Post your Starbucks order!

[Phil A.]

I'm not a big fan of chain coffee shops as you can often get a better drink at an independent, but when I do use them, my descending order of preference for the "big 3" in the UK is

Caffè Nero
Costa
Starbucks


I drink either espresso, lungo or americano (IMO you should never, ever, add anything except water to coffee ) and find Starbucks coffee is somehow bland and overly bitter at the same time: it's really not an enjoyable cup of coffee at all for me.

 

[arkitect]

It's an American invention. I saw one in the UK back in the late 90s and thought it was a mirage. They've definitely popped up here and there. Counted a handful of them a few years ago. I definitely think it's an appeal to younger drivers. Those who've got more disposable income than say older generations. Now that I'm an expert on today's youth, but there seems to be a genuine interest in American lifestyle by young Britons. I don't really see the fascination myself unless it's the movie stars.

Well, yes, I know what they are and where they come from…

My point was more that I personally don't "get" the concept.

Internet shopping, having our groceries delivered, sure. But "drive-thru" (even the spelling makes me roll my eyes.) is a level of supposed convenience I just do not understand.

*shrug* — it probably is an age thing — not sure that it has much to do with disposable income though. (My bet is on human laziness.)

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I'm not a big fan of chain coffee shops as you can often get a better drink at an independent, but when I do use them, my descending order of preference for the "big 3" in the UK is

Caffè Nero
Costa
Starbucks


I drink either espresso, lungo or americano (IMO you should never, ever, add anything except water to coffee ) and find Starbucks coffee is somehow bland and overly bitter at the same time: it's really not an enjoyable cup of coffee at all for me.

Actually of all the chains I don't mind Caffe Nero.
And yes, it will always be an Americano.
I think most of the coffee concoctions really are only "adult milkshakes". Overloaded with sugar syrups and milk.

But then again, I am no coffee connoisseur. Just going by my tastebuds and general ambiance.

Locally there are a few decent independents. Though sometimes I feel I need a degree from the Institute for Coffee Studies to be worthy.

 

[0388631]

Internet shopping, having our groceries delivered, sure. But "drive-thru" (even the spelling makes me roll my eyes.) is a level of supposed convenience I just do not understand.

*shrug* — it probably is an age thing — not sure that it has much to do with disposable income though. (My bet is on human laziness.)

Younger people>Less Responsibilities>More money due to lack of bills and not renting a flat>Cool factor.

Drive-throughs make no sense to us either. It's often faster to go in and get your stuff and walk out. I miss Drive-Ins.

 

[arkitect]

I miss Drive-Ins.

Ah yes! Drive-Ins were great. I have fond memories of them as a child. Though by the time I started driving myself they were already on the decline.

I guess the real estate boom/bust put paid to them.

 

[D.T.]

My point was more that I personally don't "get" the concept.

Internet shopping, having our groceries delivered, sure. But "drive-thru" (even the spelling makes me roll my eyes.) is a level of supposed convenience I just do not understand.

Lots of Use Cases outside of just "convenience" where it makes sense:

- People with children (especially babies)
- Folks with more limited mobility
- Inclement weather
- Not being appropriately dressed
- Single person dealing with beverages/big orders
- Wanting to keep your car and AC running (like for groceries)
- Parking at a premium

 

[arkitect]

Lots of Use Cases outside of just "convenience" where it makes sense:

- People with children (especially babies)
- Folks with more limited mobility
- Inclement weather
- Not being appropriately dressed
- Single person dealing with beverages/big orders
- Wanting to keep your car and AC running (like for groceries)
- Parking at a premium

Well there you go. No wonder I don't use it.
Apart from not being able to get parking (and even then…) I can't say I have ever been in one of those situations.

Though I have to ask: Do people really do this?

Wanting to keep your car and AC running (like for groceries)

Edit: Oh just saw you are in the southern US so I assume it can get quite hot.

 

[D.T.]

Well there you go. No wonder I don't use it.
Apart from not being able to get parking (and even then…) I can't say I have ever been in one of those situations.

Though I have to ask: Do people really do this?

Edit: Oh just saw you are in the southern US so I assume it can get quite hot.

Well, I don't usually do much in the way of drive-thrus since we really don't eat fast food, but I have done it for a few of the reasons I posted above.

Our little G loves Sonic now, it's a drive-IN, we sometimes hit it up after dance class for an ice cream, it's super close by, and it's pretty retro-cool-fun to pull up into a drive-in in a convertible

Oh, to answer your edit, _yes_ it gets pretty hot/humid here in the summer, and things sitting in a car pretty much ignite

 

[HeyKatie]

Summer:
Tall caramel frappachino with light whip
Venti passion tea lemonaide light ice
Venti peach green tea lemonaide light ice
Venti mango black tea light ice

Winter:
Venti peppermin mocha light whip and 6 shots of peppermint.

