... My coffee companion was more succinct, saying "if I had wanted to bathe in hot frothy liquid I could do that at home!" I think this is more a comment on the excellence of coffee in Belgium generally than a blanket criticism of Starbucks, but it is certain my verdict.
=VALUE FOR MONEY ... Read review
Advantages: Comfortable, relaxing surroundings, ethical capitalism Disadvantages: The coffee!!
...than a blanket criticism of Starbucks, but it is certain my verdict.
====VALUE FOR MONEY ====
The standard coffee comes in at £1.95. If you want a cup of coffee for less than £1, go to Greggs or somewhere less (dare I say it) pretentious. The coffee in Marks and Spencers Café Revive is no less palatable and costs 50p less.
==== THE STARBUCKS EXPERIENCE ====
The downstairs had stripped pine ... ...bit dark inside. Upstairs, there were more of the same type of table and chairs, plus by the window, there were low sofas and armchairs. WiFi internet access is free, and thanks to the recent legislation banning smoking in public places, the atmosphere was cheery and brighter than the downstairs (this is a contrast with Belgium).
Starbucks also is recommended by the Blackpool vegans, as it such stocks products as soya milk, herbal ... more
STARBUCKS BLACKPOOL
Starbucks is one of the largest chains of coffee stores in the world. The name Starbucks comes from Captain Ahab's first mate in Moby Dick (which may explain all the froth spouted into the coffee!) Starbucks coffee has been associated with globalisation and became something of a cause celebre during the riots in Seattle during the fag end of the Clinton era, in the halcyon days of the pre-9/11 world. Starbucks arrived in the UK in 1998, and now has over 500 stores nationwide. The Starbucks in Blackpool in on a pedestrian street next to the Hounds Hill Shopping Centre.
= CHOICE
=
Starbucks offers a range of different ways to have coffee, the most popular of which are:
Espresso - strong, concentrated coffee brewed by forcing very hot, but not boiling water under high pressure through finely ground coffee.
Americano - this would elsewhere be called normal filter coffee, although the origin is thought to come from World War II, with the strong Italian coffee watered down with boiling water for the taste of American GIs.
Caffé Latte - espresso with lots of steamed milk added. This is relatively weak like the Americano, but has a smoother flavour.
Latte Machiatto - a milkier version of caffé latte. The name macchiato refers to the mark (macchia) left in the top to distinguish it from the latte.
Caffé Macchiato - espresso with a small amount of foam added to the top.
Cappuccino -milky coffee, like the latte, but the key point here is that after the shot of espresso it *should be* a perfect mix of 50% hot milk and 50% hot foam, unsually followed by a sprinkling of cocoa powder.
Caffé Mocha - this is a milky coffee blended with chocolate
They come in various sizes, ranging from (to Belgian eyes) large to the industrial quantity. You can also get tea, hot chocolate and iced coffee drinks.
There is a also a wide range of food, from sandwiches and salads, to cakes, cookies and biscuits. However, as I was not tempted during my 20 minute wait (see below) by what was on offer, I can't offer much comment except to say that Starbucks obviously give a good deal of thought to presentation and packaging.
= SERVICE
=I visited Starbucks in Blackpool late morning (around 11.30) and it was quite crowded. There queue of a dozen people moved slowly, and when you get to the front, you place your order. The friendly lady behind the counter takes your money and then doodles something on the side of the paper cup. Then in a scene reminiscent of the old Soviet bloc, you join the same queue the other side of the till. But it gets worse, the other assistant then calls out the coffees they have made to order, but not in the order that you paid your money. Hence, the person behind me got served before either of my drinks arrived, and they split up my order by calling out an extraneous hot chocolate. Had the service been quick, this would have been less annoying. However, over 20 minutes elapsed between joining the queue and finally sitting down with the complete order.
= TASTE
=
I wish I could say that the coffee when I tasted it was worth the wait. However, I cannot in all honesty say more than it was quite weak compared to what I usually drinks, and without any particular aroma or fullness of flavour to make up for that. My coffee companion was more succinct, saying "if I had wanted to bathe in hot frothy liquid I could do that at home!" I think this is more a comment on the excellence of coffee in Belgium generally than a blanket criticism of Starbucks, but it is certain my verdict.
=VALUE FOR MONEY
=The standard coffee comes in at £1.95. If you want a cup of coffee for less than £1, go to Greggs or somewhere less (dare I say it) pretentious. The coffee in Marks and Spencers Café Revive is no less palatable and costs 50p less.
= THE STARBUCKS EXPERIENCE
=
The downstairs had stripped pine chairs and round tables, but I thought it was a bit dark inside. Upstairs, there were more of the same type of table and chairs, plus by the window, there were low sofas and armchairs. WiFi internet access is free, and thanks to the recent legislation banning smoking in public places, the atmosphere was cheery and brighter than the downstairs (this is a contrast with Belgium).
Starbucks also is recommended by the Blackpool vegans, as it such stocks products as soya milk, herbal tea and they sell a vegan falafel and humus flatbread (contains wheat), which is labelled. All this reinforces the image Starbucks is trying to promote as part of the alternative, aspirational cutting edge.
There is much made on the premises about the use of FairTrade coffee and its corporate social responsibility. I took away some of the literature for this, and it is clear that Starbucks has used its prominence in the market for good ends and to good effect. It has very clear and transparent guidelines about what it expects from coffee growers and their commitment to pay a fair price. It also is more than a passive donor to alleviate poverty, working closely with Care International and Mercy Corps among others, as well as on many smaller scale projects in the recipient countries.
= OVERALL ASSESSMENT
=It is difficult for me to be truly objective about Starbucks. I am spoilt in Belgium by the coffee served anywhere you go, not least because your drink comes with a chocolate, biscuit or cake, whereas here that titbit costs extra. The impression I got, rightly or wrongly, is that the customer is meant to regard drinking at Starbucks as being as much a lifestyle fashion statement as a choice of refreshment. That is not my approach - I was looking for a nice relaxed cup of coffee at a reasonable price with decent service. Instead, with long random queues and fairly insipid coffee at not a particularly cheap price, I later voted with my feet and the following time to Marks and Spencer's. It is possible that my experience here in Blackpool was unusual, but the aftertaste of my visit was pretty unappetising.
For me, I have never quite been able to put out of my mind something said in the romantic comedy 'You've got mail'. In the film, the character played by Tom Hanks describes Starbucks thus, "the whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup of coffee. Short, tall, light, dark, caf, decaf, low-fat, non-fat, etc. So people who don't know what the hell they're doing or who on earth they are can, for only $2.95, get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self: Tall. Decaf. Cappuccino." It may be Starbucks offers this vicarious sense of identity, but not to me, and it is not an image to which I would subscribe. However, the biggest fault is not the self-promotion but the uninspired coffee and random service.
