$tarbuck$ prices go from totally fucking ridiculous to astronomically fucking ridiculous.

[HopeHoops]

http://money.cnn.com/2010/09/22/news/companies/starbucks_prices/index.htm?source=cnn_bin&hpt=Sbin

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Starbucks drinks, long considered symbols of Americans' penchant to overspend, are about to get even pricier.

The coffee giant said late Wednesday that it will raise the price of "labor-intensive and larger-sized" beverages because of soaring prices of green arabica coffee beans.

------------

It's fucking coffee, man. To quote Bobcat Goldthwait from the movie "Burglar", - "That place looks like Yuppies from Hell".

[Taverner]

1. Man, so much hate

We Starbucks (and Arabica fans) just want a Coffee that doesn't taste like Herpes Lesions

[ohiosmith]

3. never tasted herpes lesions. what are they like?

[MattBaggins]

11. Starbucks coffee strangely enough.

[Taverner]

14. Kind of like salty coffee

Which is how I would describe Yuban, Maxwell House or any other Robusto Coffee Seller.

[HopeHoops]

5. E-FUCKING-GADS! Try 8 O'Clock or Chock Full O' Nuts. Or get whole bean from a healthfood store.

You can get Kenya AA and Arabica and all kinds of good stuff for about $9/lb and grind it yourself.

As for on the road, most convenience stores have such high sales that the coffee is usually within 10 minutes of brew time - and it isn't crap. Some people even like McCoffee, but I draw the line there.

Besides, I don't need silly names for "coffee" or the sizes. If I want a "large coffee", give me a fucking "large coffee" and I don't expect to pay $3.00 or more for it because it has a stupid name.

[Taverner]

16. I prefer Peets (being in CA)

But Starbucks' products aren't bad, and they tend to (on a national level, not local) treat their employees better than most companies - offering health care and other benefits.

I am not a Starbucks Hater.

But I do prefer Peets.

[nadinbrzezinski]

20. It is taste

I cannot stand starbucks brew... too burned for my taste.

I mean I usually do black at the locally owned coffee shop. Starbucks creamer and splenda, no way ´'round it.

[Taverner]

29. I have to have all of my coffee with cream, milk or something else

Recovering from an ulcer and all

[pinboy3niner]

63. If you like sweet, try Vietnamese coffee-- cà phê sua da (iced)/cà phê sua nóng (hot)

It is sweetened/lightened with sweetened condensed milk. The coffee itself is made with a metal drip filter that sits on top of the coffee cup (you must be patient--it takes 5-10 minutes to finish).

Vietnam is now one of the world's top coffee exporters, and its coffees can be found in Vietnamese markets here or ordered over the internet. My favorite is cà phê Ban Me Thuot, from the capital of Dac Lac Province (but I'm biased--on a trip to VN in the '90s I was invited for lunch at a coffee plantation there, and the coffee was superb).

[Taverner]

65. Not into it sweet - just cremed

I've had Vietnamese and Cuban Coffees - really good, but really sweet.

I prefer the dark, yet cremed coffees.

Unless made from Robusto beans.

[NYC_SKP]

50. Me too. I generally avoid chains, especially malicious chains.

I'll take plain old coffee from a donut shop or Indy coffee house any day.

:patriot:

[HopeHoops]

23. Not familiar with it. I did time in San Diego (job travel) but was working 18+ hours a day.

The only excuse for coffee I got was the shit in the vending machine two floors down from the 50 degree computer room. Outside it was 85.

On a side note, I was out on the fire escape (most of the guys went out there to smoke) for a break and this humming bird popped up in front of me, made a forward attack on my coffee cup, and looked at me like, "You fucking ASSHOLE!"

Not thinking anyone would believe me, I still attempted to describe the event to the guys in the computer tank. They busted out laughing and then one of them said - "You drink your coffee black without sugar, right?"

I answered, "Yes, always."

