to Charbucks when I switched banks–the thought of actually redeeming it was daunting. Luckily, when a Good Samaritan rescued me from an out of gas situation (took my gas can, brought it back full and refused payment) I was able to give him the card as a token of my gratitude, thereby rescuing me from the need to go drink the horrible “coffee” at SB! I felt a little bit bad about fobbing it off on him, but he did say he was totally baked so I figure he’ll go buy scones or something… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Taters](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/taters/32/2845_2.png) [@Taters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taters)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-give-up-on-starbucks/337940/69 "2006-01-07T17:41:46Z")
I’m not a Starbucks fan either and for all the reasons listed here. Burned tasting, poor service, etc. I used to go to a little stand that was run by a pretty young fellow. He knew what he was doing though, and never failed to provide excellent service. If he was trying new beans, or something else new, my Americano was free. He was all about trying to make the customers happy. His beans had a good, rich flavor and were never burned tasting. His grandes were three shot affairs, not two. I ordered a grande Americano, with four shots every work morning. Nothing in there to foof it up either. His prices were lower than all the other coffee stands too. When he did raise his prices, they were still lower than every other coffee place around. I haven’t found a place that matches his qualitysince he sold his stand. I now go to Bigfoot. The stand I go to has awesome service, my drink is always ready when I pull up to the window, and the girls are always extremely warm and pleasant. The coffee there is okay, but I sure miss The Daily Grind. ---
**Author:** ![Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/278dde/32.png) [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runs_With_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-give-up-on-starbucks/337940/70 "2006-01-08T02:44:14Z")
I like Starbucks, although I like Peet’s better. We don’t have many Peet’s where I live so I don’t go there often enough. Peet’s uses no-sugar soy, and their coffee just tastes better. There are two independent coffee houses near my house…one is even walking distance. Their lattes just don’t taste good. And the one by my house closed at 3:00 today (I’ll go there after the gym if I’m too lazy to drive to Starbucks). I got there at 3:05. Guess where I went next. I never have a problem with poor customer service at my local Starbucks. They are nice, fast, and efficient. They rarely goof up, but when they do, they slap me a free ANY size ANY drink coupon fast. Actually, it’s been a long time since they’ve goofed up. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-give-up-on-starbucks/337940/71 "2006-01-08T02:53:29Z")
> [@slaphead](#): > > In fact, I have no idea whatsoever how Venti came to be used, since it makes no sense. Windy? Twenty? Huh? Venti is Italian for twenty (20 oz. cup). ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-give-up-on-starbucks/337940/72 "2006-01-08T03:04:59Z")
This is why I go to: mostly a) Tim Horton’s–I get to feel a warm-and-fuzzy moment of Canadian patriotism, and plus, Timbits, or occasionally b) Timothy’s World Cafe–infinitely superior beverage, IMHO, but on the pricier side; the brownies and baked goods are worth it though, or possibly c) Chez Opal. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-give-up-on-starbucks/337940/73 "2006-01-08T03:12:12Z")
For those that do drink Starbucks, I came across [this](http://www.slate.com/id/2133754/?nav=tap3) while looking for someting else: \*Starbucks Economics Solving the mystery of the elusive “short” cappuccino. By Tim Harford Posted Friday, Jan. 6, 2006, at 6:28 AM ET Here’s a little secret that Starbucks doesn’t want you to know: They will serve you a better, stronger cappuccino if you want one, and they will charge you less for it. Ask for it in any Starbucks and the barista will comply without batting an eye. The puzzle is to work out why.\* ---
