Big Bux For Starbux Coffee.

[AwayWeGo]

According to news reports, Starbucks coffee prices are going up.

I like Starbucks just fine, but independents like Greenberry's are every bit as good. Not only that, a cuppa joe from McDonald's is also pretty decent -- won a double-blind taste-test competition recently. Plus, a cup of McDonald's Senior Citizen Coffee is only 50 cents or so -- much better deal for us old folks than paying big bux for Starbux.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[tracie15436]

There is ALWAYS a queue at our drive through starbucks here in Phoenix... I'm not surprised at the rake hike...but, come on....isn't $4-$5/coffee enough? That's just greedy IMHO.

 

[BSQ]

I thought I read it was an average of 9cents? guess I'm not a price sensitive customer.

 

[timeos2]

You want Diamond of Emerald coffee?

A plain old coffee at Starbucks is around $2. Same at Dunkin Donuts (large) and Seattles Best. But most Starbucks sales aren't plain old coffee but a double half caf decaf with a shot and whipped cream - closer to $5.

So the average Starbucks sale doesn't represent just a cup of McDonalds brew or even what you'd get in a bottomless cup at Denny's. Thats the market Dunkin and others are going for too with all the new smoothies, cream based concoctions and teas. A plain old coffee isn't where the money is.

 

[PigsDad]

I'm not surprised at the rake hike...but, come on....isn't $4-$5/coffee enough? That's just greedy IMHO.

It may be "greedy", but one of the main reasons I patronize Starbucks is the way they treat their employees. They give benefits, including medical insurance, to their employees -- including part-time workers. As a corporation, they spend more on employee benefits than raw materials for their coffee.

Kurt

 

[Glynda]

Starbucks

I'm just plain addicted. I wake up every morning planning my next visit.
One good thing is that for years my physician and I have been struggling to get my Vit D and Thyroid levels in line via vitamins, and since drinking one latte every day, we're making progress. I am somewhat lactose intolerant yet can tolerate the non-fat latte where a bowl of cereal and non-fat milk sends me into a spin! Pretty good excuse anyway.

We had a new Starbucks location open near us and I had three bad experiences in a row going through the drive through...didn't get what I ordered. That was unusual given my Starbucks experiences overall. I emailed Starbucks Customer Service and got an email of apology almost immediately and then a few days later,I received a letter on fine stationery and three well designed gift cards which were printed with something like "We're sorry you had a bad experience have any free drink on us." I was really impressed and I've never had a bad experience with that location since.

 

[Icc5]

20+ hours

It may be "greedy", but one of the main reasons I patronize Starbucks is the way they treat their employees. They give benefits, including medical insurance, to their employees -- including part-time workers. As a corporation, they spend more on employee benefits than raw materials for their coffee.

Kurt

Kurt, I agree that they are a good place to work but don't believe all the hype. You have to average over 20 hours a week to get the benefits and so only 2 or 3 people in each store qualify. They hold down most people to between 14 -18 hours per week to avoid paying out the benefits. It always sounds great though for companies to talk about the benefits.
Bart

 

[JLB]

I heard they had to raise the price to pay the cost of storing all the money they have made on their overpriced coffee.

 

[Kona Lovers]

New SBs are going up everywhere one can imagine. That kind of capital expansion has to be paid for somehow.

Marty

 

[dougp26364]

Considering a lot of people are drinking bottled water for $1.98, I don't think the $2 cup of coffee is that big of a deal. Sure some places might be less expensive but I can get water right out the the tap vs paying for bottled water.

 

[timeos2]

Like timeshares like Starbucks

They are popping up on every corner it seems. Like timeshares in popular areas it wouldn't happen if there wasn't a market. Actually Starbucks has the edge as people WANT to go in and buy their coffee while timeshares are sold under much more pressure as we know. In our area we had a Krispy Kreme built and close within 3 years due to low sales. Last January they converted it to a Starbucks (there was already one not 1/2 mile away) and both have full parking lots and tables every time I pass by. They must have some appeal despite the price I guess.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

I was chatting last week with my older sister in Minnesota - she grew up drinking "ordinary" coffee and enjoying it fine.

Then a Caribou Coffee opened in her small town in western Minnesota. She and some of her friends would stop by to get some coffee. Now she wonders how she ever drank Folgers, etc. all those years. She still drinks the other when served to her, but she commented on what a difference there is between "ordinary" coffee and "good" coffee.

Since the rest of the family is now up, it's time for me to grind 5 scoops of my Starbucks Sulawesi for my daily elixir.