People are recurring customers at chains primarily for consistency and convenience.
I used to frequent Starbucks for an iced London fog since I love those (and theyâre a pain in the ass to make at home for someone who only occasionally drinks them) and drive thrus are convenient, but I can no longer justify paying $6-7 for a medium sized drink even for the sake of convenience so if Iâm on the go I just settle for a trashy big olâ iced coffee from dunkin for like $3.50 despite their crick or crack phenomenon (sometimes itâs so good itâs like crack, other times it tastes like crick water).
Because people can like whatever they want? Why do you like the stuff that you like? Iâm sure you have things that people donât like and will be like wtf why
Exactly.
Also, I'm a person who *hates* weak coffee. To me and my taste buds, nothing is worse than being served hot brown water with a hint of coffee flavor. Say whatever you want to about Starbucks, but at least they don't do that. So I'll opt for Starbucks over a lot of other chain coffees (McDonalds, Dunkin, etc.) for exactly this reason.
Starbucks haters are just noise to me because I absolutely love the taste of their coffee. I remember the first time I had it (in a shopping center in San Diego) and I immediately loved it and I love it still.
I hate chardonnay though so đ¤ˇââď¸
Huntsville is full of middle class aspirational people who LOVE chain stores.
Nothing is more aspirational than a $6 coffee.
Itâs like practically living in NYC!
I mean they are an international company and had over $29 billion in sales last year but sure people are stupid for liking their crap product so much that they sit in huge lines just to buy dirty water.
I've heard that it's because that makes it taste consistent. As in, they kind of intentional burn it a little in the roasting process because that makes it taste more similar, no matter what the variation was within the beans beforehand. What you said makes sense too, though.
**Whatâs** **the** **deal**
What is everyone deal with r/HuntsvilleAlabama? The sub is uninteresting, stale and just gross. Clogging up my timeline with the âwhatâs that noiseâ posts is getting stupid
How tf is this hot? Starballs is so mid. Long lines and your choices are either bad coffee or so much sugar and flavorings you don't taste the bad coffee
People are used to it, it's pretty consistent as a chain, and sometimes you just need a caffeine fix.
There you go. That's the deal. That might not be the deal for everyone, though. For some, it might be aspirational, however, if it's become your personal norm, then is it really aspirational any more?
Personally, I like to pour my Starbucks lattes into my Stanley cup so it doesn't spill when I'm passing you on the right in my Tesla on the way to the arsenal to go make some big booms.
Iâm a Dunkin man myself. I like cold coffee that tastes like cigarette butts left in water overnight with never the same amount of sweetener twice. Itâs like crack. And I wish I was joking but alasâŚ
Took a coffee plantation tour in Guatemala. Very informative. Beans are separated and graded into about 6 grades. Starbucks buys the lowest grades. No telling whatâs mixed with those beans. MacDonalds buys a higher grade than Starbucks.
Pretty sure that line is for holiday themed Michael BublĂŠ compact discs. Why do you hate holidays? And by extension Christmas. And by extension baby Jesus. And by extension Dolly Parton. Why, why would you make such an attack on Dolly? Iâm so offended right now.
I have a theory that Starbucks intentionally makes awful drip coffee to push customers toward the espresso drinks which typically get you hooked with loads of sugar and coming back for more.
The mobile app. It takes seconds to order, then you just walk in, grab it, and go. I mean, the whole point is I haven't had caffeine yet. No way am I gonna choose to interact with people or fight with a clunky website.
If a local place wants to build an app that's as good, I'd consider them instead. Until then, Starbucks gets my money.
The deal is that they're addicted to the corn syrup "milk"shakes that they convince themselves is actually coffee despite having a teaspoon of coffee in an entire 20 oz cup of mixed seed-oil fake "cream" and corn syrup. Nobody goes to Starbucks for a cup of plain black coffee because as you point out it tastes worse than gas station coffee.
I used to order there but they continuously took 30 minutes past when they said they would and wierd things happened there-like one day the dining room was shut down and they took my order and I never got it.i wasnât sure theyâd divert to the drive thru line
Orrrr.....
