[Rumor]

I'm curious who does. Personally, I don't. However, I have a local coffee shop around the corner from my house that I like to support. There is also a drive through place that I usually go to in the morning on the way to work.

[Dakar]

They haven't infiltrated my town yet. I give them til the end of the decade.

[Eriamjh]

Nope. Don't drink coffee.

[Angelo78]

I do and often at that. They're at a great location near two huge schools (Brown University and RISD) and it's a great place to people watch. I support the local places as well, but some around here are actually a little more than Starbucks. I'd say if you're going to compete you'd have to be at the same price or lower, if possible.

[SpaceMonkey]

There is a local coffee shop that's a 10 minute walk or so from my house that I go to once a week on Saturday or Sunday just to read and people-watch. If I'm traveling and need to grab coffee somewhere, then it is often Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts.

[Oversoul]

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf for me.

Although Starbucks' madeleines are divine.

[brassplayersrock²]

there is a starbucks across the street on one corner from my dorm, and on the other corner....a dunken doughnuts. i dont drink THAT much caffeine, but when i do, it's usually starbucks, i just cant stand the taste of dunkens coffees

On the other hand, there is now a new place down the block from me that sells small, medium and large sized coffees for 99cents. great place, great decaf there

[ort888]

I do on occasion. Maybe once a month or so.

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by Oversoul

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf for me.

My gf and I went to the Coffee Bean and while we were standing in line, I grabbed one of the free cookies off the counter. It was way too crunchy and I mentioned to the girl at the counter that their cookies were stale. Among the crowd I heard I few titters and giggles, and someone said "That's biscotti".

I guess biscotti is supposed to taste like stale cookies, what do I know.

[Naplander]

No, avoid like the plague.

Would rather drink dishwater.

[itai195]

I do go to Starbucks unless I'm near Peet's, which I prefer, or a good local place I guess. Though I think supporting local coffee joints is slightly overrated.

[Rumor]

Originally Posted by itai195

Though I think supporting local coffee joints is slightly overrated.

The Starbucks here is fairly new, less than 3 years. The Headlands (place close to mine) has been here almost 20 years. Plus, thier coffee is better and less expensive.

[turtle777]

Regular coffe: prefer Dunkin Donuts
Latte: make my own at home
Business travel: mostly Starbucks for lattees, Dunkin Donuts for coffee if available

-t

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Naplander

No, avoid like the plague.
Would rather drink dishwater.

Can't beat exaggeration

-t

[itai195]

Originally Posted by Rumor

The Starbucks here is fairly new, less than 3 years. The Headlands (place close to mine) has been here almost 20 years. Plus, thier coffee is better and less expensive.

When the coffee is better I fully support the concept. Not that Starbucks has great coffee, but a lot of the local alternatives don't seem so great to me either.... There are a few I like and will go to if I'm near them.

Additionally, there's a Starbucks every half mile here it seems, so they're kind of hard to avoid. Every time I think there are enough coffee places they just keep building more Starbucks. According to their website there are 36 Starbucks stores within a 5 mile radius of my house.

[Rumor]

Originally Posted by itai195

Additionally, there's a Starbucks every half mile here it seems, so they're kind of hard to avoid. Every time I think there are enough coffee places they just keep building more Starbucks.

I hear that! I used to live in Seattle...they are everywhere! Some places there will be two on the same block!

[SeSawaya]

The closest one is 15 miles from us and before this summer it was 35 miles away. So rarley, but when we go to the "city" we get it occasionally. I love it.

Now I do buy SB Fraps at my local gas station about 2 times a week.

[JHromadka]

I go to local shops when I can but do goto Starbucks as well.

[Kenneth]

Pretty much everyday.

[TheoCryst]

Probably about once a week. I'm not much of a coffee drinker, but I enjoy some of their less coffee-centic drinks. And my gf is in love with their hot chocolate, so we go there a little more often during the winter.

[Dakar]

I prefer Harbucks, myself.

[Rumor]

What's with the new sig?

