The Starbucks Experience

[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.