Instead of getting on here and whining about ppl minding their business. You could go a alt route.... I loved in New Hope for a whole year, I worked in town. Made that drive daily in the morning traffic. Just stay in the far left lane until you get past the restaurant. It's not anyone's fault you are a selfish asshole
Yes! Starbucks was known for moving into neighborhoods that had locally owned cafes and putting them out of business. A Starbucks opened half a block down from a friend's cafe, so they decided to add a cup of "Starburnt" to the menu.
The better question is, if youâre going to frequent a Starbucks at all, why the one on Governors? Theyâre super slow, rude, and the location is disgusting. The inside is filthy, trash is overflowing. One time they didnât even have soap in the bathrooms. Iâm sure all the employees were washing their hands that dayâŚ
The one on South Parkway is much better if you can make it there.
I'm especially confused about Starbucks because of how many better (and better priced) local places we have here. Angel's Island and Old Towne to name a few
It definitely ainât cheap, and there is untold amounts of hipster shit from energy drinks to coffee, but their mocha is worth getting (and Iâm a cheap bastard).
I really like it. Was out west for 15 years and it became my go to. They use real chocolate milk with their mocha. Only problem is, it's so popular, there is always a line.
Unfortunately, Starbucks has got really good marketing thatâs miles above itâs actual product. I also donât think the regular customers their drink there actual coffee. Itâs usually their âcoffee drinksâ and other non coffee drinks.
Panera coffee is where itâs at for decent, consistent coffee with their sip club.
Compared to other fast food coffee spots and regular/non specialty coffee places in general, their Coffee is hard to beat. Especially with the SIP Club.
Used to work at a Starbucks and can confirm that most of OUR regulars (clarifying just in case someone decides to fight me on it) came in for flavored lattes. We did have folks come in for our coffee but for every person who did there were three people who got Frappuccinos, Refreshers, or flavored lattes
I don't get the hype, either. Their regular coffee tastes the same as what I get from McDonald's, and their craft beverages are loaded with sugary syrups. My mom was hype over the chain when I was a kid, so I've always associated the chain with bored suburbanites looking for their slice of Hollywood-esque big city living.
People do it, cuz everyone else does it. Itâs a status symbol. I think the coffee addiction itself is a status symbol and something people do because everyone else is. Itâs become a whole culture. âdonât talk to me before my coffeeâ, from people who likely got 7 hours of sleep, or from people who drink it claiming they need it to wake up, but are still complaining of being tired two hours later.
As I hated the *3rd Place*⢠bullshit that would get thrown at us during the like 7 or 8 years I worked there, it wasn't entirely false. There were people who legit just came in to hang out with us and drink coffee. They ended up just being friends with everybody. There were plenty of assholes, but a lot of people just seemed to enjoy seeing us. I made a lot of friends, met a lot of cool people, even some celebrities and foreign diplomats. There were so many regulars that I saw basically every day that you'd get worried when they were gone. Hell we checked on one and found out she had been diagnosed with cancer, another had a major issue with a child with developmental disabilities, and they were just amazed that we even noticed. As fucking awful as working there was, there were some great moments.
The jokes started from a point in reality, though. Non-morning people who use it to get into their day, etc. Also, once you get used to having it, you actually need it to feel normal, since going without can cause withdrawal. I've read that caffeine is more addictive than heroin.
People I know who drink it do not drink black coffee, they like the ~~milkshakes~~ err lattes and such. I have never had decent black coffee there, I **have** had shit so burnt and wretched that I literally poured it out going down the interstate because it smelled like it had brewed through cigarette ashes and was stinking up my car.
I'm sure their milkshakes with roughly the sugar content of a can of Coke are great, but I'm already doing the speed run to diabeetus with solid food.
It's not a superiority complex. When a person says somewhere has "good steak" but the only people who think the steak is good get it smothered in a sauce, it raises the question on whether it's truly good steak, or all the stuff you're smothering it in covers up mediocre steak.
Dairy Queen has GREAT milk. So long as it is contains in my chocolate milk shake! 
Edit: Fixed typo
I mean do you also judge people for drinking iced tea sweet instead of unsweet? Having a gin and tonic instead of just gin? For eating hamburgers with condiments and produce instead of plain?
