Emily Aiken ’20, Editor in Chief
In 1987, Howard Schultz was working at the first Starbucks store. After going on a business trip to Milan and Verona, he found out that a coffee shop had to do a lot more that just sell whole bean and ground coffee. So, with 3.8 million dollars, he bought his bosses out and became the CEO of Starbucks. Today there are 30,000 locations worldwide, and there are over 10 million customers everyday, which puts them far in the lead of other coffee franchises. But what makes them so good?
First of all, Starbucks has their recipes down to a science. They have exact formulas for all 87,000 drink combinations, all of which, baristas can make. The baristas go through a total of 30 hours of training that includes everything from how to make the perfect frappuccino to the best way to grow coffee. Their baristas are very skilled and knowledgeable.
Starbucks’ convenience also adds to their charm. Even when it is super busy, you can get in and out in three to five minutes. At their busiest location in Brooklyn, New York, Starbucks can churn through 220 customers per hour. You can also pay using their app on your phone where you can also get a lot of rewards in return. Junior Tejon Garrett said, “The service is really good, and the staff is always really nice.”
While Starbucks may have a lot of good qualities, some say the company is overrated, especially for the price. A cup of coffee can cost up to seven dollars, which, if you are buying on a regular basis, can get pretty expensive, and they tend to raise prices often.
Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts have long competed as the two biggest coffee chains. Some may say the taste of Starbucks is better, but the price is lower for Dunkin’, but only by a few cents. Dunkin’ will also add any flavors, sugar, cream, and milk for no extra charge. While Starbucks has a wider selection of drinks, Dunkin’ has a wider selection of food. Starbucks also gets compared to McDonalds’ coffee a lot because McDonalds has stepped up their coffee game, and when it comes to taste, Starbucks is considered stale and burnt, and they are able to hide it with the loads of sugar and high calorie additions.
So when it comes down to the best coffee place, it all depends on personal preference. If you like convenience and sugary drinks, Starbucks may be the place to go. But if you are on a budget or you prefer a good, black coffee, you may want to steer away from Starbucks.
Photo courtesy of USA Today
Lyon Life 