~They tend to squeeze out the independent coffee shops.
~They contribute to litter
.
~They are less than cooperative when it comes to implementing the purchase of Fair Trade coffee. Come on...it's true... they claim that they're one of the largest purchasers of Fair Trade coffee yet the amount they purchase is less than 6% of their total coffee purchases. Either buy all your coffee via Fair Trade, or just come right out and admit that you only buy some of it. No one expects you to be a perfect corporation, so please don't try to fool us into thinking that you are something that you're not.
~And they refuse to guarantee that their chocolate, baked goods and ice-cream are from non-GMO sources.
Those are all serious accusations, but my biggest annoyance with Starbucks? The teeth grinding pretentiousness of them. I feel my teeth grinding even right now.
First, their faux drink sizes. What is that all about? A small is a tall? A medium is a Grande? A large is a Venti? And speaking of venti....Starbucks has actually trademarked that term. Do you know that venti is simply the Italian word for 20...you get 20 ounces in a venti. It's a word...and yet they trademarked it. How absolutely annoying is that?
And the way you are expected to order. If you don't ask for a "double, skinny, triple, frappy, cappy, frothy, venti with sprinkles" the hipster sheep rolls his eyes and heaves a huge sigh at your lack of coolness.
I've only been to Starbucks maybe 3 or 4 times. I like to order a large coffee. You can see their veins start to throb as they prepare for yet another middle aged, middle classed, non-yuppie person invading their world.
"Venti?" they say, daring me to not use the correct terminology.
"No, just one" I answer, cooly staring back.
They give the Starbucks approved chest heave and huff out another sigh.
"The size... you want a venti? And what type of roast...medium, blond, bold, coffee of the day?"
"Just a large coffee, medium roast."
And then, they'll repeat it to you, but I think it's company policy that they get the last word in, in Starbuckian:
"All right then, one venti, italiano", and they run away before you get a chance to holler: "One large medium roast damn you..."
And their food. Yes, it looks delicious, and I imagine it tastes good too. Actually I had a slice of something once, and it was wonderful. I hope it wasn't their Real Zucchini Muffin Baked into Wholesome Fluffy Goodness, a Wonderful Alternative For Breakfast with 490 calories, 28 grams of fat, 28 grams of sugar, 480 mg of sodium, along with a few trans fats.
And then the whole issue with the vegan smoothies. Starbucks was so proud of the fact that were offering vegan strawberry smoothies, until it came to light that they had changed the recipe without telling anyone. They were using cochineal extract, which is the juice from small beetles for red colouring. Or maybe the whole beetle, ground up. Either way....
After a huge outcry from their customers, they changed the recipe, they now use lycopene, a tomato based extract. They (smugly) announced the change was due to customer request...but come on, you know they only reason they changed it was because they got caught! From an employee who was the Whistle Blower, no less.. Google it and see for yourself. Why didn't they just use beet juice in the first place? Or, hey, here's a thought, how about flavoring your strawberry smoothie with, I don't know...strawberies?
And that's what I hate. I hate a corporation that uses lies and deceit to make money. I hate it. And I hate it even more when they get caught and then they are so sorry. You know they're only sorry because they got caught.
And don't even get me started on the customers...not all of them, but the ones that think they are hipsterish themselves, and they are buying Fair Trade items, and they are Living with One with Mother Earth, and they walk in the forest in their Rancourt-Hickories and their Uggs as they leave their trash behind. It's "ugh" All right. This was just this morning, while I was walking.
I saw 2 moms, hopping out of their massive SUV's, with their designer dogs and their 2.5 children named Muffy and Molasses, holding their Starbucks cups as they put their children into their fancy strollers. They went one way, I went the other, and when I came back to my vehicle, this was left behind.
Thanks moms, for teaching your children how to care for our forests. Good job. Starbucks thanks you too.
So if you want to go for coffee, and you want to go to Starbucks. I'll go. I just won't be a model customer, that's all.