They laughed again. It seems this hummingbird would drink out of their cups (I witnessed it later) because they loaded it with extra cream and extra sugar to stay awake in the cold room. I thought that was a little like giving a hummingbird cocaine - turning it into an exploding ball of pure energy. I couldn't decide if that was cruel or funny, and 10 years later I still can't.

[Taverner]

26. Hilarious!

Animals need their sugar :)

[HopeHoops]

I think that's what hummingbirds live on naturally and they do NOT need refined sugar.

That's especially true in San Diego - there were flowers fucking everywhere.

[Taverner]

40. No I understand

But that story was funny...

[HopeHoops]

44. Freaked the HELL out of me! The damn think looked angry at me.

Think about it. At 140 lbs, I was actually a bit alarmed by a 2 oz bird with wings that may or may not be there - you can't really tell when they're hovering. It looked like it was going to peck my eyes out!

[Taverner]

45. The bigger they are the easier it is to swat them

I learned this in Thailand with bats instead of hummingbirds

Bats will sometimes run into you, thinking you might be a big insect or bird

Best thing is to swat them away, otherwise they flap all around you

[HopeHoops]

53. The easiest thing to do with a bat is throw a towel in the air. That will bring them down.

I did that a lot in high school just for shits and giggles. I wouldn't do it now because I know it was rather cruel. I just didn't think that way then.

As for humming birds, you just TRY hitting something that can go into hyperspace in 1/1000 of a second. Most people think they vanish, but they really just teleport via hyperspace. "I'm givin' her all she's a got Captin."

[HopeHoops]

48. In the OTHER funny job travel stories department...

I lived in NH and had to go to Tampa in January. It was -20 in NH when I left the house in about five layers of clothing. I arrived in Tampa about 8 hours later and it was 60 degrees - a net 80 degree change. I put everything but the bottom layer in my suitcase and was walking around in a t-shirt while everyone else was in mid-weight jackets looking at me like I was a fucking idiot. They would have frozen in NH with what they had on. I was sweating.

[Taverner]

55. It's always the opposite for me

I arrive in Boston in the middle of winter with just a fleece, a t-shirt, and a pair of jeans.

[HopeHoops]

58. Oh, so YOU'RE one of the idiots we laughed at!

:evilgrin:

That was meant tongue-in-cheek. It was really quite common to get people from more, um, okay how about if I rephrase that - LESS FUCKING COLD - places showing up with the "all I'll need is a light-weight jacket" resources and having no clue why we were all in heavy outerwear until we left the airport.

[nadinbrzezinski]

57. My sun conure likes coffee

she prefers it with cream, but will drink it black and bitter.

And no, she don't go nuts, she does not drink that much.

Don't ask when tuky fell on a cup of coffee, even after I washed him clean... he cleaned his feathers... yes he WAS high. He lost all liking for coffee after that.

[Hello_Kitty]

104. LOL at "You fucking ASSHOLE"

That's exactly how my dog looks at me when I fail to give her a treat immediately upon returning home.

[DrDan]

27. so if some want their coffee from Starbcuck . . . . let them have it

who really cares . . .

I don't pay those prices for coffee - but if someone else want to . . . fine by me.

There are things to get excited about. And this, in my opinion, should not be one of them.

[Taverner]

35. For a lot of us, the acidity that comes with Robusto Coffee gives us problems

I have an ulcer

I am not supposed to drink coffee, but I need it.

As a result, the Arabica bean is suggested to me. It has less acid, and more flavor.

The robusto is the bean you find in Yuban, Maxwell House and what not.

The arabica is the bean you find in Starbucks, Peets and most 'coffee houses.'

The robusto is bad for my stomach, but I have no problems if I drink an arabica based drink.

[DrDan]

49. and I have absolutely no problem with you getting your coffee at Starbucks

[TK421]

95. 8 O'Clock French Roast is totally awesome n/t

[MattBaggins]

10. Starbucks coffee tastes like ass.

Why do folks think coffee has to be burnt beyond recognition?

