What is Digg?128 Comments
- Tyrghast, on 07/08/2008, -0/+45"Starbucks is closing 600 stores. The sad part is, it will only effect about a 6 block radius in downtown LA." - Jay Leno
- 8dot3, on 07/07/2008, -3/+37Hooray a corporation who does right by its people is closing stores! I get that people want to support local cafes and that's great, but support them and shut up. These are the same people that will complain when their local cafe becomes more crowded.
When I am on the PA Turnpike at 2am I know I can get a good, strong cup of coffee from Starbucks and I like that. - Tinu, on 07/07/2008, -3/+27Maybe my training as a Barista brainwashed me, but I didn't even like coffee until Starbucks. And somehow that doesn't make me Not like other brands...
- DaveClarkOne, on 07/08/2008, -2/+23What is it about Americans that once a company MAKES IT, it ceases to be admired? Starbucks does far more things right than wrong. Throwing darts at it because it does says more about the person throwing them than the target of their dislike.
- Rhendal, on 07/06/2008, -4/+22I just wish Tim Hortons would make more of a move into the US so we can all have a taste of good coffee for once.
- cran, on 07/08/2008, -0/+16I was in Europe way before this whole Starbucks thing came around drinking Cappuccino on the Regnitz, and I remember looking for coffee houses in Los Angeles when I got back (yes, I realize it's not exactly a coffee mecca to begin with, but L.A. is huge and we have everything; we should have good coffee). There were a few decent cafes around, but even those served only espresso drinks, and you got whatever beans they had in the bag at the time, and it wasn't always good.
Starbucks came along and raised the bar many, many notches above what most coffee houses could deliver.
Any coffee house opened in the early 90's or later is very likely only there because Starbucks created the market for it.
I hate people who make gobs of money as much as the next guy, but come on now, how many of you were really sitting back sucking down espresso at your local coffee house in the 80's? - Hazardc, on 07/08/2008, -3/+19Id rather see 600 wal-marts close
- benroy, on 07/08/2008, -0/+16I had just assumed that they were closing Starbucks because they were adding coffee pipes to the American infrastructure thus rendering the actual stores unnecessary.
Water, Electricity, Sewer & now Starbucks on tap.
But seriously, why isn't there a rival coffee chain named Apollos? - BlockedUser, on 07/07/2008, -0/+15There are over 10,000 Starbucks in the US. Minus 600. That's 1/16th of total stores. Which means for every 16 locations one will close (not counting the ones in Barnes & Noble and Target. you won't even notice they're gone.
Especially if you live in California.
(chart of stores per state 2006)
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2006 ... - CrazyEddie041, on 07/08/2008, -1/+14I always liked Starbucks, and I'm not even a coffee person. It seems like everything they do is partly aimed at making the world a bit of a better place-- replacing their regular beans with Fair Trade, donating 5% of bottled water purchases to building water purifiers in Africa, letting you donate a pound of coffee to the troops overseas for a cup of coffee, and other things like that. Sure, Starbucks is a massive corporation and its products are overpriced, but at least you're doing something besides just feeding your caffeine addiction. And that's not even going into how well they treat their employees-- a couple of friends work at a nearby place, and they absolutely love it.
- Narthex81, on 07/08/2008, -2/+15Yeah, screw Starbucks! Screw them and their attentive staff, clean floors and friendly atmosphere!
- HaSatan, on 07/08/2008, -0/+10I love Starbucks. Go ahead and Digg me down for my alternative viewpoint.
- Shirleycakes, on 07/08/2008, -1/+10These gleeful people probably wouldn't be so pretentious if they saw the minimum wage and benefit-less play most independent coffee shop baristas get. I'm all about supporting the underdogs but they seriously don't take care of their employees.
- Pusod, on 07/08/2008, -1/+9To save a buck, those cheap mom and pop coffee shops use crap ingredients to make their blended ice drinks! They use powdered milk and not REAL milk like starbucks. Digg me down if you like that Similac instant powdered milk ***** in your coffee! I'm not a baby! GROSS!
- superbeefy, on 07/08/2008, -0/+8Funny, I'm wondering how many "coffee aficionados" would be around if Starbucks never existed? Like em or hate em they started a massive trend in the USA, and throughout the world. I don't remember coffee being that big of a deal before they came around. I think the same people that are complaining about starbucks so much are the same people that started off by drinking the stuff. I'm guessing they are also the same people that don't like some ethnic restaurants because they are not "authentic" enough.
- chimx, on 07/08/2008, -0/+6Small business is no better than big business. Both still treat their employees like crap. At least Starbucks has a passable health benefit plan, which is more than you will ever get at a small "independent" coffee shop. Wages are comparatively better as well. It's a shame that this is happening at the same time that the IWW starbucks unionization campaign is picking up a bit of steam.
- naberator, on 07/06/2008, -4/+10caribou is better anyways
- Olfster, on 07/08/2008, -2/+8Never heard of Timmys, but if their coffee cost more than $2 they won't get me to buy it. Did I mention I don't buy Starbucks coffee?
- philhatesyou, on 07/08/2008, -0/+5Read: I'm bland and can't stand trying something new, especially when the people there are SO GROSS!
- inactive, on 07/08/2008, -2/+7Something that might be bad about this is that Starbucks has some pretty good business practices (paying their employees relatively well, "green" practices, fair trade, etc.). Though you can certainly debate the extent to which they are truly making an impact, in my opinion they probably do a better job at such things than local coffee stores.
