Tell Me: Starbucks vs Indie Coffee

By Dani

Today I'm following Caitlin's lead, and I'm going to talk about something potentially controversial. It's very near and dear to my heart, and it may or may not get me murdered by a yuppie. I love coffee, but I don't really like Starbucks.

I'm from the Pacific Northwest, where there's an indie espresso drive-thru every 500 feet that makes a perfect no-foam latte or dry cappuccino or single espresso or breve or cafe au lait or half-caf, half-flavor, triple-shot, 180-degree skim milk latte crazy personalization without blinking an eye. In Starbucks, by contrast, I add an extra shot to my plain-jane vanilla latte and wind up with a super-over-espresso-ed and over-syruped concoction that tastes acid-like and overdone, not anything like the simple, strong latte I wanted.

Starbucks' espresso shots (in general) are pulled either too hot or too quickly or too something, which gives the espresso its acid-like flavor instead of the creamy boldness it's supposed to have. Also, they tend to not be great at customizations - light-foam or half-syrup seem to be especially tough for most Starbucks baristas. Is this just because they haven't been trained or because Starbucks gets so few special orders and so emphasizes their signature drinks?

Now, granted, I was a barista for several years (in other shops) and even owned my own quirky drive-thru espresso stand at one point, so I know I'm extra picky. But then again, lattes aren't really a luxury anymore. Most of us get some kind of fancy coffee at least once a week, and we should know enough to taste when an espresso shot is pulled to perfection or when a new barista got a little over-excited about the flavored syrup bottle.

Don't get me wrong, I still stop in to Starbucks at least once a week for a quick pick-me-up (they are on every street corner, it seems) but I usually get something simple, like an iced or drip coffee, and save the fancy customizations for an indie shop.

Also, when I was in Seattle last weekend I stopped at the original Starbucks where I got a tall vanilla latte, no special sauce. I'm telling you, it was the best Starbucks drink I've ever had. Was it just Seattle mojo or do they only put the best of the best baristas at their original store?

Me, at the first Starbucks. Photo by my long-suffering Hubs. I'm clearly proud of my caffiene addiction, as you can see.

So, this leads me to my next question... do you know your baristas well enough to tell when it's safe to order a more complicated drink? Or am I crazy and the only person in the good ol' US of A who doesn't love Starbucks wholeheartedly?

Comments

[carrie @plums in the icebox]

of course you're not the only one! i go out of my way to patronize independent coffee shops: the coffee is usually better, the food is usually better, and the atmosphere is nicer, too. i lived for three years in a town where most of the people i knew went to the independent coffee shop located a few blocks away from starbucks..you'd see your friends there, it was just a homey-er type of place.

i don't have anything against starbucks, but i don't think they need my money, you know? i'd rather give my money to places that foster community in my community. if i'm traveling or something,s ure, i'll starbucks it up. but at home? indie all the way!

[Alison Z.]

You're not alone. Starbucks makes terrible drinks and I think their coffee beans in general are acidic. Their machine's are also automated which I think leads to a nasty shot anyway. Independent is the way to go.

[Erin]

All my NW coffee drinking friends agree with you on Starbucks, you're definitely not alone! I don't mind Starbucks, but I generally prefer the many excellent coffee shops here in town and I still really miss Coffee People.

[Rebecca]

Minnesota is the land of Caribou Coffee and I was once told that Minnesota is the only state where Starbucks is not the number one coffee chain. That being said, there are still plenty of Starbucks around. Because we have both of these coffee giants, we have very few independent coffee shops which is a total bummer. Don't get me wrong, Caribou and Starbucks are fine but that's just the issue isn't it? They are just fine.

[Em]

I like coffee but I don't drink it everyday (or every other day). I will usually buy coffee about twice a month and I rarely go to Starbucks. I'd rather support an independent shop and get better coffee for the same or less money.

[Katie @ cakes, tea and dreams]

I'm a tea drinker and I despise Starbucks tea. It never tastes right. I do like their hot chocolate and have grown to like their chai - but give me an indie, if possible, any day.

[Caitlin]

I'm not a fan of Starbucks. Perhaps back in the day it used to be better, and certainly it paved the way for a lot of our current American coffee culture. But to me Starbucks is to coffee what McDonald's is to burgers: Just because they have the biggest presence doesn't make them the best. And just like McDonald's, there's a huge difference between my local place with the specialty beans they roast themselves (or the local grassfed burgers) and Starbucks commercialized, mass-produced garbage. (Their espresso is way too acidic!)

My husband and I are huge snobs, I mean coffee drinkers, but we make and drink it at home every morning (black!), and he makes espresso at home as well. It's kind of ruined us for purchasing coffee elsewhere, except a few local places. Also, we're both from Massachusetts so Dunkins will beat out Starbucks in our hearts every time for a big chain.

And Rebecca who commented above, that's really interesting about Caribou. I'd be surprised if Starbucks outnumbered Dunks in Massachusetts (or Maine, or a few other New England states)!

And! Thanks for the shoutout, Dani!

[Corina]

I don't drink a lot of coffee, and the nearest Starbucks is 100 miles away so my ONLY local options are independent. That said, I mostly drink Starbucks when I travel.

It took awhile, but I finally found a drink there that is the perfect mix of mild coffee flavor and just a touch of sweetness for me that almost no barista messes up.

So I'll disagree with the other commenters. I like Starbucks. I like that it's everywhere, and the staff is almost always friendly. I like their corporate politics and the fact that their employees actually get benefits (a huge rarity in the service industry). Count me a fan :)