Yeah, the Frappuccinos are basically milkshakes and I would never start my day with one of those, I donât even think the customers who regularly get those view them as a coffee, but itâs silly to say all of us who add a splash of cream (almond milk for me as my tolerance for dairy has been on a sharp decline) and a sugar packet to a coffee are drinking milkshakes and are too uncivilized for âreal coffee.â
I'm not judging, as I said. I'm saying I don't consider your judgement of the bust rum to be valuable to me if you ONLY drink rum and coke. It's fine to do what you want to do, but I think all these people saying "they're so popular, of course their coffee is great!" Are being a little silly when you look at proportion of black coffee they sell compared to everything else. They may have a great product, but for me their **black coffee** is usually undrinkable. And Starbucks uniquely carries that banner for me. I drink crappy burnt Folgers most mornings, have had GREAT locally (to me at the time, not HSV) roasted coffee, gas station, and fastfood - all are above Starbucks for me.
I don't think anyone should feel *bad* for liking their products, but I do bristle more than I should when people who drink the highly doctored stuff sing the praises of Starbucks *coffee*
You underestimate the sugar content if you think it's equal to a can of Coke. It's far, far worse. And it's got tons of calories from the "milk" - i.e. canola oil - added on top of that. Sucking down a bottle of Coke would unironically be healthier, and probably provide more caffeine as well.
That's why I care about our country and government stopping the caring about it. We give them that money because we've voted in people who care and users like the one I was responding to are the ones who vote them in. I was asking for their justification for that.
This sounded like a Jerry Seinfeld routine.
What's the DeAl with StArBuCkS?!
You heard that too? đ
My brain is incapable of hearing those three words without also picturing Jerry Seinfeld saying them..but as the bee from bee movie.
I heard the bass guitar riffs with it lol.
Boowwwm bom badonk donk dunn (laugh track)
đ
Are you a bass player, sir?
I mean itâs not a star and I donât see any deer! whaTâs up with THat?!?
Well Jerry, a star usually has at least five points and they want at least 5 dollars for a cup of coffee, so they are just, I dunno, being upfront?
Whatâs the DeAl with HuNtsVilLE oPeNinG MoRe StArBuCks?
I never realized this is how he talks. That's crazy lmao
People are recurring customers at chains primarily for consistency and convenience. I used to frequent Starbucks for an iced London fog since I love those (and theyâre a pain in the ass to make at home for someone who only occasionally drinks them) and drive thrus are convenient, but I can no longer justify paying $6-7 for a medium sized drink even for the sake of convenience so if Iâm on the go I just settle for a trashy big olâ iced coffee from dunkin for like $3.50 despite their crick or crack phenomenon (sometimes itâs so good itâs like crack, other times it tastes like crick water).
Thanks for the definition of crick and crack. Saved me 30 seconds of my life searching. Instead I spent that time giving you kudos.
Crick or crack. That's fantastic
Have you had the London Fog at White Bison? I forget the price, but it's good there (I get it hot)
Theyâre consistently crap.
Fyi, Good Company Cafe makes an amazing iced London fog and it's always available. đ
Because people can like whatever they want? Why do you like the stuff that you like? Iâm sure you have things that people donât like and will be like wtf why
Exactly. Also, I'm a person who *hates* weak coffee. To me and my taste buds, nothing is worse than being served hot brown water with a hint of coffee flavor. Say whatever you want to about Starbucks, but at least they don't do that. So I'll opt for Starbucks over a lot of other chain coffees (McDonalds, Dunkin, etc.) for exactly this reason.
I love like nice third wave coffee places but this is 100% true, their coffee taste BOLD
Should try Dutch Bros ain't nothing weak about their coffee
Starbucks haters are just noise to me because I absolutely love the taste of their coffee. I remember the first time I had it (in a shopping center in San Diego) and I immediately loved it and I love it still. I hate chardonnay though so đ¤ˇââď¸
You just haven't had the right coffee yet. I hear that stuff pooped out by civet cats is pretty awesome /s
"but it's buuuurrnt" -people when I tell them I like Starbucks drip coffee
I don't get this "burnt" comment at all. Yeah, it's strong and bold. I think a lot of folks like watered down coffee.
