The Starbucks Experience

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by HQWest

It is no longer always socially acceptable to hang out and take a smoke break, or to stop by the local bar/hangout on the way home anymore.

Clearly, you've never been to Dallas

[HQWest]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Clearly, you've never been to Dallas

I said not always socially acceptable. HQJr. would not be pleased that dinner was late....

On a recent outing for a birthday party - I had a sitter for HQJr- but not everyone did. The DJ commented "Oh look - you have a baby, in a bar." The mother's response "Oh no. We have two."

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by HQWest

I said not always socially acceptable. HQJr. would not be pleased that dinner was late....

I guess my "joking" smiley didn't show up lol

On a recent outing for a birthday party - I had a sitter for HQJr- but not everyone did. The DJ commented "Oh look - you have a baby, in a bar." The mother's response "Oh no. We have two."

This happens a lot in Dallas, too.

I remember meeting some friends at an uppity/yuppie patio bar in Uptown and having a good time -- until I turned around and saw a woman with her infant and toddler. I think it's one thing to bring kids to a restaurant/grill/lounge, but to bring them to a bar-bar (intended for 20- and 30-somethings) seemed so off to me.

[thewasher418]

In school, I spent many many hours studying at Starbucks. I would always drink either hot chocolate or chai lattes. Once in a blue moon I might try a coffee rink, but I could never bring myself to like that taste.

[Jill1228]

I love Dunkin Donuts hazelnut coffee. Sucks that there are no DDs near me. Occasionally I go to Panera or Brugger's bagels for their coffee.
My bad habit (and rock a gold card to prove it--should be platinum) is Starbucks

[TriDeltaSallie]

Originally Posted by Jill1228

My bad habit (and rock a gold card to prove it--should be platinum) is Starbucks

This is me. I don't drink, smoke, etc. My vice is Starbucks Mochas.

Help me. Please.

That said... I cannot stand their coffee. Way too strong and makes me literally sick to my stomach.

The OP mentioned Beaners (I mean Biggby now that they are all PC with their name). I like their Caramel Marvels but they are so overpriced I won't go there any longer unless I have a BOGO coupon.

[Hockeynut]

The only time I ever go to any place like Starbucks is when I set up a date with a girl. I don't even like coffee so I'll order some other drink.

[PhoenixAzul]

Because I'm now a consultant, I'm in the habit of doing initial client meetings/cold call meetings in coffee shops. I always buy. And I always use a non-Starbucks. I don't particularly care for the coffee at the stores, and the atmosphere has never really done anything for me.

My two favorite locations in Pittsburgh as of yet for client meetings/general consumption of coffee:
http://www.commonplacecoffee.com/
and
http://espressoamano.com/

Great coffee, nice folk (the Espresso guy always filled my water bottles for free when I was out on my long runs!).

For drinking at home, I go to http://www.prestogeorge.com/ and buy the JP Hearty blend. The best coffee, ever. Hands down. In a french press, please!

[HQWest]

I like Caribou too and used to go there in college but the location here is not very big.

Panera is also good. It is not as extensive a coffee menu, but free wifi and good breakfast items. It is also very high on the people watching list in my town as it seems to be the number one place for first meeting IRL for couples from the Christian Singles website

[Gusteau]

Originally Posted by PhoenixAzul

Because I'm now a consultant, I'm in the habit of doing initial client meetings/cold call meetings in coffee shops. I always buy. And I always use a non-Starbucks. I don't particularly care for the coffee at the stores, and the atmosphere has never really done anything for me.

Yes. I live in coffeehouses, be it Starbucks or some other venue. I'm a tea drinker, so I can't really comment on the quality of coffee (though a friend's father french presses a 50/50 mixture of Starbucks' Pike and Italian Roast that is almost good enough to convert me from tea). I do enjoy the atmosphere of Starbucks because when I'm traveling I can walk into a store and know what to expect. Having the same decor and music can be very comforting when you're on the road for four months at a time.

That being said, I love the local places, and try to find those versus Starbucks, mostly because I think they more often have better pastries and snacks.

[ColdInCanada11]

ASTalumna06, I'm not sure if they've changed it. It tasted like a different chocolate was used when I tried the peppermint hot chocolate at Christmas, but my friend bought me a regular hot chocolate a couple of weeks of ago, and it tasted like the usual dark chocolate to me!

[Amethyst2]

I go for the small independently run coffee shops - preferably run by Latin folk as in my opinion they make the best coffee. I give the large chains a wide berth and have never been to Starbucks.

Amethyst2

[PeppyGPhiB]

We have countless coffee options in Seattle, so here's my take:

- Starbucks is convenient, and I love its corporate politics. Great place to work. Will work in a pinch, but I don't like the taste of the coffee from the automated machines they installed a few years ago. I don't really hang out in Starbucks - since it's all over the place, it doesn't have much of a coffee house feel anymore.
- Tully's (now owned by Green Mountain) always burns the milk in my latte. Only drinkable if I order it "not too hot."
- I prefer smaller roasters/local chains we have in Seattle...and we have many of them. Uptown Espresso, Cafe Ladro, Zoka Coffee, Cafe Vita, Diva Espresso, Fuel, etc. Plus I'll go to Cupcake Royale just for the Stumptown Espresso (Portland, Ore.).
- Drive-thru espresso huts on every corner/every gas station. Convenient, sometimes have Granitas, which I love in the summer. Otherwise I tend to avoid them, because again, most of them burn the milk. Love the punch cards, though.

ETA: You wouldn't believe the number of choices we have for coffee in the grocery stores, too. In many stores it takes up an entire side of an aisle.

[GammaPhi88]

I prefer the smaller coffeeshops to Starbucks, not because I think Starbucks is necessarily evil, but because I can't stand the faux hipsters that infest the DC locations, and I just happen to like most of the ones in my area. Sadly enough, my favorite local coffee shop is under new ownership that added hookah to the mix...and it has become a hipster hangout. Ugh.

I must be weird because I absolutely love home-brewed drip coffee to the point where my mom has to dig out the regular coffeepot from the basement when I'm at her house, since I prefer it to her espresso machine. I have a thing for creamers, and I'm always trying new flavors, so maybe that's it. While you think this would save me money, despite my preference I am usually grabbing Starbucks since I couldn't wake up in time to brew coffee/prepare a travel mug to save my life thanks to law school exhaustion.

I rarely hang out in Starbucks because I literally hate being in one. They used to be overcrowded with sorority girls when I was in undergrad, and this drove me nuts because I was already a bit overtired from constant sorority from living in my house. I don't like the atmosphere at the one at my law school because there are students with babies in there and it makes me feel old.

[cheerfulgreek]

What's up with people talking about "hipster" people at Starbucks? I've never seen them at any of the Starbucks in my area. Maybe it's a location thing.