PaisleyPark5083 said:

TheDoctor said:

Ya, if I'm going to ingest caffeine, it might as well be in chocolate.

i would say its as evil as KRAFT foods

sextonseven said:

Have you ever tried Coca? It's Chocolate's friend and Coffees cousin!

They created the strawberry crack known as Strawberry Creme Frapp...whatevers.



Yes, the are most decidedly evil.

I'm going to get one after work.

well, here's my bit:

i don't think starbucks is especially evil, and when i hear people getting all rage-against-the-machine-y about starbucks, i think they protest a bit too much when there are far more worthwhile machines to be raging against.

i don't like the idea of starbucks presenting a threat to indie coffee shops, but these days i can't help but notice that most cute little privately owned shops carry chain coffee any damn way, like intelligensia blends or whatever.

when i lived in new york, i didn't go to starbucks very often, mainly because there really WERE local coffee shops nearby that brewed mud i really liked. cafe limbo on avenue a was my total favorite (sadly they're gone) and mission cafe on second ave is another favorite (though i noticed on my most recent visit that the coffee there doesn't have that chocolatey tone that it used to have - but it was still good...and cheap).

when i lived in chicago, i didn't really come across many alternatives to the big chains in my neighborhood. there was a bulk coffee shop where i bought all my ground coffee for home, but when i was out and about and wanted some joe, it was always starbucks or caribou or intelligensia.

i used to loathe starbucks for the demographic it invited - obnoxious yuppie-ish types who blathered on cell phones while diddling their blackberries and stroking their yoga mats. i think the novelty has worn off, and starbucks has successfully courted a nice, diverse, middlebrow crowd who frequent the shops.

i used to feel kinda guilty when i went there, like i was betraying all my groovy radical idealistic principals or whatever...but ya know, i really don't think they're any more evil than the companies that made my belt or my socks or my toilet paper. in fact, starbucks might even be a little MORE ethically groovy and right on in the relative spectrum.

i AM pissed at starbucks for their decision to not carry valencia syrup anymore, even if torino is a crap brand. mocha valencias were my shit, now they're gone.

Anxiety said:

Yeah, I think you're right.

i also noticed that there's a general view on it being expensive, which isn't really accurate as it depends on where you live.

in some countries, Starbucks is considered good-reasonable compared to the usual coffee prices charged at other cafes, especially the classic ones, so Starbucks has provided a good substitute, and with more options to pick from.

This thread reminds me a of a neat blog I found:

http://costofliving.lohudblogs.com

Anxiety said:

I know what you mean, but those kinds of things bother me because they make me realize I'm part of a demographic! Goddamned tree huggers...oh wait I'm hugging one right now!

starbucks has good coffee
[Edited 9/21/07 18:16pm]

XxAxX said:

That's really the bottom line for me (assuming they don't fund Nazis or something). Most food chains promote horrible quality food.

NDRU said:

PricelessHo said:

Well, in Thailand it's a day's wage for a coffee.

fhqwhgads said:

and in North America, it's a month's wage to travel to Thailand.

HereToRockYourWorld said:

I love you!!!

Monin is the best damn syrup there is.

Anxiety said:

Or more like 7 months for a Thai going the other way.

july said:

Coca the natural form of cocaine

Cocoa is the natural form of Chocolate. which what are you speaking about?

fhqwhgads said:

if i ever go to thailand, i will remember to book a round trip.

Anxiety said:

Officially you'd have to anyway. Or at least an onward ticket to somewhere else anyway. Besides, we don't want you and your Starbucks!

Well, we do... ... and we don't!

fhqwhgads said:

oh, i'd want green tea anyway. do you guys have argo tea over there yet? it's the tea version of starbucks. i'm sure a thimble of sencha would require a down payment and a co-signor.

Anxiety said:

I don't think we have that here, though around Sukhumwit and Silom there are plenty of other places you can drop $5 or more on a plastic cup of ice drizzled with tea.

july said:

This pic burned itself into my brain today. I HAD TO HAVE an iced coffee

Anxiety said:

For the various reasons that you've stated, that's why I've stop frequetening Starbucks. That corporate ego emperor shit needs to go and need to get back the java and stop trying to water down the coffee with those damn toppings.

emm said:

When I went to get coffee for the first time here, this double double thing was not known to me. Now I'm a pro and ordering triple triple!

CalhounSq said:

I had one to, and before the day is over I know I will have another.

horatio said:

I would argue that Kraft is much more evil. They apparently won't clearly label the source of the enzyme used to produce their cheese (whether it is from baby calf stomachs, artificial etc) so have been removed from the vegetarian safe lists.

MsLegs said:

interesting take...i'll get their blended creme frappucinos sometimes if it's hot out and they're promoting some weirdo new flavor that looks good to me (mmmm, pomegranate...), but 99% of the time, if i'm going to starbucks, it's just for a plain ol' cuppa joe. there's a location in the same building as my job, so it's way too easy to swing by for some coffee on the way to the office. i wish there were other coffee joints as easy to access so i could mix it up a bit.

i also appreciate them for havin a secret menu.

Anxiety said:

Well, Anx during my java pursuits, I've found that different Starbucks approach frap and cappucs differently. Like the one near where I live for example, like I stated in the thread previously, they're notoriously known for putting too much milk topping on your coffee. Whereas, when I visited another Starbucks, my experience was entirely differently and the coffee wasn't warm enough. Of course after that experience, I vowed to stick to either Borders or local java spots.