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Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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We never go there any more since we discovered Dutch Bros. Unfortunately the nearest is about 40 minutes away, but worth the drive, and there are others along the way when we travel up or down I5. Of course we never actually get just coffee, that I make at home. I will get a mocha in the morning or on a cold day, and a Grasshopper freeze in the afternoon. On those times that we drive just for the drink it's going to be about $5 plus the gas but we don't do it often.
Same here, I'd ask for a black coffee, which I guess isn't typical.
My son just gave it up. He just calculated how much sugar and caffeine he was getting.
The black coffee is all I ever get from there myself, and I don't think it's ever come across as atypical. Something about their coffee just tastes better than other places, to me. But like I said, I pretty much just get their K-cups from the store and throw into the office Keurig. Not AS good, but almost.
I tend to stop in at actual Starbucks when I am walking around NYC as they are literally everywhere, and it is super convenient.
WFH is partly responsible. People don't leave the house anymore. They used to stop for coffee on the way to work, now it's an independent trip. Plus it's gotten pretty expensive for low income people.
WFH is partly responsible. People don't leave the house anymore. They used to stop for coffee on the way to work, now it's an independent trip. Plus it's gotten pretty expensive for low income people.
Starbucks has always been expensive for low income people, and I don't think that's ever been their target clientele. I agree with you regarding WFH however.
That said, the only times I ever actually sat down in a Starbucks (aside from airports and such) was when I was working from home, as I'd get bored sitting in the house all day, and would routinely need a change of atmosphere, so I'd take my laptop to Starbucks, or to a quiet lounge or something.
WFH is partly responsible. People don't leave the house anymore. They used to stop for coffee on the way to work, now it's an independent trip. Plus it's gotten pretty expensive for low income people.
I am going to say no to work from home being a reason, but I like how you think outside the box.
Starbucks profit was up 12% for 2023 and up 8% since 2021. If anything, more people are being forced to return to work, so you have worse sales even as some people are commuting more than in 2022.
“In this environment, many customers have been more exacting about where and how they choose to spend their money,” Starbucks’ CEO Laxman Narasimhan told analysts on the company’s conference call”
Starbucks grew up with Gen Xers, and really captured Millennials, but I think they’ve pretty much failed to capture the Gen Z youngsters. Their largely millennial customer base is now cutting back to keep up with higher rents and mortgages, food inflation and child care costs, and the Gen Zers don’t view the Starbucks mermaid as a status symbol the way their parents did. They don’t want lame “Mom coffee”, especially not at $6 per cup, and they definitely don’t want fancy olive oil lol. The Gen Zers want energy drinks, not coffee, and would rather spend $3 on a Celsius or Monster at a c-store.
Someone earlier in the thread mentioned Dutch Bros. They’ve done a great job capturing the Gen Z kids with their coffee and Blue Rebel energy drink mix. IMHO, Starbucks would be better off by focusing on the youngsters with value type products and more visibility with their energy drinks. Perhaps a partnership with CELH or MNST?
Will their seemingly clueless CEO get it? It was really interesting to see Howard Shultz address the company’s issues publicly. Starbucks needs to change with the times or slowly die of complacency.
My guess is that inflation is hitting the middle income people hard, and paying over $2 for a cup of coffee that you can make at home and put in a hot cup with lid for less than 50 cents (if you buy the cups and lids in bulk which are about 30 cents per cup/lid https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-...1zcF9hdGY&th=1 ) -- well, that could be a savings of about $30 a month. That doesn't seem like much, but that would total about $360 a year.
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