Job Cuts at Starbucks

[lilpony]

I don't drink there plain coffee. I love there mixed coffee drinks...Yum!!!

 

[close_enough]

I don't drink there plain coffee. I love there mixed coffee drinks...Yum!!!

gawd, me too!!!!...love Starbucks!

 

[close_enough]

Starbucks coffee, a few years ago, in the report that I read, tested at having over twice as much caffeine, as a "normal" cup of coffee. The people that drink it, are on speed; it gets their motor running at high speed, so they can hit the ground running. It's an addiction.

I remember having a cup of regular coffee, after having only had decaf for about 5 years. What a nasty reaction, my nerves were all on edge.

lol, this post makes me feel like breaking in to the tune Born To Be Wild..."get yer motor ruuunin":dance:

 

[JBean]

I don't drink there plain coffee. I love there mixed coffee drinks...Yum!!!

HI LP :blowkiss: I think this is the key. I only drink black coffee. I don;t like anything in it because it ruins the coffee flavor for me and tastes * greasy*. So, I think Starbucks is bad if you drink it plain, but good if you drink it fancy.

 

[FLMom]

I had read a few weeks ago on Slate that Starbucks business may start hurting because McD's was going to start making Capp's. I didn't think it would start this soon.

Nah, it's not Mickey D's. It's an apples and oranges kind of thing. They've had their iced coffee out for quite a while now, and I don't think it's hurt the company.

I love Starbucks! I'm willing to pay the price when I have it to finally get sweet coffee instead of coffee that's bitter! I've finally become a coffee drinker thanks to Starbucks and a couple of coffee junkies I know.

YEA! I'm the same way. I know what I want and sometimes when you're ordering coffee, that's half the battle. There's a meeting coming this week that's gonna help insure just that. All of the stores in the company getting on the same page so no matter which SBUX you go into, it'll be the same.

I hate Starbucks!I think their coffee is awful. bleck. I love love love coffee and I just think Starbucks coffee is bitter and nasty.
But that doesn't mean I want people to lose jobs!

Awwww. You're so sweet not wanting people to lose jobs. The media kinda blew that one up. . . six-hundred were the total amount of positions while two-twenty was the actual amount of people terminated.

Maybe you've just gotten a batch of a blend that didn't agree with you. Everyone's palates are different. I'm betting you'd like the milder offering better, or an Americano. That's just espresso shots with hot water. . . a nice mild cup of coffee, and you can even ask for one shot less than would usually come in it if it's still too strong for your tastes.

:furious: I don't drink coffee or any such flavored drink...tried and tried...("oh it's like a shot of speed") I heard....
tried it, didn't like it, blah............but still I feel for ANYONE'S JOB!!!!!!!!!!!

You and my daughter both. It KILLS me. She's a college student and won't go near coffee. I'm absolutely passionate about it. I will stay forever wounded that the DNA for coffee beans missed her.

With the slowing of the economy, it would stand to reason that some of the coffee places, Starbucks, and such, will begin taking hits; McDonald's, and others, will contribute to this slide, especially if their coffee is respectable, and most of all, cheaper. The frills will begin going by the wayside.

I think a lot of SBUX is a status symbol. . . you too can be "cool" for only a little bit more in cost. There's a place in the market for it, but not to the extent of the amount of stores there are right now.

Starbucks coffee, a few years ago, in the report that I read, tested at having over twice as much caffeine, as a "normal" cup of coffee. The people that drink it, are on speed; it gets their motor running at high speed, so they can hit the ground running. It's an addiction.

I remember having a cup of regular coffee, after having only had decaf for about 5 years. What a nasty reaction, my nerves were all on edge.

Yup, SBUX does have more caffeine.

http://www.click2houston.com/health/3005271/detail.html

BUT. . . a lot depends on what blend you get. If you choose the mild offering for the day, you'll get moreof a buzz. The lighter the blend the more caffeine, because when you roast a long time for boldness, such as with French Roast or Italian Roast, you burn out the caffeine.

Yeah, and my ex's mother did the same thing to me. RAGING headaches when visiting her. She forgot to tell me that she made a pot of Sanka every morning. Caffeine withdrawls are ugly too, lol.