Fun fact, darker roasts have less caffeine than lighter roasts. I like the taste *and* can drink more without getting jittery.
Huntsville is full of middle class aspirational people who LOVE chain stores. Nothing is more aspirational than a $6 coffee. Itâs like practically living in NYC!
https://preview.redd.it/y07u51cq69vc1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fa1de259196db318b84ed1df6124e4e6ad922ecd
Always a laugh out loud bit
I exhale a bit harder whenever I see that quote.
Yep, this is why so many locally owned delicious restaurants donât last but places like Applebees stick around forever.
Thereâs $6 coffee thatâs better and from a local shop. I get the appeal though.
The only thing more aspirational than that is living in NYCâŚand buying Starbucks there
I am guilty as hell of going to Starbucks in NY. It was the only clean bathroom for blocks on 6th.
I lived in multiple bumfuck cities in the south filled with country people and they still flock to starbucks
If theyâre big enough for a Starbucks theyâre big enough to dream.
I mean they are an international company and had over $29 billion in sales last year but sure people are stupid for liking their crap product so much that they sit in huge lines just to buy dirty water.
They specifically have that taste because it holds up in flavored beverages better than regular coffee and flavored beverages are most of their sales.
I've heard that it's because that makes it taste consistent. As in, they kind of intentional burn it a little in the roasting process because that makes it taste more similar, no matter what the variation was within the beans beforehand. What you said makes sense too, though.
I think that's why most chains use French roasted coffee, because it gives a very consistent taste regardless of variance in the bean quality.
Huh. Interesting.
You can't merge into the far right lane until after you dodge all the Starbucks and Chik Fil A Zombies
**Whatâs** **the** **deal** What is everyone deal with r/HuntsvilleAlabama? The sub is uninteresting, stale and just gross. Clogging up my timeline with the âwhatâs that noiseâ posts is getting stupid
Hottest take of 2024.
How tf is this hot? Starballs is so mid. Long lines and your choices are either bad coffee or so much sugar and flavorings you don't taste the bad coffee
People are used to it, it's pretty consistent as a chain, and sometimes you just need a caffeine fix. There you go. That's the deal. That might not be the deal for everyone, though. For some, it might be aspirational, however, if it's become your personal norm, then is it really aspirational any more?
Personally, I like to pour my Starbucks lattes into my Stanley cup so it doesn't spill when I'm passing you on the right in my Tesla on the way to the arsenal to go make some big booms.
Iâm new to the coffee game but Iâm enjoying Roosters Crow.
They do have good coffee and some of their drinks are a good value for what you're getting.
They're single origin beans too.
Iâm a Dunkin man myself. I like cold coffee that tastes like cigarette butts left in water overnight with never the same amount of sweetener twice. Itâs like crack. And I wish I was joking but alasâŚ
Uh-oh
Took a coffee plantation tour in Guatemala. Very informative. Beans are separated and graded into about 6 grades. Starbucks buys the lowest grades. No telling whatâs mixed with those beans. MacDonalds buys a higher grade than Starbucks.
The McDonalds of coffee. The best? No way Is it generally predictable and good enough? Bingo
What's funny is McDonalds coffee is great
Pretty sure that line is for holiday themed Michael BublĂŠ compact discs. Why do you hate holidays? And by extension Christmas. And by extension baby Jesus. And by extension Dolly Parton. Why, why would you make such an attack on Dolly? Iâm so offended right now.
1. Some folks have different taste 2. Their espresso drinks aren't bad 3. A lot of their drinks are more candy than coffee
I have a theory that Starbucks intentionally makes awful drip coffee to push customers toward the espresso drinks which typically get you hooked with loads of sugar and coming back for more.
I get their refreshers. Not coffee. I swear those things are addictive.
The mobile app. It takes seconds to order, then you just walk in, grab it, and go. I mean, the whole point is I haven't had caffeine yet. No way am I gonna choose to interact with people or fight with a clunky website. If a local place wants to build an app that's as good, I'd consider them instead. Until then, Starbucks gets my money.
They have to have their beaver shit vanilla flavor extract drinks from the freemasonic siren coffee company
Thatâs all Starbucks
And they're still building *more! Everywhere!*
Buy local.
