Is Starbucks premium anymore or has it become downscale?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When have you seen a premium experience parked in every strip mall and grocery store you lay eyes on? It’s like McDonald’s, appeals to the masses.

In the suburbs and flyover country, Starbucks used to indicate you were in a somewhat upscale area. Starbucks store aesthetics were certainly more premium appearing than a typical dicey low rent strip mall shop. I feel like they at least used to have really high real estate standards and elevated any strip mall they were in. Now the locations are in dicey strip malls with crappy landlords who let the parking lots become full of litter.

Now it's maybe only Whole Foods which would indicate you're in an upscale area. And perhaps proximity to a BMW/Mercedes dealership.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The workers and the tipping did me in. The workers were very pretentious and would look down on my normal coffee order. They’re also really unhappy people in general.

Having to tap the tip button in front of baristas is very uncomfortable. It's coercion. Not a good feeling. And I'm generally a generous tipper.

[Anonymous]

Starbucks isn't focused on the coffee business, it's become a bank, holding billions of dollars on their app.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When have you seen a premium experience parked in every strip mall and grocery store you lay eyes on? It’s like McDonald’s, appeals to the masses.

In the suburbs and flyover country, Starbucks used to indicate you were in a somewhat upscale area. Starbucks store aesthetics were certainly more premium appearing than a typical dicey low rent strip mall shop. I feel like they at least used to have really high real estate standards and elevated any strip mall they were in. Now the locations are in dicey strip malls with crappy landlords who let the parking lots become full of litter.

Now it's maybe only Whole Foods which would indicate you're in an upscale area. And perhaps proximity to a BMW/Mercedes dealership.

The word you are looking for is "basic", not "premium".

[Anonymous]

Starbucks, Chipotle, and Panera are all lower rung these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Starbucks, Chipotle, and Panera are all lower rung these days.

It’s amazing how far Chipotle has fallen IMHO. I’ve been to a couple that were beyond filthy. Dirty tables that haven’t been wiped down, trash containers over flowing, bathrooms that haven’t been properly cleaned or stocked, dirty floors. If you don’t have standards with basic cleaning and sanitation, I’m not comfortable with you preparing my food.

[Anonymous]

They used to have fireplaces and comfy chairs and good music and lighting. It’s like hospital cafeteria seating now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They used to have fireplaces and comfy chairs and good music and lighting. It’s like hospital cafeteria seating now.

By design. They don't want patrons in their stores anymore, which will then be used to justify smaller store footprints. They might as well cut to the chase and close the cafes and just be to-go and drive thru.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Downscale. Disgusting cups of corn syrup designed to make us all diabetic. No thanks

There is no corn syrup in coffee

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Starbucks, Chipotle, and Panera are all lower rung these days.

Chipotle is in a higher category that Starbucks and Panera. Panera used to be higher. Chipotle has never been high, but hasn’t really changed much in 15 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s cancer causing.

Coffee causes cancer?? Source?

[Anonymous]

Starbucks is like the McDonald’s of coffee shops. But it is quick and dependable. I still run in for an americano there. If I want someplace nicer to sit and relax, I go elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

The app ordering has made it tough to walk in and get a something made without a super long wait. I prefer Peet’s in flavor.

[Anonymous]

For me it's the fact their baked pastries are garbage and full of corn syrup and seed oils. Might as well go to McDonald's at that point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Downscale. Disgusting cups of corn syrup designed to make us all diabetic. No thanks

There is no corn syrup in coffee

This post is about Starbucks, a frappe shop, not a coffee shop.