I hope the Starbucks cutbacks won't affect my local SB.
It is around the corner and is always busy.

Probably not. If your store is consistently busy, it's probably safe. It's those new stores built out in the middle of nowhere with no customer base that are gonna have issues.

I am a self proclaimed SB junkie here...but I have to admit they are saturating themselves wicked crazy here. We have 7 of them in less than a 1 mile raduis (this includes 1 in a mall, 1 in the hospital across the street from the mall, 1 in a medical center next door to the hospital, 1 in the Barnes and Noble across the medical center and 3, yes 3 freestanding buildings!!!! Is that wicked crazy or what (I just like saying "wicked"...all my northern friends use it.... )

And that's what this is the start of. . . the de-saturation of Starbucks. You might still have your old stores around, but there won't be newer ones.

That's so you don't have to go far to get your fix... but I have noticed that what "goodies" they carry from baked goods to sandwiches varies by the individual franchise. I have favorite Starbucks's now depending on what they carry. For example, the ones in the markets don't have the sandwiches.

Breakfast sandwiches are going to be gone by the end of the year. There are regional bakeries for the stores. Some get fresh items every day, some only get bi-weekly shipments. And there are no franchises with SBUX. . they're all owned and run by SBUX in Seattle. The only ones different are "LC" or "Liscenced Concept" stores, like the ones in Target and Barnes and Nobles. They may have different bakeries too. And also, a lot of things are both regional AND seasonal. If you love Pumpkin Scones, for instance, stock up and freeze them. . . that's what I do!

 

[JBean]

FL Mom thank you for wirting all that out. I love strong black coffee. But I haven't had a starbucks blend that I like yet. But I will take your advice and try the espresso shot with water. I love plain espresso.
I just do not like sweet coffee or white coffee

 

[philamena]

FLmom,

Thanks for all the great info.
Some days I want just a plain coffee, but a plain Good coffee, SB never fails.

 

[Chloekins]

I personally will be glad to see some Starbucks go. They sell an inferior product at a superior price. Yes I have tried several of their drinks and they are just as another poster said, bitter and too sweet. Maybe with a scale back on stores people will remember that brewing their own coffee and tea is much easier and more affordable. Especially in the bleak financial times to come.

As for the jobs, the people who work at Starbucks are considered low skill workers ( unfortunately, since dealing with people all the time is HIGH skill IMO), they will be able to find comparable work elsewhere fairly quickly.

 

[Masterj]

Thank you to whoever posted the Starbucks gossip site link. I found it really fascinating to read - many really intelligent and thought-provoking dialogues. I deal with Starbucks corporate, mainly Howard and his team, on a daily basis, so I am thoroughly enjoying reading FLMom's perspective as a partner. One thing that struck me in particular on the gossip blog, was how many workers are truly passionate about their jobs and perfecting their service.

I go to Starbucks maybe once every or every other week. I am not a consistent enough customer to have developed a connection with the baristas. Plus I am in NYC where there is a different Starbucks everytime I turn around. But I much prefer the Starbucks outside of the Metro area. The entire vibe is so much better.

FLMom - how do you feel about the breakfast sandwiches? I thought theey were pretty bad and not a good representation of the Starbucks brand.

 

[FLMom]

My answers are in red. . . .

I personally will be glad to see some Starbucks go. They sell an inferior product at a superior price. Yes I have tried several of their drinks and they are just as another poster said, bitter and too sweet. Maybe with a scale back on stores people will remember that brewing their own coffee and tea is much easier and more affordable. Especially in the bleak financial times to come.

The cost of some of the coffee is high, depending on what you order. However, unlike the grocery store brands, SBUX doesn't just order anything and start brewing. Some of the extra cost is well worth it to me in the grand scheme of things. . . I'm talking back down to the farmer that grows the coffee. SBUX has been responsible for making sure these farmers, their families and the locals in those regions have schools, medical care and ensure that they're paid top dollar amounts for what they grow. That, to me in a world gone haywire, is worth the extra fifty cents or so over a gas station coffee.

As for the jobs, the people who work at Starbucks are considered low skill workers ( unfortunately, since dealing with people all the time is HIGH skill IMO), they will be able to find comparable work elsewhere fairly quickly.

