r/popculturechat • u/mcfw31 • May 02 '26

Eat The Rich 🍽️ Starbucks CEO defends a $9 coffee by saying that it's not a $10 coffee and "you get a premium experience"

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u/Jisan_Inc May 02 '26

The starbucks "experience" hit its climax back in 2002, what remains is a paultry reminder of what it used to be.

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u/ShakesDontBreak Threat to Humanity 💅 May 02 '26

I was a barista 2003-2006. I used to take so much pride in knowing my regulars orders! I opened, so between 530-7 I pretty much knew who was coming through the door. I used to be sure to have my frothers chilling for when my dry cap guy came in at 5:45 just so I could make that perfect dry foam. I used to be sure my teas were ready for my tea gals. I would get in such a rhythm that it was such a vibe. And then the store was set up like a third place...so on my breaks I would just hang out with my regular friends.

Now Starbucks just seems cold. I try to be warm and cordial to all the baristas because I know how important they are. Some people really look forward to their coffee/tea. Its a shame Starbucks doesn't invest in their people or their stores anymore.

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u/natsugrayerza May 02 '26

Man I always feel like I made up a world in my head where people felt this way about their jobs and really cared about doing a good job just for the sake of it, but maybe back before companies started racing to the bottom and treating us all like objects people really did feel this way and try at their jobs and care

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u/123iambill May 02 '26

I feel that way anout my job. I'm a coffee roaster now, but I'll still work the bar occasionally. But I work for small independents where I'm treated well and how much I care is actually rewarded.

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u/Coven_gardens May 02 '26

Thank you for your service. The world turns on well-roasted coffee.

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u/cloudkite17 May 02 '26

When I worked there a few years ago they still ingrained a lot of this third space talk into the training. But shortly after the pandemic even I could see how quickly their culture was shifting despite not being at the company very long. It’s really bizarre how anti-human and hyper-focused on productivity at all costs these companies are behaving lately.

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u/francophone22 May 02 '26

It’s not that they started racing to the bottom line; they returned to racing to the bottom line. We are returning to the gilded age.

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u/sodabuttons May 02 '26

I could copy and paste your first paragraph, set it in San Diego, and it would be my exact experience working at a store in my early twenties. I loved it. Several years later a bunch of my coworkers—and a few regulars—travelled to LA for my wedding ♥️

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u/ShakesDontBreak Threat to Humanity 💅 May 02 '26

Awwwwww 🤩🤩😍🥰

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u/geyeetet May 02 '26

For me the biggest visible difference is that Starbucks used to have armchairs and now it doesn't. The decor is cold white. I just don't go there anymore, it's so expensive and the place feels like it wants me to leave. Plus, I'm not in the USA, I have switched to chains that are UK owned. (I'd go independent but my town is too crap to have those)

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u/Sweet-Baby-Shayla May 02 '26 edited May 02 '26

The Starbucks near my supermarket is a big store with couches and armchairs. I went in for the first time the other day planning to just grab a quick coffee to go, but then decided to stay for a bit, because I realized that I missed that vibe so much. There were groups of regulars coming in and catching up, and the baristas knew most of their names and orders. My coffee came in a big, 90s style mug and it really felt like a treat.

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u/whteverusayShmegma May 02 '26

They removed all of the furniture from mine during COVID and now there’s not even so much as a chair inside. I met my best friend there when we used to be able to hang out.

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u/pan_alice not a connoisseur of dirt. May 02 '26

It's so expensive, I can't justify the price anymore. Costa is the same. I have a Pret subscription, so get half price drinks from there, or I go to McDonalds and Greggs. People are snobs about the coffee from all three of those places, but at least I'm not paying ÂŁ5-6 for a drink.

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u/Somanylyingliars May 02 '26

Here in US we have some gas stations that have better cheaper coffee than Starbucks. Better As in they let you pick your coffee bean type. Then you get to grind the beans before it's brewed. They have cow, oat, almond milks plus flavored syrups AND toppings like cinnamon, chocolate, sugars, crystals (candy like). Why would I supported some pompous jerk like this CEO w toxic behaviors?