**Author:** ![Linty\_Fresh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Linty\_Fresh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linty_Fresh)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-give-up-on-starbucks/337940/74 "2006-01-08T03:17:56Z")
I don’t know if it’s true nation-wide, but in my area, the Borders bookstores in the Boston area serve up a decent batch of coffee. Their cafe areas are good, their staff not only knows how to make coffee but actually takes the trouble to get your order right, and Borders brand coffee tastes pretty good. In contrast, the Starbucks around here are mostly overcrowded and uncomfortable. Also, I wouldn’t say that I hate Starbucks coffee, but it’s too rich for me now. My stomach can’t take it anymore. I’m not shilling for Borders or anything, but if I start jonesing in Boston, I usually head straight for School Street. ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-give-up-on-starbucks/337940/75 "2006-01-08T08:14:02Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > My local coffee house, Pappaccino’s… (snip-o-rama) Whaaaaa? :eek: That’s the shop I go to all the time now. It’s right up the hill from me. I love that place. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-give-up-on-starbucks/337940/76 "2006-01-09T00:02:14Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > My local coffee house, Pappaccino’s (I’ve been going there for almost ten years) trains its new employees to remember the favorite drinks of regulars, so I pretty much never have to order–it’s up by the time I get to the cash register. Am I the only one who hates that? At certain places I might get the same thing 90% of the time, but what if I go in one day with a hankering for something else? Then they’ve premade a drink I didn’t want, wasted materials and time, and are probably a bit put off. Just ask “the usual?” _before_ making my drink; that still gives you the warm fuzzies of “aw, they _know_ me!” but lets you say, “y’know, I think I’ll have something different today for a change.” ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-give-up-on-starbucks/337940/77 "2006-01-09T01:12:30Z")
> [@Seven](#): > > CHARLIES IS GONE?!?!?! > > I had my first _legal_ drink there. ☹ The building may still be there, but alas, Charlies is no more. ☹ (where is the emoticon with one tear?) **Anastasaeon** QFC is owned by the largest grocery chain in the world… Kroger, so is Fred Meyer. I shop at Safeway, just to get away from it. End of hijack, please carry on… ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-give-up-on-starbucks/337940/78 "2006-01-09T01:19:35Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > Starbucks is swill, plain and simple. Nasty burnt taste, they never serve it more than lukewarm, a mocha has that gross powdered chocolate taste that makes me feel a bit ill, and it IS about four bucks for a 20 oz mocha which only gets (IIRC) two shots of espresso. > > My local coffee house, Pappaccino’s (I’ve been going there for almost ten years) trains its new employees to remember the favorite drinks of regulars, so I pretty much never have to order–it’s up by the time I get to the cash register. A 20 oz gets three shots (Coffee People, another local chain puts in four, and it’s good but a little intimidating!) and rather than using the powdered chocolate ick they use chocolate milk from a local dairy (Alpenrose rocks!) The temperature is always perfect, the Longbottom beans are a flavorful but not overly dark roast and with a touch of cinnamon it’s perfect. Oh, and the cost is about .50 less than Starbucks. > > I was in a quandary after receiving a ten dollar gift card to Charbucks when I switched banks–the thought of actually redeeming it was daunting. Luckily, when a Good Samaritan rescued me from an out of gas situation (took my gas can, brought it back full and refused payment) I was able to give him the card as a token of my gratitude, thereby rescuing me from the need to go drink the horrible “coffee” at SB! I felt a little bit bad about fobbing it off on him, but he did say he was totally baked so I figure he’ll go buy scones or something… 😉 Oh! Oh! Where is it? Pleeeeease? I need a good coffee place. I’m even willing to drive out of my neighborhood. I live in the Matthews Beach area (west side of the lake, north of Children’s Hospital, farther north than Laurelhurst :rolleyes: ) ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-give-up-on-starbucks/337940/79 "2006-01-09T01:52:13Z")
The address is [8421 SW Terwilliger Blvd](http://portland.citysearch.com/map?mode=geo&id=8475097&map_lat=454640&map_lon=-1226839&fid=2&). It’s just north of the intersection of Terwilliger and SW Taylors Ferry Road. It’s in a building that looks like it used to be an auto service station. ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-give-up-on-starbucks/337940/80 "2006-01-09T01:55:01Z")
Oh, heh heh. Sorry **picunurse**. I just looked at your location. I think a coffee shop in Portland might be a bit more “out of your neighbourhood” then you’d want. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-give-up-on-starbucks/337940.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-give-up-on-starbucks/337940.md?page=5)