Well, I don't consider myself "low skill". I'm going to severly bite my tongue in answering this. I've been everything from a stay-at-home mom to a cake decorator to a vet tech to a receptionist. Right now I'm head of the pastry program, in addition to running shifts and being a part of training and re-training employees. And that's just me. I work or have worked with grad students, mothers, architects, two people going through medical school, a nurse, and various other professions. Just because we have a green apron on does not mean we have no other redeeming job qualities.

Next time I'm running the floor, making sure my parters are all getting their breaks, running from the floor to do the deposit, remembering just about every customer by name AND their drinks, making small talk with a customer that's having a really bad day all the while working through a line of customers out the door and fifteen drinks in front of me, I'll grin while I think of how "low skill" I really am.

 

[FLMom]

Masterj. . . .

Thank you to whoever posted the Starbucks gossip site link. I found it really fascinating to read - many really intelligent and thought-provoking dialogues. I deal with Starbucks corporate, mainly Howard and his team, on a daily basis, so I am thoroughly enjoying reading FLMom's perspective as a partner. One thing that struck me in particular on the gossip blog, was how many workers are truly passionate about their jobs and perfecting their service.

That was me. . . I lurk on there a lot. I'd love to meet Howard after reading his book. And some of us are REALLY passionate about what we do. It's not just a job, it's an adventure!

FLMom - how do you feel about the breakfast sandwiches? I thought theey were pretty bad and not a good representation of the Starbucks brand.

Well, we never had the sandwiches here. They were being slowly phased in across the country. The store I'm at now opened over the summer, so we had a place built in for the warming station, but now we'll never see it.

The breakfast sandwiches are going to be ending by the end of the fall. It was a good idea as far as branching out, but that's where SBUX has recognized the trouble to be. We as a company want to get back to basics and the smell of burnt cheese isn't a part of that. Coffee cakes, scones, muffins. . . even afternoon snacks like cookies and brownies are what really fits in.

Part of the whole "experience" is when you walk in and that smell hits you. I get giddy from it, I kid you not. I usually open, and once we get the coffee brewing and start timing shots at the bar to make sure they're within the time frame to be "just right". . . omg it's awesome. That smell of freshly brewed coffee and espresso, along with the sound of the coffee grinder going and it just FILLS the place. The sandwiches severely took away from that aroma. I mean, we don't even wear perfume or cologne so that smell comes through. The smell of Black Forrest Ham is not compatible.

I agree that the sandwiches were a bad idea. But. . . you never know until you try. Now that Howard has the reins back, it should be a lot better with "ideas" that aren't condusive to the whole experience.

I'm glad you love the BUX, and I agree the vibe in stores are different between here and there. Ours isn't rush-rush like others, and we have quite a few characters working right now. It's unique to say the least!

 

[indigomood]

FL Mom thank you for wirting all that out. I love strong black coffee. But I haven't had a starbucks blend that I like yet. But I will take your advice and try the espresso shot with water. I love plain espresso.
I just do not like sweet coffee or white coffee

Bean! Say it isn't so...did we have sweet coffee or white coffee at the coffee shop a few years ago???

 

[JBean]

Bean! Say it isn't so...did we have sweet coffee or white coffee at the coffee shop a few years ago???

HI Indigo :blowkiss: miss you. I still use our t shirt folding video
I most likely had a black coffee. But I suppose if I had a sweet tooth that day I might have ordered a fancy one. When oh when will you be in Laguna Beach again??? I'll drink anything if you come back for a visit.

 

[feddup]

I don't drink there plain coffee. I love there mixed coffee drinks...Yum!!!

Do people go there for PLAIN coffee? lol
I go for the Mocha Lattes....YUMMM

I hope my fav one here doesnt close , I love it. The service is so good. One time I tried the new thing with white chocolate in it,didnt care for it, took it back and no problem, no questions, gave me my "regular".

 

[feddup]

FL Mom, I dont consider the people there "low skill". The lady told me it takes about 6 mo to get it all down. I dont think its just a matter of pouring a cup of coffee and slinging it at someone, I looove Starbucks lattes:woohoo: