#starbucksboycott

[gilesfan]

Starbucks coffee is ok; not my favorite. But, it's convenient and quick and serves my purposes at times.

 

[NinersSBChamps]

Ef satanic Starbucks.

 

[cajunrevenge]

How many "neighbors and veterans" would take a slightly above minimum wage service industry job? Cause there are plenty out there as it is. Seems like the local McDonalds, Walmart, CUmberland Farms, etc. are always looking for jobs. Didn't realize working at Starbucks was some kind of glamour position. Hey you get 9 bucks an hour plus split tips. WOOP WOOP. L'in the D

A lot of ex military people work for pizza hut so yes, they will take ****ty jobs just above minimum wage.

 

[zitothebrave]

They built a store literally adjacent to my local shop nearly a decade ago...I'm pleased to report that the local joint is still in business.

There isn't a Starbucks in Asbury Park NJ and a huge reason is Asbury Park Roasters which is amazing.

 

[gilesfan]

There isn't a Starbucks in Asbury Park NJ and a huge reason is Asbury Park Roasters which is amazing.

You realize it is probably just demographics, right?

 

[Metaphysicist]

Boycott aside, does anyone like Starbucks' coffee? Can't speak for the fancy stuff - I drink one, maybe two, cups of coffee a day, black w/no sweeteners - but I've never been a fan of the regular coffee. Especially for the price.

I do, but I'm not gonna claim to be a coffee taste czar. Round these parts people are always serving instant Nescafe coffee. The grocery stores have whole aisles of the stuff, but just maybe one or two bags of normal ground coffee (typically, gas station quality). So when I am traveling way out yonder to the big city and end up near a Starbuck's, I definitely stop in and am duly appreciative.

 

[jpx7]

This is the new thing now... any business that has an opinion requires a social media outrage and boycott

The market has an invisible hand, but a loud mouth.

 

[NinersSBChamps]

A lot of ex military people work for pizza hut so yes, they will take ****ty jobs just above minimum wage.

Yep. I had a struggle getting a crappy job when I got out of the army. Got an okay one now, but your point is incredibly valid.

 

[acesfull86]

Better than ****ty coffee, much worse than what you'll find at a local place. One of the things that I hated seeing, I was in Burlington, VT and there was a Starbucks that was just hopping, like line and everything, there was a local coffee shop just down the street who roasts their own beans and is superior that was moderately busy.

I guess people like what they like but I feel the same way walking around Manhattan seeing people stuffing themselves into chain restaurants.

 

[acesfull86]

I do, but I'm not gonna claim to be a coffee taste czar. Round these parts people are always serving instant Nescafe coffee. The grocery stores have whole aisles of the stuff, but just maybe one or two bags of normal ground coffee (typically, gas station quality). So when I am traveling way out yonder to the big city and end up near a Starbuck's, I definitely stop in and am duly appreciative.

Yeah, fair enough. I'm spoiled with food options in my part of the world.

 

[jpx7]

Do you really expect most of these people on the board to understand economic and business principles?

It's not about understanding the principles; it's about the motivations we're imputing to the actors.

[MENTION=128]sturg33[/MENTION] thinks, out of the goodness of their hearts, "Uber suspended the surge pricing in order to allow people to get home affordably", when theoretically they'd only calibrate surge-pricing downwards only to the extent that ensured maximum consumption of their service (since, in the absence of similar competing services, the only pressure on pricing was the literal maximum folks could or would pay, before looking for dissimilar alternatives like public transportation). I have no such faith in their reservoirs of charity.

I think they suspended surge-pricing because they saw a dove-tailing opportunity: to scoop up additional profit by flooding the market, in the absence of competitors, yes; but more importantly to purchase longer-term goodwill for their service whilst consumers were inconvenienced by competitors' striking workers (which is, incidentally, an important component-pressure of a strike, and why companies that engage in strike-breaking via the deployment of scabs are particularly vile).

 

[sturg33]

It's not about understanding the principles; it's about the motivations we're imputing to the actors.

[MENTION=128]sturg33[/MENTION] thinks, out of the goodness of their hearts, "Uber suspended the surge pricing in order to allow people to get home affordably", when theoretically they'd only calibrate surge-pricing downwards only to the extent that ensured maximum consumption of their service (since, in the absence of similar competing services, the only pressure on pricing was the literal maximum folks could or would pay, before looking for dissimilar alternatives like public transportation). I have no such faith in their reservoirs of charity.

I think they suspended surge-pricing because they saw a dove-tailing opportunity: to scoop up additional profit by flooding the market, in the absence of competitors, yes; but more importantly to purchase longer-term goodwill for their service whilst consumers were inconvenienced by competitors' striking workers (which is, incidentally, an important component-pressure of a strike, and why companies that engage in strike-breaking via the deployment of scabs are particularly vile).

I'm fine with either.

1. They're doing a nice thing for customers while also trying to gain market share

2. They're undermining their competitors who have lobbied to keep them out of existence... Who could blame them for that?

 

[jpx7]

This is the new thing now... any business that has an opinion requires a social media outrage and boycott

Again, I'm confused, because I'd think you of all people should be happy to see this sort trend. Isn't this a model for how we could do without most or all governmental regulation, now that we've reached an age of informational hyper-access and social tele-connectedness? Isn't this just the free-market working how it's supposed to work?