[Codeine]

84. There's a reason I call it Starburnts. nt

[Amaril]

86. Agree with you on the dark roasts (Sumatra, etc.)

I drink their breakfast blend -- it's a mild roast and my favorite coffee to brew at home.

[tridim]

2. I pay $9.99 for 3 pounds of organic beans.

And it's MUCH better than anything served at Starbucks.

Just don't go.

[JuniperLea]

7. Me too...

Trader Joe's has an entire wall of excellent coffee bean choices. Ground and French pressed within seconds... there's nothing on the Starbuck$ menu that can compare.

[HopeHoops]

28. I'll agree with you there. We don't have a Trader Joe's around here, but there was one in Reston.

[Taverner]

56. Buy beans! Make thy own!

[Dappleganger]

30. It's not just the cost, it's that Starbucks habitually over-roasts their beans.

Quite honestly they taste burnt (if you drink regular coffee) and the only way to make it go down smooth is with tons of syrup and sugar.

[JuniperLea]

36. I love deep roasted beans...

And I love Starbucks too... I just hate their prices. My home ground and pressed coffee is still far superior to anything Starbucks has to offer, but the process isn't conducive to good driving:)

[tridim]

52. The darker the roast, the less caffeine you ingest

That may be good or bad depending on your point of view.

[JuniperLea]

61. No wonder Starbucks doesn't wake me up!

:hi:

Thanks for the tip. I'm in the process of trying out new beans. I'll try some lighter roasts to see how perky they make me in the morning.

[Taverner]

70. Aribica (Starbucks) has less caffeine than Robusto (Maxwell House, Yuban..etc)

Its not about the caffeine

Its about the drinkability on an empty stomach

[JuniperLea]

71. Trader Joe's French Roast

Whole beans is my current favorite. It's supposed to be one of the boldest/strongest/deepest roasted. Freshly ground and pressed, it's very easy on the tummy... packs a punch too.

[Taverner]

39. You East Coasters don't get our West Coast obsession with dark roasted coffee

You guys have Dunkin Donuts. They serve a light roast.

On the WC we have darker roasts.

You just kind of have to grow up with it.

[Dappleganger]

46. Ah, but I prefer the dark roasts...

the darker the better, just not burnt.

[Taverner]

47. A lot of folks say Peets is burnt

Your thoughts?

[Dappleganger]

66. Their french roast is pretty damn good.

Haven't tried the other blends, however. It didn't seem over-roasted to me.

[Taverner]

69. Major Dickinson (not to be confused with Bruce Dickinson) is very good

And its VERY dark

[HopeHoops]

78. Is that named after the asshole in "Good Morning Viet Nam"?

Excuse me, "Sergeant Major Dickinson".

"I've never known a white man more desperately in need of a blow job than you."

[customerserviceguy]

72. It's true

As a transplanted Northwesterner, I cannot understand the locals' fascination with Dunkin Donuts coffee.

On the other hand, I don't shop at Starbucks, but I'm working off a half-case of their beans that my lady bought at Costco on sale. Yes, I know they need to be fresh, but she's the kind that, if she were shopping for a suit to bury me in, would buy one with two pairs of pants...

[RobinA]

79. Count Me As One

east coaster who can't STAND that colored water they sell at Dunkin Donuts. I don't get the attraction at all. I don't even like their beans from the store.

[Taverner]

37. I agree - make the joe at home

Pack a thermos if you have to. The thermos costs $10, and you make up for your investment in a matter of weeks.

Bring half and half, and all is good.

[smalll]

4. They may also be raising prices to keep up with the coffee snobs --

I've heard and read a lot of that crowd has started to look at Starbucks as declasse -- now they all rave about "Stumptown" and "Caribou" and whatnot. If Starbucks raises their prices, it may help them to recapture the snobs.

