OK, I’ve been pretty harsh with the revivalist techniques at Starbucks and still have plenty of complaints–slow service and chatty baristas not paying attention to their product. Today, I give them a win.
Let me just answer your question: Yes, I still go to Starbucks, but I know what to order–nothing fancy. Nothing costly. The plain seasonal Jane: an iced unsweetened grande coffee, or as the guy behind me added to his order, lite ice. Hmm. Always a one-upmanship–he was right. Maybe one of the better buys: $1.95.
Anyway Starbucks offers the flexibility as in no two people order the same–everyone personalizes it, and the staff just repeats the order. That is a process they understand.
Heard from a friend yesterday who had an obviously nightmarish coffee exchange that bordered on ridiculous. Looked at Dunkin’ Donuts menu board as she was treating herself to a much needed and long-missed latte and then had an are you kidding me exchange. I’ll have a decaf lite latte, please. Make that iced. Counter guy says, $4.19 (before tax); customer says, board says $3.19. He says that’s for hot. She says, so? He says a buck more for iced. Are you kidding? Nope. Ice does not cost a dollar. Yep. They went back and forth–he won, she bought. BOO.
That whole exchange is ridiculous. Ice is water and water in a product just makes more water–the melting coefficient is that the company would save on the amount of coffee they were pouring. Most disappointing part of this exchange is she purchased it.
I had to see it to believe it. Walked in today and bingo, same experience, but a new more polished explanation–we add more milk, it’s different. Yes, it is different; unnecessary, a waste of money. I knew what to do: I left.
Just for the record they do sell a 95 cent iced coffee, but it is a pre-made product with sugar. Not the same.
Lose a customer; tell a million people–that’s a win. Figure they owe her more than goodwill since she’ll avoid them and order her iced latte and add her own milk from the counter containers.
Dunkin’ Donuts, you are wrong.
So ridiculous.
Still Ugly « Allbeforecoffee’s Blog said
[...] are obvious, in matters we’ve discussed such as consumers downscaling coffee purchases, and companies meeting them half way with lower prices and coupons. [...]
suzy said
On our way home we stopped at a gas station. (tip o’ the hat to dave barry) I am not making this up. On the “pop” machine there was a big ol’d sign saying: “Ice is not free. You must pay 29 cents for ice EVEN IF YOU HAVE YOUR OWN CUP!!” I was so annoyed I left with no ice! We made it to the next rest stop with water we already had.