Cuz people be tweaking fr and they think they getting the gas off the pumpkin spice but just loose 7.89
The deal is that they're addicted to the corn syrup "milk"shakes that they convince themselves is actually coffee despite having a teaspoon of coffee in an entire 20 oz cup of mixed seed-oil fake "cream" and corn syrup. Nobody goes to Starbucks for a cup of plain black coffee because as you point out it tastes worse than gas station coffee.
I used to order there but they continuously took 30 minutes past when they said they would and wierd things happened there-like one day the dining room was shut down and they took my order and I never got it.i wasnât sure theyâd divert to the drive thru line
The only "coffee" people like there are what I call a milkshake
LOVE STARBUCKS !!!
Orrrr..... Instead of getting on here and whining about ppl minding their business. You could go a alt route.... I loved in New Hope for a whole year, I worked in town. Made that drive daily in the morning traffic. Just stay in the far left lane until you get past the restaurant. It's not anyone's fault you are a selfish asshole
OrrrrâŚ..stop buying shit coffee and holding up traffic
You're a whiny lil half ling.
Yes! Starbucks was known for moving into neighborhoods that had locally owned cafes and putting them out of business. A Starbucks opened half a block down from a friend's cafe, so they decided to add a cup of "Starburnt" to the menu.
Because their venti White Chocolate Mocha with 3 extra shots makes me happy when I need it to.
What's your take on Chick-fil-A?
I am glad someone else sees it besides me and my wife.
Every problem on this r/ can be solved by not moving here.
The better question is, if youâre going to frequent a Starbucks at all, why the one on Governors? Theyâre super slow, rude, and the location is disgusting. The inside is filthy, trash is overflowing. One time they didnât even have soap in the bathrooms. Iâm sure all the employees were washing their hands that day⌠The one on South Parkway is much better if you can make it there.
 What's the deal with that Starbucks on Governor's??
I'm especially confused about Starbucks because of how many better (and better priced) local places we have here. Angel's Island and Old Towne to name a few
I make my own coffee with blackjack and hookers.
Their blonde roast is good but I rarely go to Sbux to pickup. I just subscribe to the beans and grind at home
Wait til they finish building Dutch Bros. Like Starbucks but the coffee is actually good.
Went there once, has to be the most over priced hipster shit Iâve ever laid eyes on/paid for
It definitely ainât cheap, and there is untold amounts of hipster shit from energy drinks to coffee, but their mocha is worth getting (and Iâm a cheap bastard).
Just saw that building yesterday. Hope it's wonderful.
I really like it. Was out west for 15 years and it became my go to. They use real chocolate milk with their mocha. Only problem is, it's so popular, there is always a line.
Unfortunately, Starbucks has got really good marketing thatâs miles above itâs actual product. I also donât think the regular customers their drink there actual coffee. Itâs usually their âcoffee drinksâ and other non coffee drinks. Panera coffee is where itâs at for decent, consistent coffee with their sip club.
Ugh, Panera drip coffee is so weak and gross!
Panera coffee is a watery garbage drink
Compared to other fast food coffee spots and regular/non specialty coffee places in general, their Coffee is hard to beat. Especially with the SIP Club.
A large qty of bad coffee doesnât make up for the taste of that coffee except for allowing you to grow accustomed to said coffee.
Used to work at a Starbucks and can confirm that most of OUR regulars (clarifying just in case someone decides to fight me on it) came in for flavored lattes. We did have folks come in for our coffee but for every person who did there were three people who got Frappuccinos, Refreshers, or flavored lattes
Do it for the gram
I don't get the hype, either. Their regular coffee tastes the same as what I get from McDonald's, and their craft beverages are loaded with sugary syrups. My mom was hype over the chain when I was a kid, so I've always associated the chain with bored suburbanites looking for their slice of Hollywood-esque big city living.
Best coffee I've had , ever. Better than anything I had in Scotland, Toronto, Seattle, San Fran, Chicago, NYC etc https://kaladi.com/
Their Oleato olive oil coffees are amazing.
The sheep must have their special juice
People do it, cuz everyone else does it. Itâs a status symbol. I think the coffee addiction itself is a status symbol and something people do because everyone else is. Itâs become a whole culture. âdonât talk to me before my coffeeâ, from people who likely got 7 hours of sleep, or from people who drink it claiming they need it to wake up, but are still complaining of being tired two hours later.