[HopeHoops]

6. My wife heard a guy order a laundry list of stupid names for his "coffee" (read on)...

When he got out of the $tarbuck$ line, his wife asked him, "so how much was THAT one?" (The tone clearly indicated an ongoing conflict).

His answer was, "only twelve dollars".

Twelve fucking dollars for a cup of coffee???? Earth to idiot - this is Earth calling idiot.

[elleng]

17. 'That one' was NOT $12 dollars for a cup of coffee;

Someone's the idiot here, but its not the guy. Sounds like a misunderstanding, to me.

[Chan790]

89. Nope. Been a Starbucks barista, casually dating one too.

There is just about no way to actually order a $12 beverage...The only way I have ever seen someone come close was a guy who used to come in and literally get a 20oz. cup of espresso. $1.70 for the doppio plus $9.45 for 17 additional shots (they're actually slightly over 1 ounce) $11.05 total. That's the most expensive beverage someone could possibly order...a cup filled to the brim with espresso.

He was taking them home and making his own lattes, you couldn't actually drink 20oz. of espresso in anything under 6 hours. You'd die of caffeine poisoning and dehydration from the massive diuretic effect. I once chained 9 shots on a dare at work and ended up on the floor with heart palpitations.

[Missy Vixen]

19. When one buys a quadruple shot grande caramel mocha whatever

one's going to pay for it.

We live just outside Seattle. I'm sure that's not even the most expensive coffee order.

[HopeHoops]

33. I doubt it is the most expensive either - the "only" part gave that away.

Me thinks the guy has a problem and his wife wants to get him into rehab.

[elleng]

91. May have a problem, but its not caffeine!

and if she thinks he has a caffeine problem, SHE's got the problem!

MAY be a $ problem, tho.

McD's, imo, not a bad substitute at all.

[HopeHoops]

92. Yeah, it isn't a caffeine problem - it is a stupidity problem.

The dude has been brainwashed to think he's getting something special and the expense is obviously something the wife is pissed about. If it was a caffeine problem, he would get REAL coffee.

[Warren DeMontague]

51. Know who I hate? Beer snobs. Budweiser and coors in a can is JUST AS GOOD

as any of your frou-frou yuppie arugula munching man-in-a-skirt urban microbrews.

Really. Why anyone would want quality anything, ever, is beyond me.

[Dappleganger]

68. LOL!

If you make a craft brew thread, I'll be happy to join ya!

[driver8]

8. Overpriced shitty coffee...

Starbucks coffee always tastes like it is burnt, to me.

[4lbs]

9. I haven't drank coffee at a Starbucks in 5 years. I just brew my own.

I buy whole beans, and grind and brew as I need.

$12.00 per month for 3lbs (48oz) worth of coffee beans

$3.00 per month (10 cents a day) for the purified water and electricity.

Total cost is $15.00 per month for about a pot (12 cups @ 6 oz = 72 Oz) of coffee every day. That comes out to 50 cents per day. That's 3 big mugs of 24 oz each daily, or less than 20 cents per mug.

Oh, by the way, I drink coffee the way it was meant to be drunk:

Hot
Black



No whipped cream
No milk
No creamer
No sugar/sweetener
No mocha/chocolate
No liquor


Just strong, dark, full-bodied, black coffee.

[tridim]

12. Have you ever tried adding a tiny bit of salt?

Sounded gross to me too, but it makes good coffee taste even better. Almost like dark chocolate.

[MattBaggins]

13. Salt blocks the receptors for bitter making coffee taste better.

[4lbs]

22. No. I don't want to modify the flavor at all.

If the coffee is bitter, well then it's bitter.

Fortunately for me, I drink fresh French Roast every day. The flavor of French Roast perfectly matches my taste buds.

:D

[Codeine]

85. I learned that from an Alton Brown show. Great tip. nt

[Dappleganger]

34. Damn straight!

I like your style. Only burnt/weak/overbrewed crap needs something to make it go down.

[4lbs]

15. BTW, guess where Arabica beans come from?

They originated in the Middle East.