A company does something. Consumers don't like it. Consumers suspend economic activity with said company. If enough consumers follow suit, a critical mass is reached, and either the company adapts, or it dies. Isn't that pretty literally your whole thing?

I have qualms about these sort of boycotts because I don't like seeing so much organizing energy dumped into either boosting or harming shareholder windfalls and corporate profits. I have concerns about perpetually framing and phrasing political action in terms of market activity. But shouldn't you love this?

 

[jpx7]

I'm fine with either.

1. They're doing a nice thing for customers while also trying to gain market share

2. They're undermining their competitors who have lobbied to keep them out of existence... Who could blame them for that?

And that's consistent with your principles. My point to [MENTION=7]thethe[/MENTION] was simply that the disagreement isn't arising out of deficit in comprehension vis-à-vis economic mechanics, but out of a different moral countenancing of what motivates Uber's action and what it means politically.

 

[sturg33]

Again, I'm confused, because I'd think you of all people should be happy to see this sort trend. Isn't this a model for how we could do without most or all governmental regulation, now that we've reached an age of informational hyper-access and social tele-connectedness? Isn't this just the free-market working how it's supposed to work?

A company does something. Consumers don't like it. Consumers suspend economic activity with said company. If enough consumers follow suit, a critical mass is reached, and either the company adapts, or it dies. Isn't that pretty literally your whole thing?

I have qualms about these sort of boycotts because I don't like seeing so much organizing energy dumped into either boosting or harming shareholder windfalls and corporate profits. I have concerns about perpetually framing and phrasing political action in terms of market activity. But shouldn't you love this?

I've not once complained that these consumers have the ability or willingness to do it. I simply am amazed at the reasons they're doing it. It's completely baffling to me to form a movement to get rid of a service that most people really like because they simply performed their service.

It amazes me that people will boycott Chick-fil-a bc their founder has an opinion.

They have every right to do it. I'm just stunned they do.

But the market is powerful. And that is why I think we don't need parts of the 1964 civil rights act... Imagine the outrage if a business put a sign on their door saying "no blacks allowed"... they'd be out of business in a week. And the government wouldn't have had to lift a finger

 

[57Brave]

In theory your point might be valid, but history is some funny stuff.
Seems now a days a sign saying "No Blacks Allowed " is a business model

Shoot, it got someone to the white house

 

[Hawk]

Boycott aside, does anyone like Starbucks' coffee? Can't speak for the fancy stuff - I drink one, maybe two, cups of coffee a day, black w/no sweeteners - but I've never been a fan of the regular coffee. Especially for the price.

Their "house blend" medium roast, Pike Place, is actually pretty decent (and rarely burnt). I prefer it to the roast Dunkin' Doughnuts offers by a country mile. It's only ~$2.50 for a medium (ugh ... grande) cup. When I'm on the road it's my go-to over chains like DD / Peet's / Coffee Bean / Einstein / Seattle's Best. Like you, I only drink my coffee black, so have never explored the "fancy" options - with the exception of those locations which have "Starbucks Reserve" brewers (which I find exceptional). They also have a good tea selection, but the thing that keeps me going back is the rewards program. It's available at every Starbucks location (franchise or not, and in many countries abroad) and they are extremely lax about 'shared' accounts. My immediate family pools together on one and we have about 12 free drinks/food items constantly sitting in there.

At home I usually just turn on the espresso machine and make an Americano. I have an AeroPress and a pour over setup, but these days my need for caffeine precedes by snobbery. Beans are another story, though. I really like Intelligentsia ... but Costco sells 2 pounds of co-branded Starbucks espresso beans for $9.99 (that's something like ~120 cups).

 

[Oklahomahawk]

Has anybody here ever tried the Frida coffee stuff (named after the woman played by Salma Hayek in a movie that I've never seen)? A local Mexican food place (Tex Mex actually) has it and it's really good. Of course for you purists the stuff I drink you probably wouldn't even consider coffee. I like additives and sweeteners but preferably only sugar free. There's also a Java Dave's close by that I like.

 

[Hawk]

I do, but I'm not gonna claim to be a coffee taste czar. Round these parts people are always serving instant Nescafe coffee. The grocery stores have whole aisles of the stuff, but just maybe one or two bags of normal ground coffee (typically, gas station quality). So when I am traveling way out yonder to the big city and end up near a Starbuck's, I definitely stop in and am duly appreciative.

I don't know if you can get your hands on any Korean or Japanese instant coffee over there, but it's surprisingly good for the cost.

I actually find Japanese canned coffee to be some of the most delicious (and effective) 'brew' that I've ever consumed.

 

[zitothebrave]

I guess people like what they like but I feel the same way walking around Manhattan seeing people stuffing themselves into chain restaurants.

I think the same thing. ANd then cry up here where chain restaurants represent (counting fast food) something like 50% of the places you can go eat at around me. If you factor in as well the cheap deli/pizza joint type of stuff. then it gets even sadder and smaller. Around me basically in a 10 minute drive for dinner that isn't chain or pizza/deli I have 4 restuarants and one just does'nt hit at all near my tastes 1 is more fine dining which isn't my speed, and the other 2 are nice but you can only eat there a few times a month. So places that are more chain more common.

When I lived in NJ I ate at chain fast food, but I never ate at places like Applebees.

I got miffed quietly when my gf, her mom and I went to NY and we went to Sbarro for pizza. Sbarro. Ugh.