[Dakar]

I didn't like the Tyler sig much.

[Monique]

I have to say yes, because I go occasionnaly as I go to other coffee shops. Most of the time I drink coffee at home because coffee elsewhere is never strong enough for me.

I have a funny story about that. When I was in London, believe it or not I could not find a chain with good coffee. For some odd reasons even with a generic recipe the British cannot make a good cup of coffee.

And in Paris, the coffee is amazing.

[Stradlater]

Rarely, as a last resort if I'm out or on a trip and need an espresso-based beverage (Peet's is a preferred step up; some smaller venues sometimes another step up).

I prefer to do it myself and, milk and all, pay less than $0.25 per cappuccino. Don't care for drip, so I do the french press thing if no espresso is available.

[Chuckit]

Sometimes. I prefer to go to 7-Eleven. It's cheaper and better coffee.

[davesimondotcom]

I would rather go to a locally-owned coffee joint to get my smoothie and get FREE Wifi, not the overpriced stuff that Starbucks offers.

Why would I PAY for Wifi?

[Lateralus]

Negative. I prefer my coffee without yuppie.

[osiris]

I don't like Starbucks, but love their French Roast.

[DeathToWindows]

Only when I have to kill off fake money (BU Dining...)

I can make far better coffee

[mac128k-1984]

Generally I avoid this as the coffee is overpriced and burnt. I like Dunkin Donuts myself.

[nredman]

i try to make coffee at home since its cheaper but sometimes i get starbucks maybe a few times a year if that - or the local caribou coffee

[Oversoul]

Originally Posted by BlueSky

My gf and I went to the Coffee Bean and while we were standing in line, I grabbed one of the free cookies off the counter. It was way too crunchy and I mentioned to the girl at the counter that their cookies were stale. Among the crowd I heard I few titters and giggles, and someone said "That's biscotti".

I guess biscotti is supposed to taste like stale cookies, what do I know.

Biscotti is twice baked and that's what hardens the "cookie." The hardness of biscotti actually makes it a great snack to dip in coffee. You should try it.

Originally Posted by Rumor

I hear that! I used to live in Seattle...they are everywhere! Some places there will be two on the same block!

My girlfriend went to college in Seattle and worked as a barista at a local coffee house. I got a sense of love/hate with Starbucks from her: On the one hand, Starbucks is a Seattle company (or at least started out as one), and on the other hand it drives competitors, even chain owned shops like Tully's and Seattle's Best, out of business.

[His Dudeness]

Starbucks is all I buy. I hate the stores because they don't have Coffee Mate. Liquid creamer makes coffee taste like a horse's ass.

[Mithras]

I don't drink coffee, and am too poor to drink the $5 milkshakes that they call "Frappuccino" or whatever. However, I harbor no particular ill will towards the place.

This map of Starbucks locations sows that it's just getting a little too crazy, though:

[memory-minus]

Originally Posted by davesimondotcom

I would rather go to a locally-owned coffee joint to get my smoothie and get FREE Wifi, not the overpriced stuff that Starbucks offers.

Why would I PAY for Wifi?

It will be free when Starbucks' contract with T-mobile is up. I do not work for Starbucks, but sleep with someone who does, and believe me Starbucks now hates that they made that deal.

[memory-minus]

Originally Posted by Mithras

This map of Starbucks locations sows that it's just getting a little too crazy, though:

It is true there are places where you can see two Starbucks locations at once, or stand at the door to one and see another. They do that because if they didn't, lines would be out the door all day. Since you live there (I was just there this past weekend) I assume you have walked by them from time to time and seen just how busy these stores stay all day, every day.

[memory-minus]

Originally Posted by Oversoul

My girlfriend went to college in Seattle and worked as a barista at a local coffee house. I got a sense of love/hate with Starbucks from her: On the one hand, Starbucks is a Seattle company (or at least started out as one), and on the other hand it drives competitors, even chain owned shops like Tully's and Seattle's Best, out of business.

Disclaimer: I don't work for Starbucks but sleep with someone who does.