Anyone that drinks at Starbucks is drinking that "Muslin" coffee!!1111!!!!

Oh Noessss!!!11!!!!!

[HopeHoops]

25. Toledo?

Or China. Maybe New Zealand? I know. Brazil.

[lpbk2713]

18. I just don't see the attraction.

I've only been there once and that was because the person I was with wanted to go there.
I love coffee but my life will go on just fine without Starbucks.

[Missy Vixen]

21. And those bastards

give even part-time employees health benefits, too. They should just give the stuff away. After all, it's just not cool, and God knows someone else is going to chime in with their own bleeding-edge, PC version of which coffee any of us should drink ASAP.

Interestingly enough, I'm at Starbucks maybe once a week. I like a venti passionfruit iced tea. It's a couple of bucks. I don't even go for the sweetener. I'm happy my pittance goes to help someone else keep their medical insurance.

[4lbs]

31. My father tells me he drinks McDonald's coffee every day.

He says it's actually pretty good, and costs about 1/3 that of StarBuck's by volume.

I was incredulous at first, but since he's been drinking all types of coffee for over 50 years, I'm not going to doubt his expertise with coffee.

[Missy Vixen]

42. Good for him

I'm glad he likes it, and I hope he enjoys it in excellent health.

If I drink coffee once a month, it's a big deal. I like tea. I try to stay out of coffee shops because it gets expensive. I do like visiting the local Starbucks once in awhile, though. I appreciate their dedication to at least attempting to do right by their employees. They're not perfect, but I gotta' hand it to them re: the health insurance.

[4lbs]

54. I also drink tea regularly.

I go to an Asian supermarket and buy three types of tea there:

Chinese Green Tea - $3.00 for 100 tea bags.





Korean Ginseng Tea - $6.00 for 100 tea packets.





Jasmine Sunflower Tea - $4.00 for a 8oz tin (about 240 grams) of loose-leaf tea.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Eunir6i%2BL._SL500_AA300_PIbundle-4,TopRight,0,0_AA300_SH20_.jpg



Lasts me three months, since I drink one helping of each daily. That comes out to about $4.50 per month, or 15 cents per day.

I add some honey and lemon to the Ginseng tea.

I guess I'm a 'Commie' for drinking all that Commie tea. ;)

[Missy Vixen]

59. I'm going to have to go check that out

Typically, I'm prowling the grocery store aisle for Celestial Seasonings or whatever. My husband brought me a bunch of tea when he was traveling back and forth from London on business; the varieties he got aren't sold here. (Fruit infusions, etcetera.)

Trader Joe's has a new "countess Gray" tea I'd like to try.

Bigelow has a delicious tangerine tea infused with fruit juice.

;-)

[4lbs]

60. The Jasmine Sunflower tea is the light, flowery tea you get when you visit a Chinese or Vietnamese

restaurant.

Tastes really nice.

[pinboy3niner]

103. I love those commie teas too

Both the green and the ginseng. And Vietnamese coffee, either hot or iced, and Vietnamese artichoke tea (as long as it's made from the roots, not the leaves).

But I made the mistake of drinking a whole pot of artichoke tea while writing letters and postcards in my hotel room in Dalat one night--and paid for it all night long with constant sprints to the bathroom. :)

[RobinA]

81. To Each His Own

I've found McDonalds coffee to be consistently bad from 1977 when I worked there, until about five months ago when I had it last. Back in the day it was easily the worst coffee available. I always figured one things that made it super bad instead of just really bad was that it was always too hot. Always. Still is, amazingly enough, just not quite white hot sun hot as it used to be.

[RobinA]

80. Starbucks Iced Tea

Starbucks has the best damn iced tea on the planet. No place I've ever been even comes close, including my own. I'm an iced tea drinker and have had a multitude of sins going by that name from coast to coast. I've been to great restaurants with piss for iced tea and crappy diners where the tea was actually drinkable. There's good nonStarbucks tea, then there's a huge quality gap, then there's Starbucks iced tea.

