Typical of the clan – they have to fly half way around the world before they experience something they have on their doorstep. If they want a croissant they have to go to an NY deli to buy it. And if we want Starbuck’s coffee, then a trip to New Zealand is in order.
And guess what? That’s exactly the case. We fly 28 hours in a plane only to come off and find… central London :(. With the HSBC adverts plastered over walls and the Burger Kings on every street corner. Stagecoach buses to Starbucks coffee. Why didn’t we stay in Woking?
What I’m on about…
Yes folks, today we are going to go through the doors of Starbuck’s Coffee. Naturally, since this is my New Zealand tour it would have to be one of the three branches we came across in Auckland, the largest city of NZ although not the capital.
What Starbuck’s Is…
Starbucks lies at the upper end of fast food. It is in a completely separate division to McDonald’s. For example, you can get some cutlery if you want, and if you order a milkshake it comes in a pretty see-through cup and has a fangled Italian name.
Somehow from the word MILKSHAKE the design team managed to create the word FRAPPUCCINO. Unless it’s a real word and I need to practise my Italian as well as shut up, stop rambling, and get on with the info you need to know.
Basically, the American chain of small, rather smart-looking coffee bars was established a few years ago and has expanded worldwide. They sell a range of coffees/teas/milkshakes along with slices of cake and light snacks in all stores.
The concept allows you to either eat in or take away which is convenient. Will take a closer look at all of those elements later, because they make the Starbuck’s experience what it is. Anyway, it’s time we actually learn something…
Let’s Get Serious…
If you are ever in New Zealand, then I will say that any of the Starbucks on Queen Street, that is the main shopping street behind the Stamford Plaza hotel, are worth a visit. There are 2 Starbucks outlet on this road.
Easy to pinpoint thanks to the bright green medallion which proudly displays their company’s name and their business. The large emblem reads ‘Starbuck’s Coffee’ and is a common sight in most cities around the world now.
You’ve Found It…
Now you can get closed you’ve found a branch. Go to the door. It is most likely that you will walk straight in but if you are with the Etheridge opinion-writing clan, then it’s a big no-no. You have to inspect the exterior first.
First Impressions…
As poorly demonstrated by this opinion, first impressions are important. You probably read the first line and decided ‘rubbish – UH.’ And in most cases first impressions are accurate… But Starbucks’ exteriors are very modest and first impressions can be wrong.
I went with my mother to the Starbucks in the DownTown shopping centre, and we approached the entrance. We saw the Starbucks parasols, shading the tables from the sun’s rays and we saw a green awning leaning over the glass doorway.
This doorway was dirty and clearly poorly-maintained. A piece of chipped pavement slab had made its way inside the building and to be quite honest the whole place looked a complete and utter dump. Anyone half-fussy would not have entered.
But I, in quest for a nice critical opinion entered in. Unfortunately I was let down by everything, except two elements of the experience. So it seems the criticism is going to remain for United airlines, but that’s a whole other opinion.
The familiar green was common on the outside, in fact on most of the surfaces except for on the wood of the outdoor furniture. All of the exterior-facing walls were made of glass so a good view to the inside of the eatery was possible.
Of course, this would be possible if someone had cleaned the windows. I mean, if you are looking for a sandwich to select before entering the place lets just say I wouldn’t recommend pressing your nose against the glass. Get the message?!
Shifting Inwards…
Another point I noticed was that the door was very heavy although that wont be common to every branch since each outlet will be fitted by a different company. On my left against the back wall was the service counter, surrounded by people eating at tables.
Behind the counted were the most hygiene-conscious people I had ever seen. If fact, they were so hygienic that they were unhygienic. I mean, isn’t it great. If you leave milk splodges and dirty cloths around food areas, it might just transfer some friendly food poisoning bugs :).
Spotless?…
No, but seriously. The hygiene levels I experienced at the Starbucks were pretty horrendous. There was muck on the floor, not enough space, staff not wearing gloves. I mean, wiping the table and then handling your cake, you know, they ‘forgot’ to wash their hands just like the kids.
Old teacloths covered in coffee powder were littering the floor and all of the worksurfaces. The tap was leaking, along with the attendant’s nose and of course my wallet. Yes, all three were certainly leaking in Starbucks.
The Order…
It was time to select some food. As we roamed in the queue for some moments there was ample time to select. The food selection described today was from the Starbucks branch in the middle of Queens Street, when I went with my parents and brother Robert.