I don't go very often since it's so expensive, and being Canadian my loyalty has and will always be to Tim Hortons.

 

[eyoungren]

But "drive-thru" (even the spelling makes me roll my eyes.) is a level of supposed convenience I just do not understand.

It might be easier to understand from the American point of view.

America is a car culture. Our public transportation is not on the level it is in the UK and Europe. If you want to go somewhere - you drive.

Even the poor often have cars.

So if you are driving from point A to point B and you are hungry/thirsty/want coffee in between, going through a drive-thru means you do not have to get out of the car. Since the idea is that you are served quickly, faster than you would be if you went inside, without the hassle of having to get in and out then this puts you back on the road to your destination much faster.

Americans spend a lot of time in our cars.

 

[rhett7660]

Grande or Venti, depending on if I have a free one available or if I want a really big shot of sugar and/or spice, Iced Chai Tea Latte or a Grande or Venti, see previous statement, White Mocha with three pumps of white mocha with no whip.

 

[Melrose]

I only stop at Starbucks if I'm out and really want/need a coffee and am in no immediate possibility of going home to make my own, which is vastly superior tasting. I'm not one of those "I need a half-caf double-hot two-pump Strawberry Mocha extra foam with room Latteccino" people..... I've tried local coffee houses and have yet to visit one where there's non-Hipster-condescending service and above-average coffee.

That Starbucks Unicorn thing came out and everyone's going "I want one! HashtagUnicorn! OMG! So Tasty Much color!" and I was there thinking, "Unicorn what? Unicorn Diarrhea? That's not coffee. It looks disgusting." I don't know how people can ingest such gruesome things in the name of popularity. Don't even get me started on their "baked goods"...

BUT, when I'm in Starbucks, my order is one of three things, in order: (1) A plain, boring medium latte, like 65-70% of the time; (2) A bold of the day if it's not French Roast which is burned and disgusting, like 30% of the time; (3) A Vanilla Bean Latte the odd rest of the time, but you have to specify Vanilla Bean powder, not syrup, which has significantly less sugar, much more flavor, and actually has little flecks of bean in it.

Once in a blue moon, and I mean a coon's age, I'll order a frappuccino, but's similarly something on the boring side to most people.

 

[0388631]

Ah yes! Drive-Ins were great. I have fond memories of them as a child. Though by the time I started driving myself they were already on the decline.

I guess the real estate boom/bust put paid to them.

I had no idea Drive-ins were a thing in the UK! I take it more common in the country?

Yes. The last one I knew of within 1-2 hours driving distance closed up for good in 1994. A strip mall was put in its place. The 80s and 90s were arguably good times for cinema, but then they began to up the prices every so often. Adult tickets now cost a bit over ten quid. That said, there's a new trend in American cinema that picked up niche theaters from the mid 2000s of offering large seating and being able to order food from your chair. Plush leather seats that is. There was or still is a theater out here in a desert city that gained national fame because they had a four star restaurant on site.

Cool idea, but I'm still not convinced it delivers an enjoyable experience.

Even the poor often have cars.

Right, but this doesn't necessarily relate to your opening statement. America does have a car culture, but only a very small percentage are true car lovers or people interested in cars. Most Americans see a car as something to go from A to B.

 

[eyoungren]

Right, but this doesn't necessarily relate to your opening statement. America does have a car culture, but only a very small percentage are true car lovers or people interested in cars. Most Americans see a car as something to go from A to B.

I didn't mean to imply by the word 'culture' that all Americans (or even most) love cars.

I was actually trying to imply that the car is a central component of many Americans daily lives. Whether we love or hate our cars or just see them as a means of transportation, we use them to go places. Because of that the car is part of our culture whether we think about it or not.

That's all I meant - not that everyone in America loves cars.

 

[MacNut]

In the summer I'm usually getting a venti java chip frap with whip.

 

[determined09]

My healthiest order -
Tall or Grande Green Tea Emperor's Cloud - no honey, no sugar and no sugar substitutes.

My unhealthy drink -
Venti or Grande Vanilla Bean Frappuccino with 5 pumps (for Venti) or 3 pumps (for Grande) of Hazelnut with a large cup of water on the side

 

[dannyyankou]

It depends. In the summer, I’ll either get a iced caramel macchiato, or a iced black tea lemonade. In the fall and winter, I usually get one of those fancy seasonal drinks. Peppermint mochas can be addictive