The Latest From Your Friendly Neighborhood Starbucks

Tuesday was a big launch for Starbucks, with a new drink, lots of new merchandise, and a renewed focus on coffee (even a new way to brew coffee!). It's a lot to take in and as your unofficial Sbux guide, I thought I should highlight a few things so you're not completely bowled over the next time you wander into a sea of green aprons...

*Dark Cherry Mocha
The new drink, which is essentially a mocha (espresso, chocolate syrup, steamed milk), except it includes an additional cherry flavored syrup. I was terrified to try it as I don't like cherries and feared it would taste like cough syrup. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The cherry flavor is subtle (and you could always ask for fewer pumps of the syrup if you're really leery). It comes topped with whip cream and chocolate curls as well.

*Fun New Stuff
Tons of new mugs, tumblers, and cups in fun spring patterns and colors.

The spring themed cherry blossom gift card is a personal favorite (makes me harken back to our cherry blossom themed wedding!), but you'll have to check it out for yourself in a store because I can't find a photo yet online. UPDATE: Click here to see what the card looks like.

*New Coffee
The featured coffee at the moment is Peru Chanchamayo (rhymes with "on the bayou). I'm a fan because the acidity of the coffee is really low (so it's less bitter than others). In fact, NavyGuy and I busted open our bag this morning (the renegade Starbucks in the Safeway in Anacortes had it on the stands already on Sunday night... they never follow the rules and tick me off every time I'm in there... but I'm not above taking advantage of their rule-breaking).

*Bold Picks Coffee
Starbucks is highlighting a different coffee each week for the next eight weeks. They're obviously trying to get people to try different varieties, so every Starbucks should be brewing the standard Pike Place coffee as well as the Bold Pick of the Week. This week it's Organic Yukon Blend. If you're a plain 'ole coffee drinker and you frequent Starbucks, there's actually a deal to be had here - if you buy at least one 12oz cup of each bold coffee (so one cup each week for the next eight weeks), you can get a free pound of any of the Bold coffees. Just ask for a coffee passport at your Starbucks and be sure to get the coffee stamps each time you try one of the Bold Picks. Obviously, if you're strictly a white mocha kinda person, this isn't a deal for you, but, if you're a brewed coffee drinker who often goes to Starbucks, this is a great way to get free coffee (assuming you're going into Starbucks at least once a week to begin with).

The last bit of news is that Starbucks introduced a "pour-over" brewing method. The idea is that you should always be able to get a freshly brewed cup of coffee no matter when you walk into a Starbucks. So, let's say, you're at my Bucks - all we brew on a daily basis is regular Pike Place. We're not a very busy store, and it's silly for us to be brewing more than one kind of coffee every 25 minutes (which is how often Starbucks makes a new pot of brew coffee). So, using the pour-over method, we have ground Decaf Pike Place ready to go, and if you come in wanting a Decaf cup 'o joe, we'll make you your own individual cup of coffee. The ground coffee goes in a small filter, and then we pour the hot water over the grounds and the coffee brews (drips) right into your own cup. (Essentially, the baristas have become human coffee pots, because we're doing by hand, what a normal coffee pot does, automatically.) We'll see how it works out. Right now people are way confused and think we're making them instant coffee (it's not), or charging them more (we're not).

Whew! This post ended up being a heck of a lot longer than I expected. As always, I'm not trying to convince any of you to buy Starbucks. I just know that before I worked there, Starbucks intimidated me. I never knew what to order, I didn't know the lingo, I didn't know what I might like, and I'd usually just end up getting a hot chocolate. So hopefully these little updates shed some light on the 'Bux, and help those of you who may also share my weird fears.

Also - feel free to ask any other questions you may have about Starbucks! Either post them in the comments, or ask anonymously on Formspring.

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Even the stupid customers can teach you something...

Did you know why people sometimes drink their hot coffee drinks with a straw? To keep the coffee from staining their teeth!

I know! I always thought they were dumb-asses who were just out to burn the back of their mouth instead of the front. I mean, how ridonkulous does it look to stick a giant green straw in your tall-sized mocha? But, thanks to my most moronic customer to date, I actually learned something.

Wait, I haven't told you about Ms. AnnoyingWench? Ms-I-bring-my-tiny-dog-that-looks-like-a-hairless-cat-into-Target-because-I-have-no-real-friends-who-will-shop-with-me? Ms-Over-nourished-and-under-showered-jerky-jerk? Ms-lets-see-if-I-can-blame-all-of-my-problems-and-issues-on-the-innocent-Starbucks-employee-today?

Yeah, so Ms. AnnoyingWench strolls in, with her scary hairless dog in the seat part of the cart, and her chip firmly attached to her shoulder. First up, she wants to know if we have any more tumblers. Well, there's lots on the shelves there, or gosh, see all those baskets right in front of you? With the cups inside? Those'd be tumblers too.

Well, then she was upset that all the Starbucks tumblers cost more than $10. (Ma'am, you're buying snobby coffee cups... if you want to spend $3.99 for a tumbler, head to Walmart.) She finally picks out one she wants. Then, Ms. AnnoyingWench proceeds to tell me her coffee order, which she prefaces by saying she's on a diet (good idea Ma'am). She orders a white mocha (one of the highest calorie drinks on the menu), made with half-n-half milk (more fat), with real caramel sauce mixed in (definitely encouraged on all diets), and then topped with more real caramel. But no whipped cream. Cuz, ya know, she's "on a diet." (I had to physically freeze my eyeballs in place to keep them from rolling back into my skull permanently.)