The queue was rather long and it took a while to get to the front to be served but we waited. We arrived at last and knew exactly what we wanted for we had seen all through the glass cabinets. It was only 15:30 though and many items had sold out.
Food Collection…
For those of you not familiar with Starbucks procedure in New Zealand [sigh] I will outline it to you. Firstly you select your food and order it, surrender your bank details so that your overdraft can be extended, and then your order will be called for collection once prepared.
The lady behind the counter took our order happily enough although got rather agitated rather quickly when my mum couldn’t decide on chocolate or blueberry muffin, but that’s fair enough since the queue was huge. We went and sat down.
We waited, and waited, and waited. There were about 200 customers in the shop and four staff, one cleaning. That makes the customer : attendant ratio about 1 : 70. Not impressive. As a result the food took a very long time.
Once the overdraft is organised and you’ve picked up the food, you can sit back, relax, and read on. Here’s a closer look at what the members of the clan ordered, what they tasted like, what they looked like, and of course, how they were presented.
John the Father…
Ham, cheese and mustard sandwich along with mocha was all very nice, as tested by me on a later visit. The sandwich was wrapped in clear foil with a large Starbucks label outlining the flavour of the contents and the mocha in a tall paper cup, embossed with logo. There was plenty of foam on the mocha!
Daniel the Son…
I enjoyed a turkey triangle along with a frappuccino, as did little bro Rob. The triangle, I must say, wasn’t that great although the frappuccino, Starbucks’ milkshake, was the best I had ever tasted! Absolutely amazing.
Cristina the er… Mother?…
Ahh, since my father was only feeling partially generous when he ordered my mum only got a muffin. She took it to eat later in the hotel room. Trust me, it was nice. And since it was take away it came in a nice paper bag.
Frappucheck…
I’ve made them out to be great so I guess we should take a closer look at the frappuccinos offered. They come in a variety of flavours, including raspberry, strawberry and chocolate along with others. The concoction is prepared with flavouring, ice and milk.
I believe that about 1/8 of the mix is flavouring, that mixed with 3/8 ice and about half of the blend being made up of milk. It is served in tall, clear plastic cup with a nice big dome on top, which makes it more fun to gaze toward.
You can get a nice big green straw to put through the gap in the dome and sip through it softly. The beverage will last you a long while so don’t order one too big unless you are really thirsty or have a partner with you to finish off.
Taste Test…
The food was generally fine although as I’ve said I didn’t enjoy the triangle. Sure, it was nice, but it wasn’t out of the ordinary. I would describe in heavier detail but it was about a week ago I was in Starbucks and I had problems with the computer access I was using.
However, I can recommend you the muffins. They were really good and I enjoyed them thoroughly on the three trips we made. So remember that. Next time you’re in Starbucks, in New Zealand, you must order a muffin.
Ambience…
Although the three venues we visited were somewhat mucky, there was no serious complaint. They were fairly pleasantly decorated with nice matches but my mum being the fussy woman and airline worker she is would have to pull out a wet hand towel.
What for you ask? To clean the table. She is obsessed though. The table itself was perfectly clean although some of the tables were dirtier and the floor was hardly a shrine to cleanliness. If it’s sterile you’re after, then try a hospital.
The streetscape windows give you the feeling that you are in the crowd, yet escaped. That you are away from the hustle and bustle going on outside. You aren’t in it – you are watching it. Not a player but a spectator. It’s quite interesting – some bizarre people wall by!
The place is buzzing. I think there was some music on but I couldn’t quite think – it was quite loud with people chatting away discussing all topics under the coffee-coloured lamps, which can be found in every Starbucks you come to.
And the prices…
Starbucks, depending on the branch and country is dear. Compared to other cafes in the UK it does cost more but the fact is that it’s better. However, in NZ I found the service to be consistently cheap but that may well be because of the currency exchange rate.
Summary…
Well, you have left the magical world and swapped it for the swamped street, filled with people dashing to and from work. The world of green aprons for the world of black jackets. But come on – off to work – you’ve got to earn enough cash for the next visit!
The bottom line? Not for the hygiene freak, Starbucks sell good coffee at prices good for the owner of the company. The snacks are generally good, especially the muffins but I recommend avoiding the nasty turkey triangles ;)
