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submitted 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) by Valuy@lemmy.zip to c/mildlyinfuriating@lemmy.world
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[-] protist@retrofed.com 233 points 3 weeks ago

Has this man even been inside a Starbucks recently? They used to be loungy places people could chill, now they're all bland, sparsely decorated, dirty, and uninviting. There is absolutely nothing premium about Starbucks, it's basically a fast-food chain. Once again demonstrating how far removed CEOs are from reality

[-] CompactFlax@discuss.tchncs.de 103 points 3 weeks ago

Fast food is expensive too. And it’s hurting their sales, and they can’t figure out that they need to slice profits, not the product.

[-] Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world 47 points 3 weeks ago

Burger King is just inedible now. And by that I mean twice now I've eaten there, and then within an hour my stomach upset. Then followed by 12 hours of what can only be described as "VIOLENT DIARRHEA". Yes, all caps, because thats the urgancy that situation called for.

Two different locations too. Plus the first time I went with a friend, and she got it too. The first time I chalked it off to being that particular location. Then, nearly 8 months later, different location, different city. Same result.

After that, Burger King is officially just as banned from my diet as taco bell is. Inedible.

[-] zewm@lemmy.world 13 points 3 weeks ago

Inedible Now? Your same experience was mine over 15 years ago. I was getting stomach pains and shitting really bad every single time I had BK. He’ll even towards the end I couldn’t even swallow a fry. I had started switching to onion rings cause the fries left a wax taste in my mouth after.

I haven’t had BK since then. 2010 ish. I ended up dropping all fast food after Covid cause the prices just don’t match up with quality anymore.

I heard a single combo meal at McDonalds clocks in near $20 these days. Fuck that noise. Not for a thin, dry “meat” patty that gets microwaved and then thrown between a pair of bread slices. No sir. No thanks. I rather spend that $20 on take out from a real restaurant.

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[-] foggy@lemmy.world 13 points 3 weeks ago

Hey buddy, those yachts aren't gonna buy themselves. What do you expect them to do, live on less?

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[-] notwhoyouthink@lemmy.zip 46 points 3 weeks ago

Came here to say this. What ‘premium’ experience is he talking about?

Something tells me that the only Starbucks he actually has used recently is likely a very high-end version for the C titles in HQ, meters away from his office and for employee use only.

[-] Clent@lemmy.dbzer0.com 42 points 3 weeks ago

They're calling it an experience becuase consumers are indicating they are willing to pay for experiences while pulling back spending on daily expenses.

Consumers mean concerts and vacations and this douche knows he isn't actually offering an experience so he does the mind trick where he says the term over and over to associate in the consumers mind the idea that drive thru coffee is an experience.

[-] notwhoyouthink@lemmy.zip 19 points 3 weeks ago

Absolutely. It was a clear attempt at adding ‘perceived value’ by using the word ‘experience’ so many times. He knows what type of consumer he’s speaking to.

These interviews are really just PR opportunities for guys like this (in their perception).

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[-] wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz 15 points 3 weeks ago

When I want to lounge at a café, I'm expecting a warm, inviting interior, some plants, bookish decor, smooth jazz, hip staff, and a coffee that could only be produced by coffee geeks with attention to detail at every step of the process...

You walk into a starbucks today, everything is cold and industrial, they've got pop music blaring on the radio, and the staff all look miserable. Oh, and the coffee sucks.

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[-] Trev625@sopuli.xyz 98 points 3 weeks ago

I hate this trend of putting shit at the beginning that I then have to hear again less than 10 seconds later. Like I get it's for grabbing you but the second I start hearing the same thing again I immediately close the video.

[-] javasux@lemmy.world 18 points 3 weeks ago

It matters a lot more on platforms like TikTok, where there's no title, no thumbnail, all you have is the first two seconds of the video before someone swipes away

[-] abbadon420@sh.itjust.works 31 points 3 weeks ago

So, the problem isn't the video, but the fact that places like tiktok exist. Even worse is that they're spreading

[-] abcd@feddit.org 77 points 3 weeks ago

Fuck Starbucks. It’s not the first time I mention this, and I’ll keep mentioning it: When Corona hit Germany, the government reduced the VAT to prevent restaurants from going bankrupt in 2020. Starbucks gave every customer the finger and did not lower the prices, keeping the difference for themselves. I was never a regular customer but this made me blacklist them for life.

Pepperidge Farm remembers

[-] neidu3@sh.itjust.works 13 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Pfeffergrat erinnert?

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[-] crank0271@lemmy.world 73 points 3 weeks ago

The interviewer's inability to hide his reaction is priceless

[-] CmdrShepard49@sh.itjust.works 69 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Wow that guy doesn’t even look human. No wonder he had no issue mandating all employees return to the office while he flew a private jet from California to Seattle every day.

Its also hilarious he has that ear piece in his ear so that his PR team can feed the machine the 'correct' focus-grouped response to every question.

[-] capuccino@lemmy.world 17 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

He doesn't even look to the camera. He's looking to some script that is behind.