[Dappleganger]

24. The only time I go to SB's is when flying

or when dealing with somebody dying. Other than that, we make our own concoctions and when in a pinch go for the best gas station blend we can find: WaWa's.

[DiverDave]

38. Wawa has a pretty good cuppa joe

although they cut back the selection at night (1am), which is when I'm on the way to work.
As for starbucks?
Not since they wanted 7 bucks to fill my thermos have I went in one.

[Dappleganger]

41. As long as they keep putting out the French Roast, I'm good.

Whenever I stop in and see cops everywhere helping themselves, you know that's probably the best (free) brew in the neighborhood.

SB isn't very pocket or taste friendly unless you like overly sweet drinks (which I don't).
Quite honestly what we brew at home seems to always taste better.

[w8liftinglady]

32. the one Good Thing I'll say about Starbucks...they offer benefits..including domestic partner

while that may be common in other parts of the US,it is a rarity here.From what my son tells me,they pay on the high-end of the fast-food scale.
That being said-there's no way I go there...

http://www.starbucks.com/career-center/us-careers/partner-experience

[SmileyRose]

43. They should charge as much as their customers are willing to pay

it's frivolous spending to begin with.

who cares if they jack up pricing. Their customers will let them know when it's too high.

[Smashcut]

62. "Burglar" is one of my favorite movies.

Can't believe you just quoted it!!!

[HopeHoops]

74. "I'm not going to shoot her!" "They'd shoot her in L.A." "We're not IN L.A.!"

There were some great lines in that movie. And Goldthwait really added to the "fun factor".

[Smashcut]

83. "I got a Smith and Wesson, man, under the counter, pointin' at you!"

"And if you don't hurry up, I am gonna shoot you right in the DICK!"

:rofl:

[HopeHoops]

87. "A cat burglar? What do you do with them all?" "Do with what?" "The cats."

"And another thing. You should have let me kick in the door. That just needed sayin'."

"Yeah, like, like, like, when I was a little boy I said, 'Mom, I wanna grow up and get a job where random assholes blow shit at me all day.' Now sign the damn thing or I'll break you in half and use your head as a fucking ball point pen!" "You know pal, you should really get some help, like professional help." "Okay. Thanks. Thank you very much."

"If he moves, crown him." (WHAM) "Whoa, whoa, whoa, I said 'if he moves'." "I thought I saw him move just a little bit." "Uh, yeah." (WHAM....WHAM..WHAM)

[Chipper Chat]

64. I have never been to a StarBUCKS. Ever.

Look at all the $$$$$$ I've saved.

[MikeW]

67. make my own and take it to work ... much better

[mysuzuki2]

73. I really don't like Starbucks coffee

so I don't care what they charge. Fortunately, here in Milwaukee we have several independent coffee shops and local chains which are much better. I don't mind paying $2.00 for a coffee since I usually take up a table for an hour or more.

[Odin2005]

75. Damn. Fraps are one of those little luxuries I like to indulge myself with.

[PVnRT]

76. Their prices are not that much higher than the independent shops around here

Sound, fury, et cetera. The price of coffee beans is going up, everyone is raising prices.

[RobinA]

82. Facts....

Confusing people with facts is never a good way to win friends and influence people. Don't you know people love to take shots at Starbucks? Your observation is true for my neck of the woods also. Not to mention the fact that when I'm out and looking for a cup of coffee in the evening the independent shops are all closed and dark with their chairs neatly up-ended on their tables while Starbucks is lit up and open for business. This is why I never like to hear a bunch of sniveling from the shops about the big bad corporation putting them out of business. I'd happily shop independent, but you need to open the doors in order for me to do that.