- chadwalters23, on 07/07/2008, -0/+4Yes, come to Knoxville, Tim Hortons. I promise to eat many doughnuts.
- benroy, on 07/08/2008, -1/+5for-the-mother-*****-win?
Really?
These weird Internet abbreviations and getting more and more abstract every day, leaving me feeling old and out of touch in the process.
MJPSUY. - MalaysianMafia, on 07/08/2008, -6/+10you know what I like? Being able to go anywhere in the country and get a nice big cup of coffee for pretty cheap with consistent quality at a place not full of scene/emo/alternative/indie/whatever ***** dredges of society lurk in "small, independent cafes"
- godinster, on 07/08/2008, -1/+5Tim Horton's tastes like mud, and I'm Canadian. I'm not a huge fan of Starbucks but when I think of medicority, the first company that comes to mind is Timmy's
- laxidasical, on 07/08/2008, -0/+4Actually, mine just have a ***** load of Middle Easterners and North Africans that have an amazing lack of accuracy when using the head.
- Pusod, on 07/08/2008, -0/+4"...a place not full of scene/emo/alternative/indie/whatever ***** dredges of society lurk in "small, independent cafes"
YOU SAY THAT AS IF THESE TYPES AREN'T HANGING OUT AT YOUR LOCAL STARBUCKS. Dude... they're there with an acoustic guitar, dressed in a black trench coat with a bunch of friends dressed in the latest goth fashion sitting in the outside tables sipping on their venti $1.25 "coffee of the day" or a cup of water smoking cigarettes as if it were a joint and going on and on about existentialism and pretending they know Nietzsche. - Technohamster, on 07/08/2008, -2/+6Dude. Tim Hortons makes everything out of powder.
- svensko, on 07/08/2008, -1/+5I drink coffee to stay awake, not to make my own farts smell better. Sorry.
- zixx, on 07/08/2008, -0/+4Tim Hortons is in 10 states Connecticut, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and West Virginia
http://www.timhortons.com/locator/index.html - DjOverEZ, on 07/08/2008, -2/+6Dunkin' Donuts FTW!
- topherbook, on 07/08/2008, -0/+4I loved Tim Horton's when I was visiting Canada, but the ones in the US are no good. I've visited a couple and was disappointed at how bad the service was and how poor the coffee tasted. I think TH is best enjoyed in the Great White North.
- 1stJonnyDee, on 07/08/2008, -1/+4"Nobody goes there anymore; it's too crowded." - Yogi Berra with a typical elitist attitude about how he found out about it (whatever IT is) FIRST!
But yeah, it's not just Americans, snob. :) - kawaiirobo, on 07/08/2008, -2/+5"close 600 underperforming U.S. stores, is evoking glee"
I couldn't have said it better myself. I just wonder where all the Bleach Jobs and yippy dog aficionados will go to act trendy and ignore people while yammering into a cell phone. - Pusod, on 07/08/2008, -3/+6To save a buck Timmy's uses that powdered milk ***** instead of REAL milk in their blended ice drinks! You must love that Similac... child. GROSS!
- kolop1, on 07/08/2008, -0/+3This is what happens when you have one every other corner.
- sorrow, on 07/08/2008, -0/+3I concur; at least Starbucks has good relationships with their employees.
- lith2um, on 07/08/2008, -0/+3Yesterday my medium coffee from Starbucks was $1.99 before tax.
- krisscofield, on 07/08/2008, -0/+3Have you tried asking for a different blend? I did. They said "sure". It was weird.
- emjaymj, on 07/08/2008, -2/+5Tim Horton's addicts are far far worse than Starbucks addicts in my experience. This may be because the coffee is half the price and even better, but it's still just mediocre coffee.
- nc60659, on 07/08/2008, -0/+3Mmm, yes, your tears sustain me.
- sorrow, on 07/08/2008, -0/+3Obviously you've been going to the wrong mom and pop coffee shops. I agree, that crap is gross -- but seriously dude: go to a real NON-Starbucks cafe sometime.
- sorrow, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2Their Americano is the only drink I get there. Their drip is to bold / acidic for me and more often than not any drink I get with milk or cream in it comes to me tasting like the milk has been burned.
That being said, I will admit that their Americano's can be pretty tasty, and if nothing else I love that you can find espresso pretty much wherever you go courtesy of Starbucks. - spiritflare1, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2mediocre coffee for elitists, yes.
- jakkyl, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2Dutch Bros. in Oregon ROCKS!!!!!!
- Olfster, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2That is what they told Krispy Kreme.
- Pusod, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2FOLGERS CRYSTALS FTW BABY!!!
/sarcasm - Olfster, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2Does Starbucks employ illegal aliens?
- MtheoryX, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2Would you two ladies knock it off already?
- Acqua206, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2I don't like their drip either, its too bitter. However, their Americano is only a couple of cents more expensive and tastes better and goes down smoother. Give that a go instead of the regular drip. I have to have some kind of caffeine in my system for classes or I'm off in lala land. It's either Red Bull, $2.50 Rockstar Energy drink, or an Americano from Starbucks. However, if I'm not running late, I down a good jug of Foldgers before I head out the door...the commute is just enough time for me to have to take a massive piss b4 class...TMI, I know.
- Olfster, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2I never really like Starbucks because the place is simply over priced for what you get! When are people going to wake up and realize that they are buying nothing more than an image portraid by a marketing dept. Maybe when gas hits $10 a gallon.
-
Show 51 - 100 of 130 discussions
Browsing Digg on your phone just got easier with our enhancements to the 
© Digg Inc. 2009
— Content created and posted by Digg users is