[-] MrFappy@lemmy.world 16 points 3 weeks ago

I’m pretty sure the earpiece is so he can hear the interviewer.

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[-] TheGiantKorean@lemmy.today 59 points 3 weeks ago

Premium my ass.

I love our local coffee place. We bring our dogs. The baristas bring them cups of whipped cream. The place is cozy and they sell art from local artists. And the coffee is actually good and doesn't taste like someone burned it. I usually make my own coffee, but it's nice to go there once a week and just enjoy being there. That is premium.

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[-] Late2TheParty@lemmy.world 50 points 3 weeks ago

Let's just pretend Starbucks coffee didn't taste like cheap, crusty asshole for a second... Fuck you, Brian!

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[-] SnotFlickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone 46 points 3 weeks ago
[-] thedeadwalking4242@lemmy.world 45 points 3 weeks ago

The coffee sucks, the tables are all filled or dirty and sticky, the outside seating is in a parking lot, baking in the sun, the drive through is backed up to the interstate, the food is re-heated trash that costs a fortune, the atmosphere is boring factory produced trash, and the wifi is so slow it's like it doesn't exist.

Why. Why on earth would I go to starbucks

[-] baggachipz@sh.itjust.works 11 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

People are absolute zombies for it. In the airport, there’s always a line into the concourse for that overpriced burnt shit. There are other coffee and bagel and donut shops mere steps away whose coffee is cheaper and better.

I was in fucking midtown manhattan last week, with amazing coffee shops on every block. Still a line out the door at Starbucks. Like what the fuck, people.

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[-] Redtrax@lemmy.ml 44 points 3 weeks ago

It's sad to think there are people in the world that think Starbucks coffee is nice.

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[-] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 39 points 3 weeks ago

"Starbucks CEO, easily replaced by AI. Here, we'll show you why that's the case."

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[-] bazinga@discuss.tchncs.de 37 points 3 weeks ago

Calling the stuff you buy at Starbucks coffee? What they sell is all sorts of sugar in a cup. This is not a coffee place, it is a diabetes hole.

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[-] 01189998819991197253@infosec.pub 33 points 3 weeks ago

I had a Starbucks franchise owner tell me that Starbucks doesn't sell coffee; [they] sell an experience.

Then improve the experience, I told him. I seriously have no idea how they're still around.

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[-] Otakulad@lemmy.world 31 points 3 weeks ago

They need some way to pay for the year he commuted to Seattle by private jet.

Also, he is the asshole who said to keep raising the prices at Chipotle.

Fuck him. I will drink Folgers (and I do) before I'll drink your shit.

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[-] Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world 29 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Friendly reminder that during 9/11, Starbucks in NYC charged firefighter $5 for tap water.

Now, I realize $5 today doesn't sound like much, but to put it in comparison, at the time a bottle of 20oz water ranged between $0.50, and $1.25 at grocery stores.

So here's these men, saving lives, risking their own, covered in asbestos and other soot, desprate for a drink to keep saving lives, and the manager of that starbucks decides thats a good time to gouge them for tap water. BITCH THAT SHIT SHOULD BE FREE!!! Especially for these guys! Many of whom died when the towers collapsed. Their last drink for some of them was a price gouged starbucks tap water.

Edit: I just thought of another way to put it in perspective. I remember in 2000 my dad would give me $5 occasionally to get dinner from McDonalds so he didn't have to cook. It was at the time enough for a medium size double quarter pounder meal. Large or super size would have taken me over the $5 mark, but the medium would just barely cover it.

So now next time you're at McDonalds, look at the price of what that is today, and imagine being asked to pay that for a plastic cup with tap water.

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[-] oh_@lemmy.world 23 points 3 weeks ago

Yes. Starbucks. The McDonald’s of coffee shops. High class. Premium.

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[-] SirEDCaLot@lemmy.today 21 points 3 weeks ago

Look at the wording- 'premium experience'. He's not selling coffee, he's thinking big picture of the whole experience from the moment you walk in the store. He's not even wrong here. This is good business management- that he's taking charge of everything about the store from the decor, the furniture, the colors, how the employee talks to you, etc. That's all part of the experience.

What's wrong is that people keep going. Most people don't give a fuck about the experience, they just want a tasty coffee. Our economy is based on competition and free choice. If he makes his coffee cost $8 or $9 or $15 or $50 that's his right and his company's right. Just as it is your right to go elsewhere, which you should be doing anyway.

The thing is- IMHO, Starbucks coffee isn't worth anywhere near $9. Here's a challenge- go to Starbucks and order a double espresso shot. Now find a local artisan coffee place, like the type with a chalkboard that says where the beans they're brewing today were grown. And get a double espresso from them also. Compare the two.
What you'll notice about Starbucks is that it's burnt. And that's because it's literally burnt- the typical Starbucks bean is roasted MUCH darker than average, so the resulting coffee flavor is dominated by a burned smoky bitter-ish flavor.
Compare that to your local artisan coffee place- you'll notice it's NOT burnt, the flavor is NOT dominated by smokiness, but you have a lot more layers of flavor. Then order whatever drink you want- better coffee in means better drink out.