[Fire1]

77. Hell naw! They burn the beans!! UGH!! n/t

[DFW]

88. Just wait for their impending "stupendissimo caffè con carne"

I promise you I am making this up


(but just barely)

[mkultra]

90. I call them Fivebucks

[AtomicKitten]

93. I make my own yummy coffee concotions at home.

I used to buy expensive Espresso machines mostly for the feature that steams the milk for a latte.

Then I found the perfect instrument at Ikea called http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10076320?filterBean=se.ikea.ms.search.beans.IrwSearchFilterBean%4060790c22&SEARCH_FILTER_0=eNqVU01v00AQHQxtQQ1CDRUV4kalXkC2hHrLpW2qoqAAEa44JKeNM7gL%252FmJ3nTQ9IH4BNyTED%252BAE%250AEkicOdh%252FjPGuk8ZJ26iO5djz3rzZnTeb%252Fcx%252FwYoU8ESizT8gs0NpS2TCO7H7yCJpt8TI1d9HPFAo%250ADij4Nvucfcv%252F5L%252F38i%252B%252BBY%252B6sPFOg%252Fue4kNsxkEsulCfjb3CEUo1R%252BwI7mEXtqqxeJB66nicEHLf%250AIIdcsn6Ag1J4sxqdSM%252BRS%252FGH89EZ%252BS2z0Qm2349T1aIedOFBFTlIJY9QygWg6aIY6jqbVeCIhTwY%250A06Kq4dYAGanUq9EXcV8uUDviooLl%252BmUPVr2iG1KB02tLdArvnFA6hu5o75ypd60oQmEMbLThrulJ%250A84Ql9KfAvq7AeilQrEBBvf2eDZkTsMh3XCV45BOlZijGnI%252FwCW5O07QzZWhjEpraUgLl9LgYoKdM%250A4RIpx8Wl0lSqw3weMcXjqKropv0mU%252BjHYlwAFgG%252BiNPEbOcNyjRQCnaX7%252Fz5fFaxOaHfZDNOI1K5%250AZxqQKh44L1nSOE1gct2gH92pMDYtOWKzXd4ZZX9H%252Bb9B9v3MAjCSdE6fXkckzn8Mtnfzr9s1C6wu%250ArDJ9xNqwMmRBajpNwgqgeF2%252F9CGL5x1DoiU8W7qEhZ5NumHBrR7UQhqcwlYyjeZ356L51b08px2%252F%250AbhR5h5gwoUKM1JV55zSdtxbSKeU0hvD40hTD0PTboTuWCsOr%252BZpC%252FNNEX%252F8BWOHUkQ%253D%253D">Produkt that does virtually the same thing for $1.99.

That and some excellent Italian coffee beans beats the hell out of Starbucks.

[Obamanaut]

94. Don't go there if the prices are too high. It's that easy. nt

[Ikonoklast]

96. It's more fun to bitch about it, however.

I've never seen an employee with a gun outside a Starbucks forcing passersby to enter the store and buy something, but that just may be because I've lived a sheltered life.

I'm sure that's not true in some suburban hellhole, or upscale mall where Starbucks employees range around like a press gang looking for housfraus to force them to purchase lattes.

[Obamanaut]

100. Miz O just asked what is so funny. My day is made. Thanks. nt

[Scout]

97. don't drink coffee, never liked it, no matter who makes it. n/t

[TK421]

98. I was never impressed with their coffee anyway....although I do like

their caramel-apple latte, especially in the Fall

But their coffee always had a strange, burnt taste to it;I'm sure they have heard this complaint before, but are just counting on people paying more for burnt-tasting coffee.

[Freddie Stubbs]

99. Why shouldn't they charge astronomical prices if people are willing to pay it?

[Roland99]

101. BFD. Let them charge $10/oz. If people want to pay it, let them.

I don't drink coffee but most people I know don't drink Starbucks. They're fine with Dunkin' Donuts.

[Stevenmarc]

102. On the other hand seriously high end espresso machines can be easily justified

I think I go to Starbucks a couple of times a year and only if I'm with someone that's jonesing for it