I was annoyed enough to write all of this up. I used to go regularly, and the rewards program was genuinely a good deal, and made it worth going to Starbucks. Now, even if I set aside all of the horrible things they’re doing, I wanted to show just what an absolute shit program this is, and why there is absolutely no use in trying to “gain starbucks status”.
They forced an update that won’t run on my phone.
- can’t run the required version
- old version just tries to update
So I’m almost out anyway.
I like their chai lattes. I can’t get the same taste anywhere else, and if I try to make it it’s a “we have mcdonalds at home” result.
So about twice a year, now, I get a fucking c$6 latte as a treat. I miss 2019 with the many locations - one 80m away in my walkable block - and a really nice barista who made the effort to smile and chat directly. Now I have none of those things and this is like dia de los muertos.
Completely feel you, their mochas, while not “good” in a good coffee sense, have a particular flavor that I do really enjoy that no one else gets right. That being said, they’re horrible and I try not to go whenever I can, and go to local coffee shops. Ironically I now treat them like McDonalds. I only eat it when I travel. A good chunk of places do not have anything except a starbucks, and most airports only have starbucks. So, that’s when I get it. They are relegated down to McDonald’s status.
Even as an American, I’ve stopped drinking this garbage years ago.
Virtually every Mom and Pop shop tastes better at this point so do yourself a favor and support a local small business instead.
I started brewing mine again. It’s gonna take me more time to go to a drive through or gas station, while costing me money than it actually takes me to make a cup in the morning.
Plus it’s guaranteed to be made how I like it.
Check out !espresso@infosec.pub if you want to really go deep into brewing your own
I love my Lavazza coffee blend. I grind and brew it as often as I can. However, I have days where I hit the fuckit button at 5am and have to buy coffee somewhere.
Well that’s a whole nother rabbit hole…
I gave up completely and just bought an espresso machine. Sure it’s gigantic and it and the grinder take up a fuck ton of counter space, but turns out making a latte the way I like it wasn’t that hard to learn.
Jealous. I wish I could do that, but I neither have the space nor the money for a good espresso machine. I’m a major fan of Breville btw.
I coveted mine (variations of the LUCCA A53) for about seven years before I could manage the funds. It still feels absurd but I can’t argue with the results.
Tastes better and is cheaper.
Like unless your coffee drink is a children’s dessert beverage then I really have 0 idea why anyone goes.
I haven’t been to a Starbucks since 2012
Thankfully there’s more than one Mom and Pop shop. So our sneakers (and Sienfelds) will eventually show up somewhere…
Good memories. Now I have to go full ‘no soup for you’ on my kids tomorrow.
No soup for you, only mutton chops. 😄
Yeah, Seinfeld storylines and quotes are so engraved in my subconscious that for any situation, Seinfeld’s the first thing that comes to mind 😆
If you haven’t seen it, watch Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! on HBO Max. Jerry Seinfeld is on it several times.
What the fuck are bonus stars. Why do they expire sometimes. And I can get fractions of them? Double star days??? Holy hell I this is the most overly convoluted bonus program I’ve ever seen, my local coffee place gives you a stamp on your stamp card and when you’ve collected 10 you get a free coffee.
Its all marketing bullshit to make people think they’re earning something, or their gaming the system. In reality it’s all carefully planned to extract the most value out of their most loyal customers.
Whenever you get convoluted bonus systems, you know you’re being screwed over
Counterpoint: this is airline miles for coffee
I can’t imagine spending $250 at Starbucks.
Sure sure, but what about 2,500?
i can’t imagine drinking a starbucks burnt ass tasting coffee
The majority of people at Starbucks didn’t drink plain coffee. Starbucks is a milkshake company.
And a hugely overpriced pastry/cookie company.
My wife gets the occasional Starbucks gift card from work of friends, so she saves them up and then me, her, and the kids go there (so it used to be about once every 9-10 months).
Used to be that you could get small coffees, hot chocolates and a little snack for each person for about $30. Now to get that same stuff it’s like $50. Suffice to say, we’re going there even less often now. Which I’m fine with, since I don’t like Starbucks.
I think most people go there now to order sugary drinks. I have to be extra clear I don’t want any sugar or syrups. They put sugar in their iced coffee by default now.
Recently I ordered an iced black tea. I said no sugar and the guy then asks “do you want lemonade with that?” 😐
Last time I got Starbucks I foolishly used the card and was rewarded with 6 months of spam that my $0.02c of rewards was going to expire.
The solution was to never go back there.
Most local coffee shops around me have a punch card buy x coffees, get one free deal
Hmm, doesn’t sound profitable enough. Better to enshittify that program and really stick-it to the customers. Also, lets bust some unions.
Starbucks is American, not getting a dime of my money.
Starbucks doesn’t get my money because it’s shit.
What, you don’t enjoy the taste of burnt?
Lol, exactly
Yeah, this is some shit. I miss the days when you could pay like $50 for a year and got a card that discounted 10% off everything. I abused that thing.
I don’t even try to minmax these things. If a cashier is insistent and promises an immediate discount I’m fine with giving fake info.
Starbucks? Ew.