Keep in mind also most of what Starbucks sells isn't really coffee, it's milky sugary drinks that incorporate a few drips of espresso. So you're paying $9 for a sugary calorie bomb made from overly roasted coffee that just makes you fat.


Also- if you usually order the same thing at Starbucks- just learn to make it. Even if you throw $1000 at a nice fully automatic espresso machine, taking the per-coffee cost from $9 to $1 means you'll break even on the machine in 125 coffees. For most people that's less than a year. And you can do it yourself- next time you order, watch what the barista does. They are not wizards and nothing behind the counter is magic. An espresso machine and a blender will make like 95% of the menu. Here's a guide

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[-] nutbutter@discuss.tchncs.de 21 points 3 weeks ago

I'm in India, and when I was in college, first Starbucks in the city was opened and a few of my friends including me wanted to try it. We all spent 500-600 INR ($4-5) which was a lot. After taking the first sip, we all came to the conclusion that the coffee sold at the college canteen for ₹20 was better than this overpriced slop.

I make coffee at my home for less than a dollar and I love the taste and I love the experience.

[-] BigMacHole 19 points 3 weeks ago

We WANT this to be Worth Your While so we're ~~Paying our Baristas enough to Make It Worth Your While!~~ ~~Buying only the BEST Coffee Beans!~~ ~~Creating NEW Techniques to make your Coffee even MORE Enjoyable!~~ ~~Investing in our Stores so there COMFORTABLE!~~ Giving me, the CEO, a Private Jet!

[-] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 18 points 3 weeks ago

Yep, he commutes by private jet to Seattle from LA every week.

[-] Sanctus@anarchist.nexus 19 points 3 weeks ago
[-] YiddishMcSquidish@lemmy.today 19 points 3 weeks ago

Absolutely zero light behind those eyes. These people really are just biological robots.

[-] Generica@lemmy.world 18 points 3 weeks ago

A $96-million dollar douche defends a $9 cup of coffee

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[-] DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world 15 points 3 weeks ago

I don't give a fuck how much they charge for coffee. I don't know why anyone would. You buy it, or you don't. It's not fucking insulin. No one needs to buy their shitty products.

[-] mic_check_one_two@lemmy.dbzer0.com 14 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

The only reason I would care is to compare it to how much the baristas are getting paid. How many cups of coffee can a barista afford from a single shift, purely from wages? Can a barista even afford a single cup of coffee per hour with their hourly wage? And no, don’t start with the “but it’s a tipped position” stuff. How much does the company pay the barista?

I use this comparison because the McDonalds in my area starts pay at ~$10 per hour before tax, while a Big Mac Meal (arguably the most iconic and popular item on the menu) costs $11.25 before tax. In an eight hour shift, after taxes are factored in, the McDonalds worker can barely afford to buy five meals from the place they’re working at. But how many meals does that worker prepare and serve in a single eight hour shift? Definitely more than five. Probably by several orders of magnitude. So how much profit has the worker brought in, compared to how little they were paid?

To bring it back to the original point, how many $9 drinks does a barista prepare in a single shift? How much profit is made per drink? And how many can the barista afford? This is a video of a man who infamously “commutes” to work across the country via a private company jet, because he refuses to move closer to where their corporate HQ is located. How much company profit does this man consume, simply by traveling to and from work? How much profit from $9 cups of coffee could have gone towards higher barista pay, instead of paying for this man’s commute?

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[-] whotookkarl@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 3 weeks ago

Anti union piece of shit

Also interview only included CEO, no labor representation

[-] percent@infosec.pub 12 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Prioritizing "experience" over coffee itself is not new for Starbucks. Even before the $9 price tag, their prices far exceeded their (low quality) coffee because they're selling the experience.

Coffee roasters sometimes refer to them as "Charbucks."

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[-] HexesofVexes@lemmy.world 11 points 3 weeks ago

I'm surprised he didn't mention the "sense of pride and accomplishment" buying a $9 coffee would bring -_-

[-] kboos1@lemmy.world 11 points 3 weeks ago

Haven't willing gone to a Starbucks in years. There is nothing premium about Starbucks.

[-] bob@feddit.uk 11 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

a great moment with a barista.

Hahaha. Good one. Literally a great reason to buy independent.

[-] CanadaPlus@futurology.today 11 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

TBF the only people that have to answer for it are the ones still buying them.

Like, he may literally have been thinking "because you dumb bitches will pay that", but obviously couldn't say it.

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[-] groucho@retrolemmy.com 11 points 3 weeks ago

A bag of locally roasted coffee is $12 and lasts me two weeks. It used to be $9, before the orange shithead but let's ignore that. A pot of coffee takes about as long as it takes for water to boil. I'm clearly not the target demographic, but still. Nine fucking dollars for a cup?

[-] AlecSadler@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 3 weeks ago

I have friends who are super into roasting their own beans and curated coffee experiences...

Starbucks is far and away from being premium or even...good. They're all marketing and accessibility, not quality.

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this post was submitted on 02 May 2026
451 points (97.7% liked)

Mildly Infuriating

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