So, my boss is on the espresso bar, so she makes her drink for her (after Ms. AnnoyingWench yelled at me four times to rinse out her new tumbler, and "no, I don't want the stupid paper inside the cup, I don't care if it has the washing and usage instructions"...). So, we serve her her drink, she heads to the condiment bar to futz with it, and I think the hell is over. Ha!

Ms. AnnoyingWench starts pitching a high holy fit because she purchased a tumbler that has a lid without space for a straw. And she "never ever EVER drinks her coffee without a straw because you know, it STAINS your teeth"... (and I'm standing there trying not to think about the fact that stained teeth are the least of her worries). So what does she do? She violently slides the tumbler back across the counter at me and wants to exchange it for a different one. Which of course is more expensive than the original one she picked out, so I have to re-ring the whole transaction, my boss has to remake the "diet" drink, and she continues to stand there glaring at me, and bitching about how anyone would make a tumbler without a straw hole, and what kind of operation are you running here that you can't even do a return in three seconds or less, and...

At this point I had literally stepped out of my body and was simply going through the motions, lest I lose my shiznit and throw her goddamn tumbler at her ugly hairless dog. Ms. AnnoyingWench had now cost us an extra drink, a $15 tumbler (cuz we couldn't sell the original one she'd bought now that there had been a drink in it), and most of my sanity. Oh, and did I mention that the original ruined tumbler was our last Valentine's one? Wench.

When she FINALLY left the area, I gave my boss one look and walked into the back storage room to breath and blow for a second. My boss applauded my stunningly calm performance... and luckily, I've never seen Ms. AnnoyingWench at work since.

But the best part? Besides the fact that Ms. AnnoyingWench finally explained to me why some people use a straw to drink their hot coffee? My boss called her boss, and sent me home at the end of my shift with the ruined Valentine's Day tumbler!!!! (Washed, sanitized, bleached, and exorcised, of course.) And justice is done :)

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Baristas Behaving Badly

Um, yeah. I think not.

Five Risque Washington Baristas Charged with Prostitution

Don't worry, Mom... I don't work at that kind of coffee shop!

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Pop Quiz

How do you politely decline a sample of coffee?

a) "No thank you."
b) Glare. "Ugh, no."
c) Scoff. "I ONLY drink tea."
d) "God! I am so sick of being asked if I want samples of your stupid instant coffee!!!"

If you answered a, you are welcome at my Target/Starbucks tomorrow.

If you answered b, c, and/or d, you don't need to come to Target/Starbucks because you were already there this weekend. And I'd prefer you not come back.

Pop quiz over.

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Tuesday - Starbucks Free Pastry Day!

Even if you aren't normally a Starbucks fan, today is the day to stop in. They're offering a FREE PASTRY with your drink purchase before 10:30am. You have to take in a coupon (which you can print here), buy a drink, and almost all of the pastries are available (muffins, scones, coffee cakes, etc.). Starbucks is trying to promote their new healthier items, such as one of my favorites - the reduced fat Very Berry Coffee Cake.

I'd suggest...

A) Go early, because if the store runs out of pastries, I don't think there are any substitutes.
B) If you don't like coffee, you can always try one of the Shaken Tea Lemonade drinks (passion tea lemonade... yummmm) or a Vivano Smoothie.
C) Don't forget to bring your coupon!

Enjoy!

(Sister - I dare you not to stop on your way to work at your new office!)

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Tastings and More

I'm easing my way into tasting all of the Starbucks drinks. Today was another morning shift (this time with a different trainer), and she went easy on me... for the most part. I can now speak to the following beverages:

* Pike Place Regular Brew - "earthy"
(This is what we brew everyday as the plain drip coffee, and basically, it takes like coffee to me - gross. Apparently, it's a "medium" coffee, as opposed to the bold or extra bold varieties which would really put hair on my chest.)

* Espresso Shots - caramelly, nutty aftertaste
(Still pretty much tastes like coffee to me. The espresso shots come out of the Verisimo machine and are added to many of the beverages. You have to use the shots almost immediately, otherwise they "burn" and taste even more horrible. I tried a good and bad version today. Sweet Jesus they were both foul.)

* Strawberry Banana Vivano Smoothie - refreshing, fruity, and yummy
(One of the featured smoothies for the summer. It has a whole banana and protein powder, and was pretty good. We're supposed to recommend the "Very Berry Coffee Cake" as a suitable food pairing... which I also tasted just so I can truthfully tell people that it rocks!)

* Chocolate Banana Vivano Smoothie - refreshing and chocolate-y
(Best taste of the day! Not normally a banana person, but this was great. These smoothies aren't exactly diet food at 280 calories, but they would make a great breakfast shake or meal replacement item. Don't I sound like a great saleswoman?!?!? ;)
However, I still have very few useful skills behind the counter. If someone is logged into the cash register, I can usually stumble through ringing up someone's order. The saran wrap still has a leg up on me, but at least I didn't knock a muffin on the floor trying to cover it this morning. I also know how to grind and brew drip coffee, replace the cups and lids in the condiment bar, and rinse the blender cups. Woot! Progress. I also practiced my customer service by giving out samples in the lobby. I had my little tray with tiny cups of strawberry banana smoothie, and small slices of berry coffee cake, and the people loved me them! True, there were only five samples, but they flew off the plate :) Aside from dropping a petite scone under the pastry case (oops), I had a pretty successful day!

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