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Blog
Starbucks or char-bucks
April 8, 2008
A tall, bearded Starbucks employee wandered about the room carrying a tray filled with small cups and looking, in his long apron, like a flight attendant on Southwest.
"Anyone want coffee, it's free," he wondered. No, thanks. I'd already swallowed enough to know I didn't particularly like the new brew, which the company was passing out, gratis, most of yesterday. Maybe the paper cup was the problem, but Pike Place Roast tasted burnt and bitter. Like its typical brewed offerings.
It's hard to imagine even a slim majority of the 1,000 customers who tested the product liking it. But then, I'm not a regular Starbucks customer. Maybe this "medium" roast is right up an aficionado's alley. For those who want to gripe, constructively, there is always mystarbucksidea.com, the customer site the company monitors for ideas.
 |
| Regular Joe: Can PPR compete with fast-feeders' brew? |
Speaking of customization, I spotted an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal this week. It's about Starbucks Cards, which customers can personalize -- at least in some cases:
| "But when my friend Roger Ream, president of the Fund for American Studies, received a Starbucks gift card for Christmas, he found there was a limit to how personalized a card could be." |
Posted by David Farkas on April 8, 2008 | Comments (2)
In response to: Starbucks or char-bucks
Steve commented:
The same expierence in a different part of the country! They have a long way to go to please consumers! However Burnt is the SUBX way. Why?
In response to: Starbucks or char-bucks
Bob commented:
I received a discount card in an advertisement for a free 12oz cup o' Pike Place Roast EVERY Wednesday from the now (April 11) until May 28. Yeah I'll use the card a few times because it is free, but I don't expect it'll change my coffee habits after it expires. I tend to grab a coffee wherever is convenient at the time.