plenzmd1 Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I imagine there are many of you that like Starbucks. Like the coffee, the abiance, the convenience or whatever. I'm not a big fan. I hate their coffee and I hate oversaturation and the franchise food service concept. I like variety. Well this article gives me another reason to dislike Starbucks. See the CEO is in the hospitality business but doesn't really seem to understand the history of the hospitality business if this guys story is that great of a lesson to him. http://www.businessinsider.com/howard-schultz-starbucks-london-anecdote-2013-1 Funny, I still use a percolator at home to make my coffee, but my wife is addicted to Starbucks. Has been since 95, same drink every morning. Funny think was for 10 years she ordered a extra dry double cappuccino , cost $3.05. Same drink called a Dopio Machiotta, now costs $2.10....same exact drink just different way to order it. $1 a day for 3600 days...fug me. Now, she never goes to hang out there, but she does love the coffee. I will say the breakfast sammies pretty good , if you have not had they are great when you are in a rush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 If you really want something overpriced and bad at SB's. buy the food. I don't drink coffee but the wifey does. She finds SB to be too bitter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBillsForever Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I was skeptical of capsule based coffee machines until I tried the Nespresso Citiz. It is a really well engineered machine. It produces a beutiful crema. It takes little time, work and cleanup to pull a quality espresso or make a cappuccino. Fill tank with water (takes 60 secs for the water to warm), warm up cup with hot water (dump water), insert coffee capsule. Press button. I pulled a shot into a clear shot glass and the espresso looks exactly as shown in the pictures. I haven't tried it yet but there is a youtube video of modding the capsules to use your own coffee. I was a major skeptic but it's way more consistent than a semi-automatic machine. Semi-automatic machines are a nice performance/price ratio but there is definitely a learning curve and are much more time consuming and less consistent unless you are true pro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 It's 5:45am and I'm at the airport. No bars open and the shortest line is for Starbucks. I'm so !@#$ed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 Oh wait, I have a minibar in my knapsack. Never mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 See, my wife is a coffee snob and claims the exact opposite. Starbucks coffee she claims is one of the best and drinks it black (please do NOT insert joke here ). Like I said, coffee she grinds @ home or doesn't have time to drink can sit days and then get nuked! OMG, that stuff has gotta be hideous... BUT then again, it is a better roast? My wife is the same. Of course, she buys it for $10/lb in the supermarket, which is what we do and brew a pot every morning. That works out to $.25 a cup or whatever, rather than driving to the Starbucks, standing in line and paying $4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marv's Neighbor Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Oh wait, I have a minibar in my knapsack. Never mind. Hope it's less than 3 ounces, or TSA will be your next best friend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Jack Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 It's 5:45am and I'm at the airport. No bars open and the shortest line is for Starbucks. I'm so !@#$ed. I advise you to save some of that for the plane. There will be a screaming child, there always is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Again... I am not a coffee drinker... But does anybody use the K-Cups... When it is time to get a new machine, thinking that may be the way to go?? Of course, the only thing that change our minds was seeing those refillable K-Cups... Does the aftermarket refillables (you can put your own grind in there) work well with the machines? I advise you to save some of that for the plane. There will be a screaming child, there always is. What is the TSA carry-on liquid limit? 4oz? He is so BUSTED! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benderbender Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Bought the refillable k cups from Walgreens. it cost $9.99. Saves me $20-$30 on k cups a month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Bought the refillable k cups from Walgreens. it cost $9.99. Saves me $20-$30 on k cups a month. Great... That may be the way to go! The only reason for us to NOT get the K-Cup machine was being @ the mercy of filling it with anything you want. Seems so wasteful and expense to... Let alone a proprietary way of making coffee deserves a major: Holy WTF! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JM57 Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 (edited) I like Starbucks. I find as I get older, I' m enjoying bitter as a flavor more and more . darker roasts of coffee, hoppy beers, dark chocolate, etc. I don't really care for Timmy Ho' s as it' s not (surprise, surprise) strong enough for my taste. I will say that Horton' s coffee packs quite the caffeine punch though. in warmer months you' 'll find me with an iced dark roast from Dunkin Donuts. harder to find in WNY, but beats any iced coffee at Horton's or Starbucks. This post nails it home for me. Timmy Ho's coffee has the best caffeine punch of them all. Plus, I don't particularly care for bitter roasts, and I think DD and McD's taste like battery acid and water dyed dark brown. A friend of mine does work at Starbucks and when we were on vacation in June he used his worker discount or whatever they get to get a pound of their coffee for the hotel suite. I want to say it was called blondie or something like that. It was pretty good. BUTTTTTTT I live in Lockport and the closest SB is up Transit in Clarence/Amherst area. Timmy Ho's crack roast it is. Edited January 18, 2013 by JM57 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Anybody in Ithaca or Manhattan is aware of Gimme! Coffee. Delicious stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Anybody in Ithaca or Manhattan is aware of Gimme! Coffee. Delicious stuff. Where can I find it? Gimme some more details! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Where can I find it? Gimme some more details! In Ithaca, I can give ya the exact street corners. In Manhattan, which I assume is more along your lines, only heard of it by reputation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted January 21, 2013 Author Share Posted January 21, 2013 What is the TSA carry-on liquid limit? 4oz? He is so BUSTED! Amatures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Stewart's coffee in our area is just fine for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sullim4 Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 I live east of Seattle. If you think the saturation of Starbucks in your area is bad, then I suggest coming up here. I know of numerous strip malls in the Bellevue/Redmond/Kirkland area that have three separate Starbucks locations. The city that I live in doesn't even have a post office, but we do have 3 Starbucks plus a couple grocery store Starbucks. I really don't understand it because Seattle has some excellent roasters. My favorite is Caffe D'Arte, though the most popular around here is probably Caffe Vita. If you are looking for "real" Seattle espresso/coffee then my suggestion would be to grab a bag from one of those two roasters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Again... I am not a coffee drinker... But does anybody use the K-Cups... I've been using a Keurig for the better part of four years and it's been worth every penny. I drink coffee like it's going out of style, but my wife's coffee drinking is sporadic at best. There are times she'll be on a tea kick for months. I got tired of pouring out unused coffee, or going for a cup and finding the pot empty because this was the day my wife decided to have two cups. We used the little fill-it-yourself filter for a while, and if you only drink one or two cups a day, it's great. But I drink too much too often to open, empty, clean, re-fill, brew, open, empty, clean, refill... I get Tully's K-cups at Costco for about 46 cents a cup, and that's just fine for me. Wifey uses it to make iced tea, our son uses it for hot cocoa, and it comes in handy any time you just need a cup of hot water (oatmeal, etc.). And if you're one of those people who thinks Starbucks tastes like coffee, they make k-cups as well. Frankly I have no idea how anyone enjoys their swill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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