I haven’t been to a Starbucks in 7-8 years, I use to go there pretty much everyday. The value is just not there, price of their beverages doesn’t match with the taste and the store environment, experience is not there. Stores are dirty and trashy and you want to charge me 6 bucks for a coffee? Not happening.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People are feeling poor with so many firings and prices going up under Trump.

+1. Economic uncertainty is high right now. People are cutting back on spending.

Yep. Hopefully corporate America wakes up and starts pushing back. Firing govt workers and contractor ripple effects and a crashing stock market don't inspire people to buy expensive lattes as a frivolous luxury.

Will plenty of everyday workers get hurt in the meantime? Yes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They’re all buying more booze now

Booze sales are way down. Friends in the distribution industry tell me there’s been a lot of layoffs. I don’t think it is Trump related though. Apparently wine sales are really in the toilet.

During covid we stopped drinking all together. Well, I had one glass of wine at Christmas on 2022. DH has had 2 non alcoholic beers, which he swears made him drunk.

I think NA beers still have a bit of alcohol. I’ve heard some people get hangovers from them.

My dd loves Dunkin, nobody liked Starbobs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They’re all buying more booze now

Booze sales are way down. Friends in the distribution industry tell me there’s been a lot of layoffs. I don’t think it is Trump related though. Apparently wine sales are really in the toilet.

Boom and bust in that industry. Just too many people got into it and ramped up during 2020 as they were given so many incentives. Most were distilling for hand sanitizer production, then tried to continue in the beverage market.

It's returned to pre 2020 levels mostly.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They’re all buying more booze now

Booze sales are way down. Friends in the distribution industry tell me there’s been a lot of layoffs. I don’t think it is Trump related though. Apparently wine sales are really in the toilet.

During covid we stopped drinking all together. Well, I had one glass of wine at Christmas on 2022. DH has had 2 non alcoholic beers, which he swears made him drunk.

Anonymous wrote:They’re all buying more booze now

Booze sales are way down. Friends in the distribution industry tell me there’s been a lot of layoffs. I don’t think it is Trump related though. Apparently wine sales are really in the toilet.

Anonymous wrote:Maybe giving it up for lent

+1. I am.

The Liberty Place Starbucks downtown usually is packed in the morning - but with RTO this week, it’s almost empty. I think people are cutting way back because of instability.

And I’m not going to lie - I love some Starbucks. I’m not a coffee snob, and there is something about their Pike Place blend that uniquely wakes up my brain and ability to focus.

Anonymous wrote:They still struggle with people camping out in the stores, occupying tables for hours while they "WFH". Until they enforce some turnover, people who might like to stop in and stay while they finish an order oftentimes have nowhere to sit.

This is why I stopped going. Years ago Starbucks used to have comfortable seating and a nicer “third place” atmosphere and I would regularly stop in for 30 or so minutes to read with a coffee and a treat. Once laptop campers took over and they got rid of all that (starting before covid) I just didn’t care to go anymore. I can make better coffee at home and if it’s just a caffeine boost I need while out and about I’d rather stop at a Dunkin or McDs because it’s cheaper and tastes better. To me the whole purpose and appeal of Starbucks was a non-bar place to hang out.

Anonymous wrote:They still struggle with people camping out in the stores, occupying tables for hours while they "WFH". Until they enforce some turnover, people who might like to stop in and stay while they finish an order oftentimes have nowhere to sit.

Yep. Starbucks created a cultural problem that will kill them. There is a Starbucks by my house that I used to make fun of because "I wasn't cool enough to visit it", of course I didn't have the right Apple laptop. This was a few years ago, when they were still clean and had people with normal hygiene working there. Now they are all just gross

Maybe giving it up for lent

Anonymous wrote:They’re all buying more booze now

Well, if starbucks starts adding booze or CBD to their products the price might be justified.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just hope they don’t fire the barista with nice boobs at my local Starbucks.

What’s his name?

His name is Cletus. You must have missed it.

Anonymous wrote:We are trying to save money anywhere we can. That includes daily 3 dollar coffees. I know that it will hurt the workers at Starbucks BUT my family is hurting financially too.

+1
I went tonthe airport in houston and paid $7 for a large Americano. That was my very last coffee at Starbucks. I felt so ripped off. Never again!

It's mediocre coffee that's over priced. No thanks!