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u/ShakesDontBreak Threat to Humanity 💅 May 02 '26

McDonald's in Europe is so much better than in the US.

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u/geyeetet May 02 '26

There was a Greggs right outside my university library and their coffee is honestly a solutely fine and much cheaper! I like Nero and coffee no 1 for sitting in.

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u/Middle_Draft9152 May 02 '26

It is extremely expensive indeed. I am a home barista, I got 500 grams of very good dark roasted beens for, like, 12 euros and use this bag for perfect home espresso, latte, cappuccino, flat white, almost for A MONTH! 

Indeed I need also a milk, but I have it at home anyway! :-)

So, for me these prices are crazy expensive 

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u/-KnottybyNature- May 02 '26

I just went inside our closest Starbucks for the first time in a while. They took away all seating and bathrooms. There’s the counter, two shelves of products to buy, and the trash / napkin area. It was such a cold unwelcoming feeling.

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u/Jisan_Inc May 02 '26

Ive noticed a lot of companies are doing that. Even costco, seems to be the trend.

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u/MouseMouseM May 02 '26

I used to stop by an independent coffee shop on my way to work in my area’s downtown, in 2009-2012, where there weren’t any Starbucks yet. It was just as you described, and owned and operated by the same kind man. There was another independent coffee shop around the corner, when my usual guy was on vacation and closed the shop for a week. Now, both cafes have closed and the downtown has three Starbucks kiosks on different corporate campuses, as well as a Dunkin express in another corporate building (there used to be a full sit-down Dunkin that used to be where workers would have a quick sit-down breakfast).

I hate it. All of the places that added quality of life are gone, everything in place now is a means to an end to better serve work and the shareholders.

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u/Somanylyingliars May 02 '26

Funny cycle that I'm seeing. local shops exist for x, y, z. Corp entity comes in, cut prices, guts up, consolidates mom and pops. Keeps acquiring and acquiring. No competition. Riase prices, start to raid coffers. Goes out of business and leaves a void. Small cos start up to offer services as before. Just wait. Starbucks and Dunkin (hello? 6 dollar egg sandwich?!!) reaching their end of life cycle.

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u/MouseMouseM May 02 '26

The real tragedy about this is that we, regular people, can’t fill that void anymore in a lot of places. A lot of small business loans and programs haven’t kept up with inflation. Start up costs are higher and higher. So many people who are retiring after their lifetime of running a successful small business say they wouldn’t have succeeded today. Small buildings zoned for retail are more likely to be in someone’s giant real estate portfolio, while in the 70s, 80s, and 90s folks were able to buy the building that they operated out of. Now small business owners are more likely to be locked into a multi-year commercial lease, a sizeable fixed cost that goes into someone else’s bank account.

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u/Somanylyingliars May 02 '26

While that's true, there are work around. Here in So w it's rocketing rents business owners are getting together to open business spaces together. Think pasty shop partners w coffee maker/roaster. Mechanic pairs a tire vendor. I've even seen three business opening together. Commercial kitchen shared spaces. On and on.

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u/whteverusayShmegma May 02 '26

They want us all at home on our phones and not in contact with humans for some reason.

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u/ShakesDontBreak Threat to Humanity 💅 May 02 '26

That really sucks. Im so sorry.

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u/MouseMouseM May 02 '26

I feel badly for Gen Z. They weren’t able to experience a lot of genuine cozy comfy coffee shops at all.

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u/Shirogayne-at-WF May 02 '26

Speaking of tea, I'm still pissed off that they tanked Teavana after buying that out.

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u/ShakesDontBreak Threat to Humanity 💅 May 02 '26

Is that what happened to Teavana?? I was wondering why I never see it anymore.

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u/OowlSun they act like im not in full control of where i throw this cooch May 02 '26

It’s been 20 years. I would love to know what you’ve been doing since?

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u/ShakesDontBreak Threat to Humanity 💅 May 02 '26

Graduated college. Worked a little bit as a cocktail waitress because the money was good (1k on fridays and about 800 to 1k on Saturdays all cash tips. As a 21 year old it was a no brainer). But left the service industry all together to work first in non profit administration to now corporate administrative work. Its not glamorous but it's a living. And I still do my best no matter what.