Starbucks owns the Seattle's Best brand. If a Seattle's Best closed, it's because there was a Starbucks too close to it to warrant both.

Please show evidence of competitors being driven out of business simply because a Starbucks moved into the vicinity. I believe this to be a myth in the vast majority of cases. Usually local coffee shops go out of business because their coffee sucks, poor location, rude employees, etc. and people realize they can get pretty good coffee and generally great service by going to Starbucks. Welcome to competition in a capitalist economy. If people did not think Starbucks was better than the local options, they would not take their business there -- I guarantee it.

However, just a few blocks of my residence there is a locally owned coffee shop (complete with average coffee and pretentious service) humming along quite nicely with a Starbucks literally within 1 block. There are many reasons coffee shops go out of business but I don't believe Starbucks is a major contributing factor. Starbucks grows the market.

[iREZ]

i go there when i need to get out of the house and still wrap up some work. i wish i had another 'mom n pop' type coffee shop around my place...but alas i dont.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by His Dudeness

Starbucks is all I buy. I hate the stores because they don't have Coffee Mate. Liquid creamer makes coffee taste like a horse's ass.

Anything BUT milk makes coffee taste bad, IMO.

-t

[itai195]

Originally Posted by what_the_heck

Anything BUT milk makes coffee taste bad, IMO.

Agreed. I hate that coffee mate stuff, personally. Prefer half-and-half or low fat milk.

[CleoW]

Originally Posted by what_the_heck

Anything BUT milk makes coffee taste bad, IMO.

-t

I prefer half and half. Milk is too thin.

[D. S. Troyer]

Timmy's is my cup of coffee.

On my way now for my hit of caffeine. Large regular.

[lowdaksport]

I only go there because it is in my school and I get free gift cards from my national city points program. I tend to enjoy the atmosphere of smaller shops. People seem more friendly and I guess its more personal with the people who work there. If you go a lot.

[SpaceMonkey]

Originally Posted by davesimondotcom

I would rather go to a locally-owned coffee joint to get my smoothie and get FREE Wifi, not the overpriced stuff that Starbucks offers.

Why would I PAY for Wifi?

Oh, yes, I forgot to mention this advantage of the local place that I mentioned in my last post.

Although, I also forgot to mention that Starbucks supplies our coffee at work, so, I technically *do* drink Starbucks every day. I just don't purchase it.

[slugslugslug]

I usually drink drip coffee, and at the only Starbucks I ever go near, the drip is usually vile. That said, I drink a lot of coffee, and most of the coffeeshops I'm near don't make very good drip coffee, so I'll go to Starbucks if it's the most convenient during a particular coffee jones.

And I've stopped believing in the whole idea that Starbucks alone can kill off indy coffeeshops. It's not like there's much room for a price war in the world of coffee drinks. If a little shop's former patrons start flocking to a Starbucks, their patronage probably came from convenience, not allegiance.

[brassplayersrock²]

well today at Starbucks, someone stole my drink that i paid for and i didnt know, so i was waiting, waiting, started talking with a friend, next thing i knew, 30 mins had gone by and no drink. i ask the person making the drinks, and she said she made it and put it out. alas,after some more waiting i got the drink and a "next time your here, have a drink on us" coupon thingie

they really want their customers to come back

Alex

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by brassplayersrock

alas,after some more waiting i got the drink and a "next time your here, have a drink on us" coupon thingie

they really want their customers to come back

So next time, you go with a friend, decide on one thing that you both like, and get three drink for one.

-t

[brassplayersrock²]

but but but but what_the_heck that would mean stealing
and and me mummy always tells me that if you steal you go to hell
brassplayersrock no wanna go to hell what_the_heck, no no no

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by brassplayersrock

but but but but what_the_heck that would mean stealing
and and me mummy always tells me that if you steal you go to hell
brassplayersrock no wanna go to hell what_the_heck, no no no

I'm not going to hell either, because I make my lattee at home for $ 0.25 per cup, including styrofoam cups and lids from Sam's

-t