As I hated the *3rd Place*⢠bullshit that would get thrown at us during the like 7 or 8 years I worked there, it wasn't entirely false. There were people who legit just came in to hang out with us and drink coffee. They ended up just being friends with everybody. There were plenty of assholes, but a lot of people just seemed to enjoy seeing us. I made a lot of friends, met a lot of cool people, even some celebrities and foreign diplomats. There were so many regulars that I saw basically every day that you'd get worried when they were gone. Hell we checked on one and found out she had been diagnosed with cancer, another had a major issue with a child with developmental disabilities, and they were just amazed that we even noticed. As fucking awful as working there was, there were some great moments.
The jokes started from a point in reality, though. Non-morning people who use it to get into their day, etc. Also, once you get used to having it, you actually need it to feel normal, since going without can cause withdrawal. I've read that caffeine is more addictive than heroin.
Well I think thereâs more of a social component than people identify. We donât have to agree. Be well.
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA someone finally said it. Sheeple gonna sheeple you know
People I know who drink it do not drink black coffee, they like the ~~milkshakes~~ err lattes and such. I have never had decent black coffee there, I **have** had shit so burnt and wretched that I literally poured it out going down the interstate because it smelled like it had brewed through cigarette ashes and was stinking up my car. I'm sure their milkshakes with roughly the sugar content of a can of Coke are great, but I'm already doing the speed run to diabeetus with solid food.
Itâs wild to me that in 2024 some people still have superiority complex because they donât put anything in their coffee.
It's not a superiority complex. When a person says somewhere has "good steak" but the only people who think the steak is good get it smothered in a sauce, it raises the question on whether it's truly good steak, or all the stuff you're smothering it in covers up mediocre steak. Dairy Queen has GREAT milk. So long as it is contains in my chocolate milk shake!  Edit: Fixed typo
I mean do you also judge people for drinking iced tea sweet instead of unsweet? Having a gin and tonic instead of just gin? For eating hamburgers with condiments and produce instead of plain? Yeah, the Frappuccinos are basically milkshakes and I would never start my day with one of those, I donât even think the customers who regularly get those view them as a coffee, but itâs silly to say all of us who add a splash of cream (almond milk for me as my tolerance for dairy has been on a sharp decline) and a sugar packet to a coffee are drinking milkshakes and are too uncivilized for âreal coffee.â
I'm not judging, as I said. I'm saying I don't consider your judgement of the bust rum to be valuable to me if you ONLY drink rum and coke. It's fine to do what you want to do, but I think all these people saying "they're so popular, of course their coffee is great!" Are being a little silly when you look at proportion of black coffee they sell compared to everything else. They may have a great product, but for me their **black coffee** is usually undrinkable. And Starbucks uniquely carries that banner for me. I drink crappy burnt Folgers most mornings, have had GREAT locally (to me at the time, not HSV) roasted coffee, gas station, and fastfood - all are above Starbucks for me. I don't think anyone should feel *bad* for liking their products, but I do bristle more than I should when people who drink the highly doctored stuff sing the praises of Starbucks *coffee*
You underestimate the sugar content if you think it's equal to a can of Coke. It's far, far worse. And it's got tons of calories from the "milk" - i.e. canola oil - added on top of that. Sucking down a bottle of Coke would unironically be healthier, and probably provide more caffeine as well.
Why would you go to Starbucks for black coffee?
Because some people like the taste.
Do you think thatâs relevant to this conversation?
Itâs literally an answer to the question you asked, so yes?
Do you know what âyouâ means?
Dont go to starbucks, there's much better options and they're supporting israel
Which options support Hamas?
đ
Palestinians are not all Hamas. I'm married to one.
And why should I be caring about Israel? It's an irrelevant spot of sand smaller than New Jersey halfway around the world.
Because billions of your taxpayer dollars get spent there as opposed to domestic infrastructure, moron.
That's why I care about our country and government stopping the caring about it. We give them that money because we've voted in people who care and users like the one I was responding to are the ones who vote them in. I was asking for their justification for that.