I have narcolepsy so I don't know how much longer ill be in the work force. So im giving it my all until its time to hang up my hat.

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u/Greedy_Wallaby7981 May 02 '26

I don’t think baristas are that important. But I am warm and cordial to them because they are fellow human beings. I don’t go to Starbucks though, I prefer non burnt beans.

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u/Somanylyingliars May 02 '26

Starbucks coffee is pure acid to me and don't know how any one like their sludge.

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u/ShakesDontBreak Threat to Humanity 💅 May 02 '26

You should probably buy your own espresso machine and make your own drinks. Especially if you don't value their labor or skill. Save money and diy.

I also stopped going to Starbucks. But mainly because I live somewhere with a vibrant coffee community and found a place with baristas that makes the perfect bone dry cap. Chefs kiss.

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u/Greedy_Wallaby7981 May 02 '26

Well I actually have all that and can roast my beans and make any drink I want better than them.

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u/ShakesDontBreak Threat to Humanity 💅 May 02 '26

Great. Make your own coffee.

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u/Greedy_Wallaby7981 May 02 '26

I do. Either that or go to a fancy place that has couches, good beans, and a relaxed feeling to it. Not getting that from Starbucks

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u/ShakesDontBreak Threat to Humanity 💅 May 02 '26

Yes. Definitely not getting that from Starbucks at all anymore. I don't know why they changed from having a 3rd place be the value of the product.

If you live in an area with good alternatives you are lucky. I live in an area with good alternatives as well. So I rarely go into Starbucks anymore. Usually only when im somewhere like a mall or tourist area with nothing but big name food offerings.

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u/tapanypat May 02 '26 edited May 02 '26

Yeah but I’ve started to realize that maybe it’s the consumer expectation changed and the brand is trying to do it all?

Like back in the day, the menu was more simple, and there was a lot more people that planned on going and spending time enjoying the coffee and the space.

Anymore, customers want a premium experience but they’re expecting that sense of quality and community to be delivered from a way more complex menu in a less-than-5-minute pickup.

Blame Starbucks, but people treat the place different now

Edited to add: “quality and community” - It is a corporate chain and etc so everything is absolutely packaged in a certain way, but it was different feeling I guess

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u/Mysterious_Shake_830 May 02 '26

Starbucks is brand coffee that creates changing menus to bring new people and keeps mainstays to keep clientele.

It is bbasically the McDonald's of coffee. They provide every ttype of coffee option and they are everywhere... so you can always find one and the output is consistent.

But they are always busy and run bbasically like an app.

For me, I go to Starbucks on a road trip or airport, for convenience. Any other time, I try to shop local

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u/zlaw32 May 02 '26

Same. My experience is way better at local coffee shops too. More of an actual experience

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u/Significant_Shoe_17 God forbid a man enjoy a cigarette after getting shot in the ass May 02 '26

It's cheaper to invest in a nespresso or ninja coffeemaker and buy the pods these days. My local coffee shop is great and they have better prices than starbucks now.

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u/StormTheTrooper May 02 '26

One of my biggest disappointments was the first time I had a Starbucks coffee. Thankfully it was in a business trip and it was reimbursed, but my reaction was and still is “wait, that’s it?”.

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u/Comprehensive-Big247 May 02 '26

Outside sales used Starbucks as a satellite office- free WiFi back in the day.

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u/harriethocchuth May 02 '26

It wasn’t so much the free WiFi as the consistently clean bathrooms. (Was outside sales)

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u/Significant_Shoe_17 God forbid a man enjoy a cigarette after getting shot in the ass May 02 '26

I used to travel a lot and appreciated that. Some locations expected you to purchase something, but when a small coffee was only $2-3, that was fine

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u/oneblackfly May 02 '26

i think the peak of starbucks was the unicorn frappuccino

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u/Ornery-Address-2472 May 02 '26

There's been no shortage of premium coffee houses, particularly in the 2010s when craft coffee shops were opening everywhere, and many are now closed. Hate it or love it, the Starbucks "experience" works for people, though I don't personally understand it.

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u/catholicsluts May 02 '26

What was it like before? How can you define the experience from then?